Environmental impacts of innovative dairy farming systems aiming at improved internal nutrient cycling: A multi-scale assessment

Vries, Wim de; Kros, J.; Dolman, M.A.; Vellinga, Theun; Bôer, H.; Gerritsen, A.L.; Sonneveld, M.P.W.; Bouma, J.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.079

Cited by 33 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(43 reference statements)

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“…Fine-tuning application of agrochemicals to the needs of the plants can, for example, strongly reduce costs for the farmer, increasing net income while soil quality is improved (e.g. Dolman et al, 2014;de Vries et al, 2015); and reduce the pressure on the natural ecosystem. Many positive examples are there to be shown and this deserves more attention in future.…”

Section: How To Overcome Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although many soil science projects are still highly disciplinary, examples are increasingly available to demonstrate successful results of inter-and transdisciplinary studies (e.g. Mota et al, 1996;Schröter et al, 2005;Tittonell et al, 2010;Dolman et al, 2014;de Vries et al, 2015;Berendse et al, 2015;Keesstra et al, 2012;Brevik et al, 2015;Torn et al, 2015). Such studies advance the knowledge base by including basic research, which is crucial to maintain a vital scientific discourse and develop novel solutions for societal challenges.…”

Section: Implications For the Soil Science Disciplinementioning

confidence: 99%

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The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Keesstra

Bouma

Wallinga

et al. 2016

SOIL

1,224

667

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Abstract. In this forum paper we discuss how soil scientists can help to reach the recently adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the most effective manner. Soil science, as a land-related discipline, has important links to several of the SDGs, which are demonstrated through the functions of soils and the ecosystem services that are linked to those functions (see graphical abstract in the Supplement). We explore and discuss how soil scientists can rise to the challenge both internally, in terms of our procedures and practices, and externally, in terms of our relations with colleague scientists in other disciplines, diverse groups of stakeholders and the policy arena. To meet these goals we recommend the following steps to be taken by the soil science community as a whole: (i) embrace the UN SDGs, as they provide a platform that allows soil science to demonstrate its relevance for realizing a sustainable society by 2030; (ii) show the specific value of soil science: research should explicitly show how using modern soil information can improve the results of inter-and transdisciplinary studies on SDGs related to food security, water scarcity, climate change, biodiversity loss and health threats; (iii) take leadership in overarching system analysis of ecosystems, as soils and soil scientists have an integrated nature and this placesPublished by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 112 S. D. Keesstra et al.: The significance of soils and soil science soil scientists in a unique position; (iii) raise awareness of soil organic matter as a key attribute of soils to illustrate its importance for soil functions and ecosystem services; (iv) improve the transfer of knowledge through knowledge brokers with a soil background; (v) start at the basis: educational programmes are needed at all levels, starting in primary schools, and emphasizing practical, down-to-earth examples; (vi) facilitate communication with the policy arena by framing research in terms that resonate with politicians in terms of the policy cycle or by considering drivers, pressures and responses affecting impacts of land use change; and finally (vii) all this is only possible if researchers, with soil scientists in the front lines, look over the hedge towards other disciplines, to the world at large and to the policy arena, reaching over to listen first, as a basis for genuine collaboration.

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Section: How To Overcome Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For the Soil Science Disciplinementioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Keesstra

Bouma

Wallinga

et al. 2016

SOIL

1,224

667

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Also, they question what appear to be separate regulations for groundwater, surface water, air, and nature quality, while nutrient regimes are obviously related to all of them: nitrogen that moves into groundwater cannot be emitted to the air (e.g., Bouma, 2016). Recent studies carried out regarding Dutch dairy farms took a systems approach by applying a life cycle assessment for the entire farming operation, covering not only the emission of nutrients to both air and water but also net income and energy use (Dolman et al, 2014;De Vries et al, 2015). A group of eight farmers followed a nutrientcycling approach to reduce fertilizer use, and the results of their farming operations were compared with a control group.…”

Section: Science Versus Policy In the Real Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soil science, which is related to "land" more than any other discipline, can, in contrast, play a pioneering role in initiating system studies that integrate the various issues in a systems approach. Examples are the studies of Dolman et al (2014) andDe Vries et al (2015). This type of study is attractive for stakeholders, like farmers, who have to operate complex production systems and for policy makers focusing on environmental quality, having to integrate separate requirements of water, air, and nature.…”

