Suchergebnisse

Abstract. Extreme floods occurred from 4 to 6 August 2023 in Slovenia causing three casualties and causing total direct and indirect damage, including post-disaster needs according to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), close to EUR 10 billion. The atypical summer weather conditions combined with the high air and sea temperatures in the Mediterranean and the high soil moisture led to the most extreme flood event in Slovenia in recent decades. The return periods of both daily and sub-daily precipitation extremes and peak discharges reached 250–500 years, and the runoff coefficient of a typical torrential and mostly forested mesoscale catchment was around 0.5. In addition, flooding, soil erosion, mass movements and river sediment transport processes caused major damage to buildings (more than 12 000 houses) and diverse infrastructure.

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most dangerous pollutants worldwide. In the European Union (EU), we recently estimated the Hg distribution in topsoil using 21,591 samples and a series of geo-physical inputs. In this manuscript, we investigate the impact of mining activities, chrol-alkali industries and other diffuse pollution sources as primary anthropogenic sources of Hg hotspots in the EU. Based on Hg measured soil samples, we modelled the Hg pool in EU topsoils, which totals about 44.8 Gg, with an average density of 103 g ha(−1). As a following step, we coupled the estimated Hg stocks in topsoil with the pan-European assessment of soil loss due to water erosion and sediment distribution. In the European Union and UK, we estimated that about 43 Mg Hg yr(−1) are displaced by water erosion and c. a. 6 Mg Hg yr(−1) are transferred with sediments to river basins and eventually released to coastal Oceans. The Mediterranean Sea receives almost half (2.94 Mg yr(−1)) of the Hg fluxes to coastal oceans and it records the highest quantity of Hg sediments. This is the result of elevated soil Hg concentration and high erosion rates in the catchments draining into the Mediterranean Sea. This work contributes to new knowledge in support of the policy development in the EU on the Zero Pollution Action Plan and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 3.9 and 14.1, which both have as an objective to reduce soil pollution by 2030.

AbstractIn the European Union (EU), a common understanding of the potential harmful effect of sewage sludge (SS) on the environment is regulated by the Sewage Sludge Directive 86/278/EEC (SSD). Limit values (LVs) for concentrations of heavy metals in soil are listed in Impact Assessment of this directive, and they were transposed by EU member states using different criteria. Member states adopted either single limit values or based on soil factors such as pH and texture to define the maximum limit values for concentrations of heavy metals in soils. Our work presents the first quantitative analysis of the SSD at the European level by using the Land Use and Coverage Area Frame Survey (LUCAS) 2009 topsoil database. The reference values at the European level were arranged taking into account the upper value (EU_UL) and the lower value (EU_LL) for each heavy metal (arsenic, cadmium, copper, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead, and zinc) as well as taking into account the pH of the soil (cadmium, copper, mercury, nickel, lead, and zinc) as introduced in the SSD Annex IA. Single and integrated contamination rate indices were developed to identify those agricultural soils that exceeded the reference values for each heavy metal. In total, 10%, 36%, and 19% of the LUCAS 2009 topsoil samples exceeded the limit values. Additionally, 12% and 16% of agricultural soils exceeded the concentration of at least one single heavy metal when European LVs were fixed following the soil pH in Strategy II compared to those national ones in Strategy I. Generally, all member states apply similar or stricter limit values than those laid down in the SSD. Our work indicates that choosing LVs quantitatively affects further actions such as monitoring and remediation of contaminated soils. The actual soil parameters, such as heavy metal concentrations and soil pH values from the LUCAS 2009 topsoil database, could be used by SSD-involved policy stakeholders not only to lay down the LVs for concentrations of heavy metal in soils but also for monitoring the SSD compliance grade by using the LUCAS surveys over time (past and upcoming LUCAS datasets).

