Describing complex interactions of social-ecological systems for tipping point assessments: an analytical framework

Humans play an interconnecting role in social-ecological systems (SES), they are part of these systems and act as agents of their destruction and regulation. This study aims to provide an analytical framework, which combines the concept of SES with the concept of tipping dynamics. As a result, we propose an analytical framework describing relevant dynamics and feedbacks within SES based on two matrixes: the “tipping matrix” and the “cross-impact matrix.” We take the Southwestern Amazon as an example for tropical regions at large and apply the proposed analytical framework to identify key underlying sub-systems within the study region: the soil ecosystem, the household livelihood system, the regional social system, and the regional climate system, which are interconnected through a network of feedbacks. We consider these sub-systems as tipping elements (TE), which when put under stress, can cross a tipping point (TP), resulting in a qualitative and potentially irreversible change of the respective TE. By systematically assessing linkages and feedbacks within and between TEs, our proposed analytical framework can provide an entry point for empirically assessing tipping point dynamics such as “tipping cascades,” which means that the crossing of a TP in one TE may force the tipping of another TE. Policy implications: The proposed joint description of the structure and dynamics within and across SES in respect to characteristics of tipping point dynamics promotes a better understanding of human-nature interactions and critical linkages within regional SES that may be used for effectively informing and directing empirical tipping point assessments, monitoring or intervention purposes. Thereby, the framework can inform policy-making for enhancing the resilience of regional SES

Using N2O to detect if a tipping point has been crossed in tropical soils after droughts

[no abstract

How does national SOC monitoring on agricultural soils align with the EU strategies? An example using five case studies

Soil functioning contributes to the delivery of a vast range of ecosystem goods and services, and ecosystem health is therefore reflected by the capacity of the soil to perform underlying functions. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key indicator for soil quality as it is an integral driver of many soil functions and associated ecosystem services. Across the globe, SOC stocks are declining due to expanding agriculture and unsustainable practices. Awareness of the fact that soil is a non-renewable resource and its functioning important for all life on Earth is increasing, especially among policymakers. As such, goals for the preservation and restoration of SOC are formulated in policies under the European Green Deal. However, the evaluation of these goals at the European level is hampered by a non-harmonized diversity in national SOC monitoring strategies. While some SOC indicators can be useful for the evaluation of most policy goals (i.e., baseline and potential SOC stocks), additional and contrasting SOC data are often required for the evaluation of the goals formulated by the different EU directives. This study provides an overview of five ongoing SOC monitoring programmes across Europe and discusses how national programmes may be aligned to evaluate goals at the EU level. Five countries with very different soil monitoring programmes were included in a case study to illustrate the potential for harmonization and standardization of SOC assessment. Based on this study, we conclude that SOC monitoring strategies can be harmonized, but not standardized. We further suggest five sampling strategies that have potential for harmonization under the proposed Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience.ISSN:1351-0754ISSN:1365-238

Barriers and opportunities of soil knowledge to address soil challenges : Stakeholders’ perspectives across Europe

Climate-smart sustainable management of agricultural soil is critical to improve soil health, enhance food and water security, contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity preservation, and improve human health and wellbeing. The European Joint Programme for Soil (EJP SOIL) started in 2020 with the aim to significantly improve soil management knowledge and create a sustainable and integrated European soil research system. EJP SOIL involves more than 350 scientists across 24 Countries and has been addressing multiple aspects associated with soil management across different European agroecosystems. This study summarizes the key findings of stakeholder consultations conducted at the national level across 20 countries with the aim to identify important barriers and challenges currently affecting soil knowledge but also assess opportunities to overcome these obstacles. Our findings demonstrate that there is significant room for improvement in terms of knowledge production, dissemination and adoption. Among the most important barriers identified by consulted stakeholders are technical, political, social and economic obstacles, which strongly limit the development and full exploitation of the outcomes of soil research. The main soil challenge across consulted member states remains to improve soil organic matter and peat soil conservation while soil water storage capacity is a key challenge in Southern Europe. Findings from this study clearly suggest that going forward climate-smart sustainable soil management will benefit from (1) increases in research funding, (2) the maintenance and valorisation of long-term (field) experiments, (3) the creation of knowledge sharing networks and interlinked national and European infrastructures, and (4) the development of regionally-tailored soil management strategies. All the above-mentioned interventions can contribute to the creation of healthy, resilient and sustainable soil ecosystems across Europe