Testing Monitoring Methods for Soil Organic Matter and Soil Biodiversity on European and National Scales.

In the 2002 Communication „Towards a Thematic Strategy on Soil Protection” the decline
of soil organic matter and soil biodiversity were among the eight threats defined by the European Commission. The ENVASSO (Environmental Assessment of Soil for Monitoring) Project targeted the development of the principles of a harmonized European monitoring system. Organic matter content, bulk density, the abundance and species number of springtails (Collembola; mesofauna) and earthworms (Lumbricidae; macrofauna), and microbial soil respiration were among the selected and tested indicators to record the temporal and spatial changes for these two soil threats. Measurement of organic matter content, bulk density and microbial soil respiration have been in practice in the frame of the Hungarian Soil Information and Monitoring System (TIM), which provides basic chemical, physical and biological data, since 1992 on 1237 sampling sites. However, the abundance and species number of springtails and earthworms are not included in the tested indicators of TIM. Testing of these indicators with the recommended ENVASSO methodology was carried out on the Szent István University Experimental Farm pilot area. The pilot area is a catena, representative of the Eastern Central European loess areas with high organic matter content. This catena experienced decline in soil organic matter content and soil biodiversity due to natural and tillage erosion. The results of the field scale measurements with the national ones were compared. Strong correlation between soil organic matter content, soil types and microbial respiration was found on national and field scale as well. Based on the TIM data, national threshold values were determined. The data from the Hungarian monitoring system are compatible with ENVASSO suggested methodology. The TIM data fit to the targeted EU monitoring of the studied parameters.