AbstractPhosphorus (P) is an important nutrient for all plant growth and it has become a critical and often imbalanced element in modern agriculture. A proper crop fertilization is crucial for production, farmer profits, and also for ensuring sustainable agriculture. The European Commission has published the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy in May 2020, in which the reduction of the use of fertilizers by at least 20% is among one of the main objectives. Therefore, it is important to look for the optimal use of P in order to reduce its pollution effects but also ensure future agricultural production and food security. It is essential to estimate the P budget with the best available data at the highest possible spatial resolution. In this study, we focused on estimating the P removal from soils by crop harvest and removal of crop residues. Specifically, we attempted to estimate the P removal by taking into account the production area and productivity rates of 37 crops for 220 regions in the European Union (EU) and the UK. To estimate the P removal by crops, we included the P concentrations in plant tissues (%), the crop humidity rates, the crop residues production, and the removal rates of the crop residues. The total P removal was about 2.55 million tonnes (Mt) (± 0.23 Mt), with crop harvesting having the larger contribution (ca. 94%) compared to the crop residues removal. A Monte-Carlo analysis estimated a ± 9% uncertainty. In addition, we performed a projection of P removal from agricultural fields in 2030. By providing this picture, we aim to improve the current P balances in the EU and explore the feasibility of F2F objectives.

CONTEXT: In the European Union (EU-27) and UK, animal farming generated annually more than 1.4 billion tonnes of manure during the period 2016–2019. Of this, more than 90% is directly re-applied to soils as organic fertiliser. Manure promotes plant growth, provides nutritious food to soil organisms, adds genetic and functional diversity to soils and improves the chemical and physical soil properties. However, it can also cause pollution by introducing toxic elements (i.e., heavy metals, antibiotics, pathogens) and contribute to nutrient losses. Soil organisms play an essential role in manure transformation into the soil and the degradation of any potential toxic constitutes; however, manure management practices often neglect soil biodiversity. ; OBJECTIVE: In this review, we explored the impact of manure from farmed animals on soil biodiversity by considering factors that determine the effects of manure and vice versa. By evaluating manure's potential to enhance soil biodiversity, but also its environmental risks, we assessed current and future EU policy and legislations with the ultimate aim of providing recommendations that can enable a more sustainable management of farm manures. ; METHODS: This review explored the relationship between manure and soil biodiversity by considering 407 published papers and relevant legislative provisions. In addition, we evaluated whether benefits and risks on soil biodiversity are considered in manure management. Thereafter, we analysed the current legislation in the European Union relevant to manure, an important driver for its treatment, application and storage. ; RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This review found that coupling manure management with soil biodiversity can mitigate present and future environmental risks. Our analyses showed that manure quality is more important to soil biodiversity than manure quantity and therefore, agricultural practices that protect and promote soil biodiversity with the application of appropriate, high-quality manure or biostimulant preparations based on manure, could accelerate the move towards more sustainable food production systems. Soil biodiversity needs to be appropriately factored in when assessing manure amendments to provide better guidelines on the use of manure and to reduce costs and environmental risks. However, radical changes in current philosophies and practices are needed so that soil biodiversity can be enhanced by manure management. ; SIGNIFICANCE: Manure quality in the EU requires greater attention, calling for more targeted policies. Our proposed approach could be applied by European Union Member States to include soil protection measures in national legislation, and at the EU level, can enable the implementation of strategic goals. ; Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG ; CONTEXT: In the European Union (EU-27) and UK, animal farming generated annually more than 1.4 billion tonnes of manure during the period 2016–2019. Of this, more than 90% is directly re-applied to soils as organic fertiliser. Manure promotes plant growth, provides nutritious food to soil organisms, adds genetic and functional diversity to soils and improves the chemical and physical soil properties. However, it can also cause pollution by introducing toxic elements (i.e., heavy metals, antibiotics, pathogens) and contribute to nutrient losses. Soil organisms play an essential role in manure transformation into the soil and the degradation of any potential toxic constitutes; however, manure management practices often neglect soil biodiversity. ; OBJECTIVE: In this review, we explored the impact of manure from farmed animals on soil biodiversity by considering factors that determine the effects of manure and vice versa. By evaluating manure's potential to enhance soil biodiversity, but also its environmental risks, we assessed current and future EU policy and legislations with the ultimate aim of providing recommendations that can enable a more sustainable management of farm manures. ; RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This review found that coupling manure management with soil biodiversity can mitigate present and future environmental risks. Our analyses showed that manure quality is more important to soil biodiversity than manure quantity and therefore, agricultural practices that protect and promote soil biodiversity with the application of appropriate, high-quality manure or biostimulant preparations based on manure, could accelerate the move towards more sustainable food production systems. Soil biodiversity needs to be appropriately factored in when assessing manure amendments to provide better guidelines on the use of manure and to reduce costs and environmental risks. However, radical changes in current philosophies and practices are needed ...