BEST PRACTICE PRESENTATION - euskadi.eus … · BEST PRACTICE PRESENTATION Partner: Basque Government Body implementing the action: NEIKER – Basque Institute of Agricultural Research

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First First First First InterregionalInterregionalInterregionalInterregional SeminarSeminarSeminarSeminar REVERSEREVERSEREVERSEREVERSE«««« Agriculture and Agriculture and Agriculture and Agriculture and BiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversity »»»»

Bordeaux, 23/25 June 2010

BEST PRACTICE PRESENTATION

Partner: Basque GovernmentBody implementing the action:

NEIKER – Basque Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (neiker.net)

Location: Basque Country (Biscay)

ActionActionActionActionMICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY AS BIOINDICATOR OF THE MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY AS BIOINDICATOR OF THE MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY AS BIOINDICATOR OF THE MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY AS BIOINDICATOR OF THE

IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTHIMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTHIMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTHIMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTH

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Background

AGRICULTURE IS THE HUMAN ACTIVITY THATHAS TRANSFORMED MOST OF THE EARTH

MAIN DRIVERS OFGLOBAL CHANGE - Land use change- Climate change- Pollution- Biodiversity loss- Nitrogen deposition- Invasive organisms

Global change is the term used to encompass a multi tude of environmental and ecological changes that have been noticed, meas ured and studied on Earth at a global scale

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Background

MICROORGANISMS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANISMS IN THIS PLANET

Regarding their importance to the functioning of the Earth system, the ecologically most importantgroup are the prokaryotes followed by the single-celled eukaryotes and then the fungi and plants. The

least important group is the animals

MICROORGANISMS ARE INVOLVED IN MOST OF THOSE MICROORGANISMS ARE INVOLVED IN MOST OF THOSE MICROORGANISMS ARE INVOLVED IN MOST OF THOSE MICROORGANISMS ARE INVOLVED IN MOST OF THOSE ECOSYSTEM SERVICESECOSYSTEM SERVICESECOSYSTEM SERVICESECOSYSTEM SERVICES

In addition to moral reasons to preserve it for its own sak e, biodiversityprovides numerous ecosystem services that are crucial to human well-being

Vital role in the mainprocesses of our planet:

- Photosynthesis- Nitrogen fixation- Decomposition of OM- Nutrient cycling

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Background

MICROORGANISMS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGANISMS IN THIS PLANET

HUMANSOnly 1/10 th of the cells in a human body are human, 9/10 th are microbes

1,000 species in our mouths1,000 species in our guts500 species on our skins

10% of our dry weight consists ofbacteria

The vast majority of the genes in ourbody are not human

Microbes make up more than one half of theEarth´s biomass (probably much more: >80%)

““““ToToToTo studystudystudystudy biodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversity in in in in thisthisthisthis planetplanetplanetplanet andandandand notnotnotnot totototo considerconsiderconsiderconsidermicrobialmicrobialmicrobialmicrobial biodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversity, , , , isisisis likelikelikelike studyingstudyingstudyingstudying thethethethe human human human human

cardiovascular cardiovascular cardiovascular cardiovascular systemsystemsystemsystem andandandand notnotnotnot totototo includeincludeincludeinclude thethethethe heartheartheartheart””””

MICROORGANISMS IN THE SOIL ECOSYSTEM: ► 80% of the total biomass► 2-6 tonnes per hectare► 4 million species in a ton of soil► < 0.1-1% are cultivable► Natural soil: 3,000-10,000 species g -1

► Agricultural soil: 140-350 species g -1

BelowgroundBelowgroundBelowgroundBelowground biomassbiomassbiomassbiomass: similar (: similar (: similar (: similar (slightlyslightlyslightlyslightly higherhigherhigherhigher) ) ) ) totototo thatthatthatthat abovegroundabovegroundabovegroundabovegroundBelowgroundBelowgroundBelowgroundBelowground biodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversitybiodiversity: : : : severalseveralseveralseveral ordersordersordersorders ofofofof magnitudemagnitudemagnitudemagnitude higherhigherhigherhigher totototo thatthatthatthat abovegroundabovegroundabovegroundaboveground

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GOALS AND TARGETS1) To study the impact of conventional agricultural pra ctices on soil

health using a variety of soil microbial properties2) To study the beneficial effects of more sustainable a gricultural

practices on soil health using a variety of soil microbial properties3) To use SOIL MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY as biological i ndicator of soil

health4) To develop soil health cards as a tool to bridge the g ap between

farmers, decision-makers and scientistsSOIL HEALTH: the capacity of a given soil to perform its functions and ecosystem services

- Provision of food (medium for plant growth), fibre and fuel- Decomposition of organic matter (recycling of nutrients)- Storing and filtering of water- Habitat for many organisms and reservoir of genetic biodive rsity- Detoxification of contaminants- Carbon sink (agricultural soil: emission of greenhouse ga ses)- Etc.

