Remote monitoring of Soil Health: Insights into the impacts of biomineralization applications to build soil health

Soils are the largest terrestrial carbon store on the planet. However, it is estimated that soils have lost 8% of their carbon content since human farming began. Around the world, agricultural soils are highly degraded and are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Soil carbon content is a good proxy for soil health. Healthy soils are more resilient to climate shocks, achieve high yield to input ratios, produce nutrient rich food, as well as making the soil a net carbon sink. From a climate change perspective as well as a food security perspective, there is growing interest in rebuilding soil health, requiring effective measurement and monitoring.

 

Traditionally, measuring soil carbon relies on in-situ sampling.  This is expensive and labour intensive and so encourages low density sampling and infrequent repeat measurements.   However, through a remote digital soil mapping (DSM) approach combining globally available sampling, environmental data - aligned with SCORPAN and remote sensing data we have developed a methodology which enables monitoring soil health in response to interventions and practices for example, biomineralization applications, or cropping rotations.

 

Using the Downforce digital twin approach, which has been calibrated globally, and validated within the case study areas, we will present a set of case studies in which we remotely monitor variable biomineralization applications over more than 10,000ha, under varying farming practices (livestock and cropping) in Victoria, Australia.  The case studies provide evidence that the applied biofertilizer, which is designed to catalyse non-labile minerals and nutrients present in the soil into labile forms, not only improve soil health but also increase nutrient density in crops and livestock.  The potential of this DSM approach to provide near-real time insights at hyperlocal to landscape scales is unique and is enabling transformative and adaptive management in conservation and agriculture, at a fraction of the cost of in-situ sampling.