Agri-environmental indicators for soil

Van Cauwenbergh, Nora [UCL] Bielders, Charles [UCL] Vanclooster, Marnik [UCL] Peeters, Alain [UCL]

Agri-environmental indicators are a valuable evaluation tool for assessing environmental sustainability in agricultural systems. This paper presents a methodology for the derivation of soil-related indicators. A hierarchical, holistic and goal-based framework was defined in which functions of the agro-ecosystem are translated into concrete criteria. Indicators are then proposed to evaluate these sustainability criteria. A core list of soil indicators is defined around three criteria: minimisation of soil loss and maintenance of soil physical and soil chemical quality. Two types of indicators are proposed: state indicators reflecting the current status of the soil resource, and risk indicators being a prediction of a potential state following an actual pressure. Both on- and off farm soil-impacts are evaluated through a combination of three spatial scales: parcel, farm and landscape or catchment. Scale is an important factor in selecting a measurement and/or calculation method (verifier) for indicators. Models were selected to quantify indicators at the different scales. The final assessment is based on fuzzy logic, in which quantitative values are rescaled to generally comparable indices using reference values. The methodology is tested on a test site, using detailed management and soil data.