The development, composition and the stability of soil aggregates and their size distribution within soil profiles will all be characterised by measurement. This will also apply to soil mineralogy, mineral chemistry, microbiology and microbial community structure. Mathematical process models will be developed. The models will be able to simulate aggregate formation and stability from first principles of soil physics, physical chemistry, carbon transformation kinetics and ecological theory. The process models will then be applied in order to gain a basic understanding of the processes involved in aggregate formation and stability and the role of aggregate properties in soil functions from molecular- to soil profile- scale. One further aim is that this should contribute process descriptions, parameter values and model results to the other work packages.

Four field sites with successful track records of research and data collection will be integrated to create a network of European Critical Zone Observatories (CZOs) with harmonised methods to study soil processes and transformations from plot to catchment scale. A key conceptual advance of SoilTrEC is considering the entire life cycle of soil from soil formation to soil degradation that results in loss of soil functions. The 4 European CZOs represent key stages of soil development and degradation.

1. The BigLink field station is located in the chronosequence of the Damma Glacier forefield in alpine Switzerland. The site is established to study the initial stages of soil development on bedrock.

2. The Lysina Catchment in the Czech Republic is representative of productive soils managed for intensive forestry.

3. The Fuchsenbigl Field Station in Austria is an agricultural research site that is representative of productive soils managed as arable land.

4. The Koiliaris Catchment in Crete, Greece represents degraded Mediterranean region soils, heavily impacted by centuries of intensive grazing and farming, under severe risk of desertification.

The project aims to construct an integrated process model of soil formation and loss and soil functions in the Critical Zone (CZ-Integrated Model), and upscaling methods for Critical Zone simulations at catchment and regional scales are to be developed. There will be a field validation of the CZ-Integrated Model across a range of scales. An evaluation of scenarios will take place; these will address soil sustainability and longevity of soil functions by modelling soil function at the stages of the soil life cycle represented by the 4 SoilTrEC CZOs. A validated CZ-Integrated Model for application across a global network of field sites will be developed.

A hierarchical process meta-model for upscaling soil data from plot/field scale to catchment/local scale and moreover to Regional and European Scale will be developed. This work package will also see the incorporation of smaller scale data into the larger European Soil Information System. Furthermore, SoilTrEC will establish a Proof-of-Concept for methodology to assess soil threats and Impacts at European level and for better delineation of soil risk areas.

This work package aims to integrate the soil processes model results and knowledge into broader assessment frameworks and also quantify impacts on soil functions, making these available to broader decision-support tools, e.g. Life Cycle Assessment. A framework for assessing economic implications of the quantified impacts on soil functions will be provided, as will an initial set of quantitative indicators for impacts on soil functions, to be included in an overall set of sustainability indicators. This work package will link to Work Package 4, which will enable us to understand how to better delineate soil risk zones.

One key intention of SoilTrEC is to establish a global network of CZOs. Experimental design will be carried out to quantify soil processes along global environmental gradients. There will be a comparison of field and modelling results for soil processes and rates along gradients as well as standardisation of methods and data sets for the global network. Another aim of this work package is to deliver an international training programme with the global network and organise specialist conference sessions as well as an international conference.

SoilTrEC will work with soil managers for input into our detailed experimental design, and to disseminate research findings for practical use. We will engage stakeholders closely in a pilot study on decision support to assess soil Impacts and to apply the soil indicators developed in WP5. The focus is production agriculture and criteria for sustainable food and fibre production. We will evaluate the economics of farming practice based on soil quality, farm yield, soil eco-services, imported support materials, and the market value of the farm products. This will be compared across a range of farming practice, including organic, biodynamic and permaculture methods that are presumed to be sustainable. We will compare these methods with conventional methods at farms in Iceland, the UK, Austria, Greece, the Czech Republic, China and Vietnam. Activities include research transfer to farming practice and the public, and to the international research training programme. The major advance will be incorporation of research into practical use and policy guidance, and development of a successful model for dissemination of soil sustainability concepts, as framed in the EU Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection.

The SoilTrEC Project Management Team at the University of Sheffield, aim to provide leadership and decision-making capacity for the successful delivery of the project whilst ensuring effective scientific and administrative communication between partners. We will monitor progress, assess risks and define clearly the partner responsibilities for delivery, and will also assess measures of success and report these to the European Commission and partners. We intend to manage, in an effective manner, research results and advances for pro-active research transfer. All of this will be done in the context of a positive team ethos and effective working as a research partnership.