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METHODOLOGY

HUMAN RESOURCES FINANCIAL RESOURCES

SOIL MICROBIAL ECOLOGY GROUP at NEIKER:1 group leader, 4 postdocs, 2 PhD students

Several reseach projects in the last 10 years funded by:

- The Basque Government- The Biscay County Council- The Spanish Government

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METHODOLOGICAL TOOLSMICROBIAL BIOMASS

Microbial biomass CATPDNA-biomassSubstrate-induced respirationQ-PCR: functional groupsTotal and easily extractable glomalinCultivable heterotrophs

MICROBIAL ACTIVITYBasal respirationMineralizable NNitrification rateDenitrificationMethanogenesisEnzyme activities

MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY : community-level profilesFUNCTIONAL BIODIVERSITY: community-level physiological profiles with BIOLOG plat es

STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL BIODIVERSITY: community-level genetic profiles withPCR-DGGE (taxonomic and functional groups: ammonia-oxi dizers, chitin-degraders, denitrifiers, etc.), DNA-microarrays, genetic profil es through reciprocal hybridization

RESPONSE BIODIVERSITY: stability (resistance and resilience) essays

OTHER TOOLSGene expression (RNA) levelsSoil suppressiveness

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On a regular basis, workshopsare organized to transfer theknowledge to farmers, decision-

makers, scientists, etc.

TEACHINGS OF THE ACTION

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RESULTS: SOME RECENT RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS

● Mijangos I, Albizu I, Epelde L, Amezaga I, Mendarte S, Garbisu C (2010) Effects of liming on soil properties and plant performance of temperate mountainous grasslands. Journal of Environmental Management (in press)

● Mijangos I, Garbisu C (2010) Consequences of soil sampling depth during the assessment of the effects of tillage on soil quality: a common oversight. Soil and Tillage Research (in press)

● Mijangos I, Albizu I, Garbisu C (2010) Beneficial effects of organic fertilization and no-tillage on fine-textured soil properties under two different forage crop rotations. Soil Science 175: 173-185

● Mijangos I, Becerril JM, Albizu I, Epelde L, Garbisu C (2009) Effects of glyphosate on rhizosphere soil microbial communities under two different plant compositions by cultivation-dependent and -independent methodologies. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41: 505-513

● Mijangos I, Pérez R, Albizu I, Garbisu C (2006) Effects of fertilization and tillage on soil biological parameters. Enzyme and Microbial Technology 40, 100-106

For more publications, please see webpage of the SOIL MICROB IAL ECOLOGY GROUP – NEIKER (http://www.neiker.net/neiker/so il.html)

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GORBEIA NATURAL PARK

RESULTS: Impact of liming products in grasslands

RYEGRASS FOR SILAGE

Urease

Deshydrogenase

Acidphosphatase Arylsulphatase

β-Glucosidase

CONTROL

LIME

SAND

n

nnmn

m

n

ii

n

ii

SQIT

∑∑

=−==

−−−+ 11

loglog)log(log

log10

LIMEversus

CALCAREOUS SANDversus

WOOD ASH

NEW SOIL QUALITY/HEALTH INDEX

The soil microbial functional diversity (catabolicdiversity: capacity of the soil microbial communityto utilize different C substrates) slightly decreasedin lime-amended soils

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FORAGE CORN

RESULTS: Impact of fertilization and tillage in intensive rotations

TRITICALE+FORAGE PEA

CHEMICAL INDICATORS versus BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS

