*Global CA-CoP* *CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE*
*for sustainable agriculture, land use and ecosystem management*
Dear Subscribers,
Please see herebelow the European Soil Data Centre Newsletter No.127
(Jan-Feb. 2021).
Apologies for any cross-posting.
*Amir Kassam *
*Moderator*
*Global CA-CoP*
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://www.fao.org/conservation-agriculture
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: PANAGOS Panos (JRC-ISPRA) <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2021 at 08:46
Subject: European Soil Data Centre Newsletter No.127 (Jan-Feb. 2021) -
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/public_path/newsletter/202101.pdf
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
ESDAC: http://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu ESDAC Newsletter No *127* (Jan-Feb
2021)
Mercury (Hg) distribution
<https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/themes/mercury-topsoils>* in European
topsoils*
Mercury (Hg) distribution in topsoil (0-20cm) is influenced by climate,
soil properties, vegetation. In addition to the natural factor, mercury
has high values close to past mining activities and coal combustion sites.
High Overall, the stock of Hg in EU topsoil is estimated to c.a. 44.8 Gg
with a median concentration of 38.3 μg kg−1; 10% of the area exceeds the
84.7 μg kg−1 and 209 Hg hotspots (top 1%) have been identified with
concentrations >422 μg kg−1. In a detailed investigation, 42% of the
hotspots were associated with well-known mining activities while the rest
can be related either to coal combustion industries or local diffuse
contamination. In total 209 hotspots were identified, defined as the top
percentile in Hg concentration (>422 μg kg−1). 87 sites (42% of all
hotspots) were associated with known mining areas. The sources of the other
hotspots may relate to unmined geogenic Hg or industrial pollution. In a
recent research study
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720382887> we
present soil Hg concentrations from the LUCAS topsoil (0–20 cm) survey
mapped with Deep Neural Network (DNN) learning model. Download data:
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/content/mercury-content-european-union-topsoil
Land degradation in global arable lands
<https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/content/land-degradation-global-arable-lands>
Land degradation is a global environmental issue that affects the world's
arable lands on a large scale, thus threatening global food production
systems. In a recent study
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120315966>, we
analysed the land degradation footprint on global arable lands, using
complex geospatial data on certain major degradation processes, i.e. *aridity,
soil erosion, vegetation decline, soil salinization and soil organic carbon
decline*. By applying geostatistical techniques that are representative for
identifying the incidence of the five land degradation processes in global
arable lands, results showed that aridity is by far the largest singular
pressure for these agricultural systems, affecting ~40% of the arable
lands' area, which cover approximately 14 million km2 globally. Also, it
was found that soil erosion is the major land degradation process,
affecting ~20% of global arable systems. Data available:
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/content/land-degradation-global-arable-lands
Launch of the European Soil Observatory
<https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/event/workshop/launch-event-eu-soil-observatory>
Almost 900 unique visitors (from 70 countries) have followed the launch of
the EU Soil Observatory, 4th December 2020. The event was live
web-streamed
<https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/jrc-launch-of-the-eu-soil-observatory> and
you can follow the discussion and presentations. More information about the
developments on the European Soil Observatory will come soon. We also make
available the presentations of the launch event:
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/event/workshop/launch-event-eu-soil-observatory
EU Action Plan Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for air, water and soil
<https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12588-EU-Action-Plan-Towards-a-Zero-Pollution-Ambition-for-air-water-and-soil>*
(public consultation)*
To secure clean air, water and *soil*, healthy ecosystems and a healthy
living environment for Europeans, the EU needs to better prevent, remedy,
monitor and report on pollution, mainstream the zero pollution ambition
into all its policy developments and decouple economic growth from the
increase of pollution, in line with United Nations driven efforts. All
citizens and the wider community of stakeholders are welcome to express
their views. Soil is part of EU action plan and soil community is welcomed
to express their opinion in this public consultation. *Deadline*: 10.2.2021
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12588-EU-Action-Plan-Towards-a-Zero-Pollution-Ambition-for-air-water-and-soil/public-consultation
*More Details*
*Download the ESDAC Newsletter*: PDF Format
<http://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/public_path/newsletter/202101.pdf>.
*Feedback*: [log in to unmask]
ESDAC Alerts are e-mailed to 11,500 scientists. Follow us @EU_ScienceHub
<https://twitter.com/EU_ScienceHub>; @lultimoalbero
<https://twitter.com/lultimoalbero>; @PanosPanagos33
<https://twitter.com/PanosPanagos33>
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