Section: Soil Science Linking Stakeholders and Policy Makers In The Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Facing policy challenges with inter- and transdisciplinary soil research focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Bouma

Montanarella

2016

SOIL

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Abstract. Our current information society, populated by increasingly well-informed and critical stakeholders, presents a challenge to both the policy and science arenas. The introduction of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offers a unique and welcome opportunity to direct joint activities towards these goals. Soil science, even though it is not mentioned as such, plays an important role in realizing a number of SDGs focusing on food, water, climate, health, biodiversity, and sustainable land use. A plea is made for a systems approach to land use studies, to be initiated by soil scientists, in which these land-related SDGs are considered in an integrated manner. To connect with policy makers and stakeholders, two approaches are functional. The first of these is the policy cycle when planning and executing research, which includes signaling, design, decision making, implementation, and evaluation. Many current research projects spend little time on signaling, which may lead to disengagement of stakeholders. Also, implementation is often seen as the responsibility of others, while it is crucial to demonstrate -if successful -the relevance of soil science. The second approach is the DPSIR approach when following the policy cycle in land-related research, distinguishing external drivers, pressures, impact, and responses to land use change that affect the state of the land in the past, present, and future. Soil science cannot by itself realize SDGs, and interdisciplinary studies on ecosystem services (ESs) provide an appropriate channel to define contributions of soil science in terms of the seven soil functions. ESs, in turn, can contribute to addressing the six SDGs (2, 3, 6, 12, 13, and 15) with an environmental, land-related character. SDGs have a societal focus and future soil science research can only be successful if stakeholders are part of the research effort in transdisciplinary projects, based on the principle of time-consuming "joint learning". The internal organization of the soil science discipline is not yet well tuned to the needs of inter-and transdisciplinary approaches.

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“…But this is only possible when farming is commercially feasible. A study was made, therefore, using Life Cycle Analysis, comparing eight cradle-to-cradle (CTC) farms with eight comparable farms following more traditional management (that is already quite different from management of a decade ago because farmers have many contacts and adopt what they consider successful management measures) (Dolman et al 2014;De Vries et al 2015). Some major conclusions follow from Table 4.…”

Section: Case Study 1: Cradle-to-cradle Dairy Farming In the Northernmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reaching out from the soil-box in pursuit of soil security

Bouma¹

2015

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

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Soil security can only be achieved when the global soil resource is maintained and improved, requiring a reversal of current degradation processes. This demands a major effort by soil scientists in at least four directions by: (i) demonstrating the importance of soils in inter-and transdisciplinary programs focusing on food, water, climate, biodiversity and energy problems, which are environmental issues that are widely acknowledged to be important; (ii) focusing research on the seven soil functions to demonstrate the importance of soil for widely recognized Ecosystem Services (ES) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); (iii) reframing reporting of soil studies by not only including technical data but embedding this in human-interest storylines, building on the deep emotional links between soil and man, and (iv) educating and involving knowledge brokers that can link science with societal partners not only during a given project but also in the preparatory and implementation phase. Scientists can only effectively participate in Communities of Practice when they have first properly organized their own affairs in Communities of Scientific Practice. Two case studies illustrated the proposed procedures, combining results of state-of-the-art quantitative models with a description of aspirations, concerns and frustrations of the various stakeholders involved, including farmers, regulators, citizens and entrepreneurs. The connectivity dimension of soil security was quite important here. Soil scientists would be well advised to return to their roots when field work was effectively coupled with laboratory studies. Basic research is and will remain crucial for the profession but should be better linked with tacit knowledge in an effective knowledge chain, working in both directions. Overall, reframing of the soil message is not only needed but also very well possible, requiring out-of-the-box thinking.

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Environmental impacts of innovative dairy farming systems aiming at improved internal nutrient cycling: A multi-scale assessment

Cited by 33 publications

References 41 publications

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The significance of soils and soil science towards realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Facing policy challenges with inter- and transdisciplinary soil research focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Reaching out from the soil-box in pursuit of soil security

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