Climate Change will have a devastating impact on Northern Ireland

Dr Marcelo Galdos, from Rothamsted Research, spoke at this week’s soils conference hosted by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

He referenced data, confirming that Climate Change is already impacting on Northern Ireland.

Specifically, rainfall levels have increased significantly over the past two decades.

Moreover, this rainfall is much more erosive in nature.

According to Galdos, Climate Change is not an international phenomenon: it will be experienced in a very significant way at a regional level.

He continued:“This will require farmers to change their management practices accordingly.

"Soil health is the all important factor when it comes to determining plant health animal health and human health.

“But this is far from bad news, where farming is concerned. Agriculture will be a fundamental part of the response to Climate Change.

“Future sustainability must be delivered in terms of the environmental protection, biodiversity and food security.

“Farmers will play a key role in securing all of these objectives.”

Galdos went on to point out that modelling studies will be used to predict the future impact of Climate Change within agriculture.

The precision of these models will be copper fastened by the results that have already been generated by long-term soil studies carried out in the UK.

These include the Broadbalk experiment at Rothamsted, initiated in 1843, plus the long term slurry trial at AFBI Hillsborough, which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Pieter-Jan Schon, AFBI’s director of Environmental and Marine Sciences, opened the conference by outlining the current and upcoming policy and legislation on a global, EU and UK level and within Northern Ireland regarding soil and soil health.

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Dr Rachel Cassidy provided an overview of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme and early results from Zone 1. Dr Suzanne Higgins provided an overview of research findings aligned with soil nutrient management and its relationship with pasture performance and water and air quality.

Dr Lisa Black’s presentation focused on soil health and in particular the impact of land management on soil health in its widest sense, i.e. in terms of physical, chemical and biological characteristics.

Lisa posed the question: how do we measure soil health and what are the best indicators of soil health’?

Dr Black, keen to change this, gave an update on research focussed on identifying metrics of soil biology suitable to the soils and conditions of Northern Ireland.

Dr Paul Cottney overviewed some research findings on the impact of land management on soil health, including the use of cover crops and organic manures in arable systems. Dr Archie Murchie gave an insight to the role of earthworms in soil systems.

Over the day speakers outlined how new technology, such as remote sensing, can create high resolution sampling of fields to improve overall understanding of soil carbon and soil fertility.

This technology is critical to increase nutrient use efficiency going forward. Despite this novel technology, the spade was also highlighted as being just as important in its role in assessing soil structure and soil health.