0

200

CTRL

0

100

CONTROL ORGANIC + NO TILLAGE

MINERAL + CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE

CATABOLIC BIODIVERSITY

ß-Glucosidase

Arylsulphatase

Acid

phosphatase

DehydrogenaseEarthworms

Substrate inducedrespiration

Basal respiration

Mineralizable N

pH

MO

C/N

Total nP

K+

Ca2+NO-TILLAGE

versusCONVENTIONAL TILLAGE

ORGANIC FERTILIZATIONversus

MINERAL FERTILIZATION

MICROBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES ARE MORE

SENSITIVE THAN CONVENTIONAL

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

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RESULTS: Impact of herbicides(glyphosate)

25.7 A

23.3 A

2.90 B22.0 A3.43 A3.17 A28.7 B1.03 B47.0 C47.4 B

2.97 AB2.93 A3.25 A30.7 A1.05 B23.6 B37.4 B

3.08 A3.93 A3.24 A30.7 A1.33 A7.9 A20.8 A

TRITICALE + PEA

2.93 A23.0 A4.41 A3.20 AB30.7 A1.07 C26.2 B36.0 A

3.01 A23.7 A3.97 A3.05 B27.3 B0.79 B10.8 A32.6 A50 mg kg-1 glyphosate

2.95 A23.7 A4.03 A3.22 A30.0 A1.33 A4.7 A21.8 AControl (0 glyphosate)

TRITICALE

H’S

DNA

biomasa Nitrogen

mineralizable

S H’AWCD

DNA-DGGEBIOLOG

NH4+-N

500 mg kg-1 glyphosate

Catabolic diversityusing

Biolog EcoplatesR

Genetic diversityusing

DNA-DGGE electrophoresis



Control (0 glyphosate)

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Beneficial effects of sustainable agricultural practices in degraded agricultural soils

0,00

100,00

Yield Arylsulfatase

Acid P.

Min.N

B-Gluc.

Urease

DehydrogenaseEarthwormsAWCD

Diversity

OM

100 -Al sat.

CEC

WC Root penetrability

0,00

100,00

ArylsulfataseAcid P.

Min.N

B-Gluc

Urease

Dehydrogenase

EarthwormsAWCD Diversity

OM

100 - Al sat.

CEC

WC

Root penetrability

A-SQI

NT+O NT+ICT+O CT+I

59.8 25.055.1 56.1100

Control

A-SQI

NT+O NT+ICT+O CT+I

12.7 12.712.7 12.7100

Control

AFTER 4 YEARS

A-SQI IMPROVED UNDER ALL MANAGEMENTS

SLURRY (O) INCREASED ENZYME ACTIVITIES, MICROBIAL DIVERSITY AND ALLEVIATED SOIL

ACIDITY

NO-TILLAGE (NT) GREATLY ENHANCED DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY AND EARTHWORMS ABUNDANCE, BUT CAUSED SOIL COMPACTION

NT+O LED TO HIGHEST A-SQICT+I PRODUCED THE HIGHEST MAIZE YIELD NT-I LED TO THE LOWEST YIELD AND A-SQI

n

nnmnm +

n

i i

n

i i∑∑∑∑∑∑∑∑========

−−−−−−−−−−−−1111 11

loglog)log(loglog

SQIA ====−−−− 102

+ log Y - log Ym

ENVIRONMENTAL FITNESS ECONOMIC FITNESS

ANOTHERSOIL QUALITY/HEALTH INDEX

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FOLLOW UP: Future actionsDevelopment of soil health cards specifically designed for our local farmers

FACT SHEETSWhat is soil microbial diversity?How can be measured?Where can be measured?

DATA INTERPRETATION ACCORDING TO SOIL USE⇒ Quantitative: from 1 – 10

⇒ Qualitative:Very low valueLow valueAverage valueHigh valueVery high value

RECOMMENDATIONSRecommended agricultural practicesto improve soil microbial diversity

SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON SOIL MICROBIAL PROPERTIES

(MICROBIAL BIODIVERSITY)

ECONOMICAL

ECOLOGICAL SOCIAL

DECISIONMAKERS

FARMERS

SCIENTISTS

CARDS

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CONCLUSIONSOIL MICROBIAL PROPERTIES (IN PARTICULAR, SOIL MICR OBIAL

BIODIVERSITY) ARE MOST USEFUL METHODOLOGICAL TOOLS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON SOIL HEALTH

AND, CONCOMITANTLY, AGROECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY

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Documents

BEST PRACTICE PRESENTATION - euskadi.eus … · BEST PRACTICE PRESENTATION Partner: Basque Government Body implementing the action: NEIKER – Basque Institute of Agricultural Research