SOILCOMBAT - Engineering the sponge function of Portuguese pasture soils to sustainably combat desertification

Background

Desertification is a growing concern in Portugal as models predict decreasing annual precipitation, and higher intensity events especially in the winter season, and increased potential evapotranspiration. SOILCOMBAT’s idea is to adapt the sponge function of pasture soils by engineering them with designer biochar to raise the organic matter saturation several times, without the need for regular inputs of organic matter because the turnover of biochar is 100-1000 times slower. The aspect of biochar relates to the type and amount of biochar that optimises the sponge function without compromising other key desertification indicators, e.g. salinization and decline in biodiversity.

SOILCOMBAT aims to engineer the sponge function of Portuguese pasture soils to sustainably combat desertification. SOILCOMBAT’s main innovative aspect is the focus on the sponge function of soil COMBINED with screening for potential trade-offs - such as germination, soil ecotoxicity – to maintain sustainability. Desertification is a crosscutting issue of the soil threats: i) erosion; ii) decline in SOC; iii) salinization; and iv) decline in soil biodiversity. Therefore, to study sustainability trade-offs, dose-responses of biochar treatments for these soil threats are paramount. The approach combines lab, lysimeter and field experiments with quantitative meta-analysis and development of carbon and water footprint methods.