Descrizione del progetto
Piantare i semi per un nuovo quadro di fertilità del suolo
La degradazione del suolo è diffusa e variegata. La sua scarsa fertilità è il risultato dell’incremento di produzione delle colture e delle pratiche a scarso contenuto di sostanze nutritive, e rappresenta una sfida importante in Europa e non solo. I ricercatori stanno studiando la capacità del suolo di sostenere la crescita delle piante fornendo sostanze nutritive vegetali essenziali e caratteristiche chimiche, fisiche e biologiche vantaggiose. Sono questi i sintomi della fertilità del suolo. Il progetto RE-NOURISH delle azioni Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) studierà le ripercussioni del carico antropogenico di sostanze nutritive o delle dinamiche animali durante i progetti di risanamento degli ecosistemi. Svilupperà un quadro di quantificazione della ridistribuzione di molteplici sostanze nutritive nei paesaggi, ad opera di vari gruppi di grandi mammiferi. Inoltre, il progetto testerà questo modello in ambienti inquinati e a scarsa presenza di sostanze nutritive.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metals
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogy
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-AG-UN - HORIZON Unit GrantCoordinatore
8000 Aarhus C
Danimarca