Bodembiodiversiteit op de kaart van Noord-Brabant

Abstract

The RIVM has composed maps of soil biodiversity at the request of the Province North Brabant. These maps will be added to the 'Bodemwijzer' of the province. With this instrument soil information is collected and made accessible in order to support sustainable land management. Impacts of new activities on soil properties can be evaluated, such as the effect of the groundwater management on the 'geological values' of the soil. Soil biodiversity is low at intensive arable land management The maps show a low soil biodiversity with intensive agricultural soil management such as horticulture, arable and maize cultivation. This is because these soils are regularly plowed and treated with fertilizers. Agricultural grassland has a relatively high soil biodiversity, because these activities take place here in a lesser extent. The soil biodiversity at forests and heather areas demonstrate a greater uncertainty, due to large variation in forest types and less soil data. Use of data from the Biological Indicator of Soil Quality In order to map soil biodiversity, models have been used which link the influence of soil properties on the presence of soil organisms (such as bacteria and earthworms) and soil processes (such as CO2 production). The models are developed by the RIVM and various partners using the data from the nationwide monitoring with the Biological Indicator of Soil Quality (BISQ). The soil life is examined with the BISQ, namely the extent to which micro-organisms, earthworms, nematodes, pot worms, mites and springtails are present, and some soil processes, such as the CO2 production. These various data together form a joint measure of soil biodiversity. The biodiversity on the maps was averaging 10 percent higher than the field soil biodiversity measured at various places in North Brabant.