Work Packages

The project activities are managed in so-called Work Packages (WPs). SOB4ES is set up around six such WPs. Different partners take the lead on achieving different tasks within a particular WP while ensuring close collaboration with other institutions and across the different WPs.

For more information, please click on the graphic below

Work Package 1

Project coordination and management
WP1 describes the project coordination tasks by providing a clear management structure and procedures to ensure the effective management and technical coordination of the project.

The overall objective is to provide a clear organisational framework, guidance and all support mechanisms to enable a smooth project workflow in SOB4ES and to ensure the effective progress of the project and achievement of the planned goals, building strong communication with the consortium and external interactions. The specific objectives are:

Quick set-up of management and communication structures and processes
Central monitoring of project activities, deliverables and deadlines: ensure the timely and qualitative achievement of project results through scientific coordination and impact-oriented project management
Ensure legal settings and collaboration agreements
Proper reporting, financial management, risk-analysis and conflict management

Work Package 2

Soil biodiversity analysis under various intensities of major land uses in pedoclimatic regions representative for the EU: composition, network structure, indicators, drivers and pressures of change
WP2 will address the crucial challenge of filling out the current knowledge gap about the effectiveness of existing indicators/attributes/essential variables for the composition and community structure of soil biodiversity (SOB) under combinations of land uses (LU) and relevant pedoclimatic regions for the European Union. Data will be obtained from LUCAS, SoilBON, MAES, and own and existing data bases to fill knowledge gaps. A cost-effective monitoring strategy for assessing the sustainability of European land uses so that concrete measures to protect and restore soils will also be developed.

The general objective of WP2 is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of SOB, soil community composition, soil network structure, and linkages of belowground biodiversity with aboveground biodiversity in response to LU types and intensity. These data will be used for three purposes: (i) testing of cost-effectiveness of the many published indicators for SOB under environmental conditions that are relevant for the European Union, (ii) identifying drivers and pressures under changing land intensity, as well as (iii) for providing SOB information to the functional (model) analyses of WP3. The specific objectives are:

To determine the spatial composition and structure, and the temporal dynamics in SOB and key physico-chemical soil properties in major LU types and intensities, and in 9 pedoclimatic regions representative for Europe: Alpine South, Boreal, Nemoral, Atlantic North, Atlantic Central, Continental, Pannonian, Lusitanian, and Mediterranean South
To use Artificial Intelligence-based analyses to determine network structure of SOB and belowground-aboveground biodiversity interactions in European LU systems and soil types
To identify drivers of change and pressures (including their interactions) of SOB and soil community composition and structure in different types of LU
To test the cost-effectiveness of available indicators of SOB and soil community structure to support the implementation, assessment and monitoring of policy at large scale

Work Package 3

Quantification of ecosystem performance in delivering ES: Linking SOB activities to the potential synergies and trade-offs between ES across different LUI and pedoclimatic regions
WP3 will validate the relationships between soil biodiversity (SOB), soil processes and the delivery of ecosystem services (ES) across different land uses (LU) and pedoclimatic regions, and analyse trade-offs between different ES. Thus, WP3 informs on "good practices" that enhance SOB and its contribution to ES. The uptake of practices that promote SOB and optimise its contribution to soil functions and ES will be co-created in a participatory manner with land-managers and other users.

The objective of WP3 is to demonstrate the link between SOB, soil functions and ES and potential trade-offs. The specific objectives are:

To fully assess the interrelationships between SOB and ES for representative soil types, land uses and pedoclimatic regions and to evaluate the impacts of the loss of SOB upon soil functions and ES
To quantify interactions and feedbacks among different ES (synergies, trade-offs, and net losses) and their spatial variations across EU pedoclimatic regions for better decisions on land management interventions
To quantify the extent to which drivers of change and pressures (including their interactions) affecting SOB community composition and structure could impact soil functions and ES
To solve LU conflicts and identify trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and ES by designing management practices that promote and restore SOB and ES

Work Package 4

Harmonised and cost-effective framework to integrate SOB and its contribution to ES to improve ecosystem condition assessments and land management planning at National and European levels
WP4 will develop a harmonised and cost-effective framework for assessing and valuing the contribution of soil biodiversity (SOB) to ecosystem services (ES) in economic terms. Calculations of benefit-to-cost ratios (BCR) of managing SOB for ES will be fed into MAES to improve future mapping and assessments of ecosystem conditions and prioritise restoration/conservation efforts.

