Description du projet
Semer les graines d’un nouveau cadre pour la fertilité des sols
La dégradation des sols est généralisée et diversifiée. La faible fertilité des sols est le résultat de l’augmentation de la production agricole et de mauvaises pratiques de gestion des nutriments, et constitue un défi majeur en Europe et au-delà. Les chercheurs étudient la capacité des sols à soutenir la croissance des plantes en leur fournissant des nutriments essentiels et des caractéristiques chimiques, physiques et biologiques favorables, signes de la fertilité des sols. Le projet RE-NOURISH, soutenu par le programme Actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA), étudiera les implications de la charge en nutriments d’origine anthropique ou de la dynamique animale lors des projets de restauration des écosystèmes. Il développera un cadre pour quantifier la redistribution de multiples nutriments dans les terres par différents groupes de grands mammifères. Il testera le modèle dans des environnements déficients en nutriments et pollués par des nutriments.
Objectif
Declining soil fertility represents one of humanity’s major challenges in the 21st century. In the past, large vertebrate animals played a crucial role in transporting nutrients between ecosystems, supporting a more fertile planet. Today, however, species extinctions, diminished population abundances and constraints on animal movement have reduced animal-mediated nutrient transport by >90% compared to the late-Pleistocene. In contrast, anthropogenic use of certain nutrients (nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P] and potassium [K]) vastly exceeds planetary boundaries. Consequently, some areas of the world experience excessive nutrient pollution and others nutrient depletion.
Agricultural abandonment trajectories provide opportunities for large-scale ecosystem restoration, including rewilding of large vertebrates. However, where humans have altered nutrient geographies, redistribution by wild animals may have unintended consequences for nearby ecosystems, including to plant productivity, carrying capacity, carbon storage and endemic competitive advantages. Consequently, changes to either anthropogenic nutrient loading or to animal dynamics during ecosystem restoration projects can have far-reaching implications.
RE-NOURISH will develop an agent-based modelling framework that quantifies the redistribution of multiple nutrients across landscapes by different guilds of large mammals. Crucially, this model will include the direct and indirect influences of predators – an essential, but often overlooked aspect of nutrient redistribution in terrestrial landscapes. The RE-NOURISH framework will then be applied to two restoration case studies in (i) nutrient-deficient and (ii) nutrient-polluted environments. This transformative approach will directly help conservation practitioners achieve goals of ecological integrity and contribution to climate stability. Results will be disseminated via published papers, interactive workshops, conference presentations and popular articles.
Champ scientifique
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metals
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogy
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régime de financement
HORIZON-AG-UN - HORIZON Unit GrantCoordinateur
8000 Aarhus C
Danemark