In this final part of the »Upscaling from local to regional section of iSQAPERiS we evaluate the change in soil environmental footprint that can be brought by the application of beneficial agricultural management practices on representative farming systems of Europe and China. We achieve this through the application of an upscaling model that relies on work developed in other parts of iSQAPER (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1

The upscaling model is based on the concepts developed in »SQAPP soil quality assessment app. It shares the same data model, although it applies a simplified version, dealing with a reduced set of soil quality indicators and a simplified description of measures for soil quality improvement. Research reported in »Integrating promotion of soil quality and sustainable land management into policy provides insights on how public policy related so soils may induce the implementation of beneficial agricultural management practices, which in turn will improve the environmental footprint of soils in Europe and China. The science behind the upscaling model is based on results in »Soil quality: assessment, indicators & management and results and information from the study sites in »Sustainable land management practices. 

In the Upscaling section we

1. define typical farming systems in Europe and China and their effects on soil quality (»Effect of farming on soil quality);
2. identify key management practices affecting soil quality and their applicability in various farming systems in Europe and China (»Effect of management on soil quality);
3. develop scenarios of future farm and soil management systems in Europe and China for improved productivity and enhanced soil quality (»Soil management scenarios);

Here we report on the fourth specific objective, to

4. evaluate scenarios of changed soil environmental footprint for a range of policy scenarios using the model tools in Europe and China.

The soil environmental footprint is defined by a combination of the soil quality indicators developed in 1. and 2. The scenarios developed in 3. are be applied to the upscaling model to evaluate changes in the soil quality indicators driven by changes in agricultural management practices. Changes in soil environmental footprint are quantified in terms of the effect of management practices on soil productivity, nutrients and biodiversity. The specific objectives of this section of iSQAPERiS are to:

• design a framework to evaluate the effect of policy scenarios on soil quality indicators through the upscaling model;
• apply the upscaling model to obtain projections of the changes in soil quality indicators bought by the implementation of policy scenarios;
• evaluate changes of soil environmental footprint resulting from changes in soil quality indicators.

Note: For full references to papers quoted in this article see

» References