The objective of this WP is to develop a harmonised and cost-effective framework for assessing and valuing the contribution of SOB to ES in economic terms to be incorporated in large monitoring surveys and land management planning. The specific objectives are:

To contribute to the ongoing MAES indicator framework by identifying key “cost-effective” soil indicators that provide better assessments of ecosystem conditions per ecosystem type and across different ecosystems at National and European levels
To develop a cost-effective framework to estimate economic values for non-market SOB contributions to ES
To identify priority ES to assist regional/national mapping and assessment of ecosystem conditions across the EU and to guide restoration/conservation efforts

Work Package 5

Interactive approach in the uptake of practices that promote SOB and its contribution to ES for its better integration in land management decisions and EU policies
WP5 will translate the knowledge created in WP2-WP4 into dissemination-ready information to foster adoption of SOB4ES results and outputs to stakeholders and end users. Thus ensuring: (i) the uptake of practical applications for promoting soil biodiversity (SOB) and its contribution to ecosystem services (ES) by land managers and policy-makers; (ii) an increase of society and stakeholder engagement in the appreciation of SOB protection; and, (iii) the provision of relevant, timely, and highly useful input to EU policy developments. WP5 will engage all relevant sectors throughout the entire SOB4ES.

WP5 identifies the main challenges for the full integration of SOB ecological knowledge in land management planning to support soil multifunctionality and the delivery of SOB-based ES in the EU. In this WP, we will translate the SOB and ES knowledge developed in WP2-WP4 into practical applications for land managers and policy/decision-makers. WP5 will result in recommendations for EU agricultural and environmental policies on protection, sustainable management and restoration of soil. WP5 will evaluate effectiveness of incentives using existing knowledge and best practices about sustainable soil management. The impact of WP5 is to improve integration of soils and SOB in land use planning and soil-related ES evaluations. The specific objectives are:

To increase the acceptance of integrating SOB in land management and planning by mutual learning and knowledge transfer through communication, dissemination, and hands-on learning, as well as through stakeholder engagement following a multi-actor approach
To change societal perceptions from soils as a “substrate” to a living entity that needs to be cared for
To develop a Digital Tool aiming at maximising all society sectors’ involvement in ensuring favourable soil conditions for enhancing SOB
To recommend conservation measures of SOB through more targeted EU incentives in policies on agriculture and environment with respect to sustainable financing of SOB-based ES

Work Package 6

Long term communication strategy, project outputs exploitation and data interoperability for more integrative land management solutions
WP6 defines the long-term communication, dissemination, exploitation of SOB4ES results and outputs ensuring its alignment with exploitation requirements and IPR procedures. Far-reaching implications into policy across national and institutional boundaries will be achieved through close cooperation with major R&I initiatives and other large soil sampling programs to ensure that results of SOB4ES are directly comparable, interchangeable and stored open access to align with the LUCAS Soil survey and the Soil Health Dashboard under the European Soil Observatory (EUSO).

The main objective of this WP is to ensure that SOB4ES results and outputs are as significant, widespread and lasting as possible. This will be done through effective dissemination and communication of the knowledge generated, implementing exploitation activities, networking and channelling recommendations through to the appropriate advisory bodies. Specific objectives are:

To implement SOB4ES’s communication and dissemination strategy and project internal alignment
To ensure that SOB4ES outputs are aligned with exploitation requirements and IPR procedures
To cluster with other EU-funded projects working on soil biodiversity and to establish links with major R&I initiatives
To build a Digital Data Warehouse that ensures the longevity, sustainability and interoperability of the project results and outputs and their integration into the European Soil Observatory (EUSO)