The UK summer drought in 2022 produced significant speculation concerning how its termination could affect the national soil resource. It also highlighted a knowledge gap regarding the wider effects of drought on soil properties and functions in temperate soils. BGS scientists have contributed to a recently published review bringing relevant information together to address the knowledge gap and aid policymakers.

The paper focuses on agricultural and ecosystem drought in the UK, which is when soils experience dry periods that affect agriculture production and ecosystem function. However, each individual drought has its own characteristics with respect to length and intensity, with antecedent conditions particularly important to its overall impact.

Vegetation dieback is the most widely recognised effect of drought, often demonstrated in the media using satellite images. Questions frequently concentrate on crop yields, the impact of drought on food production and likely increases in retail prices. Another observable effect of drought in the UK (and globally) is that of soil cracking, which occurs when expansive clay minerals dehydrate and shrink, which may lead to undermining of foundations of houses and infrastructure. The process is of major economic consequence, with damage to infrastructure in the UK estimated at around £100 million a year, sometimes reaching £400 million in very dry years (Harrison et al., 2022).

Responses of soils and catchments to drought termination

Beyond the impact of drought on agricultural production and ecosystem function, a major concern is how the breakdown of soil may affect the soil resource in terms of runoff and potential erosion. This may influence surface-water quality through the transfer of sediment and nutrients. However, theoretically, dry soils should have the greatest potential for infiltration and, when the infiltration rate remains greater than the precipitation rate, erosion of the soil through the generation of runoff is less likely to occur. The response of both soils and catchments to drought termination in the short term will therefore initially be determined by the intensity and duration of precipitation, with intense storms more likely to generate conditions where rainfall exceeds infiltration capacity.

Impact of drought on soil properties

As we can have no long-term prior knowledge as to whether a drought will occur, evidence on how it affects soil properties is hard to obtain unless the drought coincides within the time frame of longer-term monitoring experiments of soil processes. However, experiments examining wetting and drying cycles provide some insight into the range of impacts on biological, chemical and physical processes in soils.

Infiltration depends heavily on soil structure, with many interactions occurring between the biological and physical components of the soil system, particularly in the production of sticky substances that help particles bind together in aggregates. The activity of bacterial and fungal communities in soil is generally negatively impacted by dry conditions and this may lead to some loss of soil structure, potentially affecting infiltration rates of precipitation. In addition, the activity of soil macroinvertebrates with body widths generally between 2 and 30 mm (such as earthworms, woodlice and millipedes) may decrease. These creatures are commonly seen as soil ecosystem engineers, as they create pathways for water drainage.

The biogeochemical cycles of major nutrients, including the production of greenhouse gases, may change due to the effects on the microbial communities that decompose organic matter. This can lead to flushes of nutrients and greenhouse gas emissions upon re-wetting.

Other effects may include:

• more pronounced shrink–swell behaviour than usual in soils containing expandable clays, leading to deep cracking and possible damage to infrastructure
• an increase in the water repellency of soils, particularly those soils high in organic matter, leading to greater surface runoff
• plant responses to drought that can severely reduce the plants’ protective effect, leaving soils exposed to erosion processes and degradation

Soil resilience to and recovery from drought

One focus of soil research in recent years has been exploring its resilience to and recovery from perturbations, of which drought is an obvious major one. ‘Resilience’ relates to the resistance (degree of change) coupled with the recovery (rate and extent) from a disturbance (Constanje et al., 2015).

The nature of precipitation, its intensity and frequency will help determine how soils initially respond to and recover after drought termination. It is likely that the physical, biological and chemical recovery from drought will happen over a variety of time scales, and some parts of the system may reflect an ongoing altered state.

The management of soil organic matter (SOM), a fundamental influence on soil moisture and structure, through cultivation practice and cropping will be important. Higher SOM concentrations offer greater resilience, at least in initial drought periods.  However, increased information is required regarding how biological soil communities, soil moisture dynamics and soil structure recover and how these affect biogeochemical cycles.

Conclusions

The paper reports on how the large number of interactions present between physical, chemical and biological soil properties helps explain soils’ response to drought. However, the results reviewed are drawn largely from experiments examining wetting and drying cycles.

Unlike UK ground and surface waters that have been continually monitored over historical periods, thus allowing assessment of the effects of droughts, soil data collected during actual drought periods from existing experiments are few. This means that knowledge relating to how key soil properties such as soil structure and biogeochemical cycling respond before, during and after a drought is needed for greater understanding. Collecting this data requires long-term experiments. The use of sensors, particularly to monitor soil moisture and shallow groundwater, along with the development of novel sensors could provide the basis of these experiments, allowing drought impacts to be placed into wider contexts.   

In addition, further gaps in our knowledge exist regarding soil water repellancy, the impact of wildfires on soils, multiple stressors (heat; moisture) and the effects of successive extreme events on soil systems, for example drought followed by flooding. On a planet that is experiencing more extreme climate events, addressing such questions will help identify actions that can be taken to build more resilient soil ecosystems.

The research paper, ‘’, is now available to read in full online. 

About the author

Farmers and whisky distillers could both be left increasingly high and dry as new research reveals how climate change is increasingly affecting water availability. In some areas, scientists found that surface water scarcity events, where river levels drop to significantly low levels, could increase dramatically from one every five years to every other year, or even more often. This potentially means there could be more bans on using these waters.

The data shows that April and May and late August into September are expected to become noticeably drier, potentially affecting crop yields and livestock gains.

Use of groundwater could provide a solution to increasing surface water shortages, but more information is needed on where and when such resources could prove a viable option. Summer groundwater levels have already been falling across several parts of the country and areas with low groundwater storage capacity and decreasing groundwater recharge are likely to become increasingly vulnerable to drought.

To inform this work, the 51ÁÔÆæ has developed a new framework to enable better estimation of groundwater resilience in Scotland. It helps to highlight those areas where groundwater is likely to be more, or less, resilient to future climate change.

This research has highlighted the risk of future water scarcity in Scotland and the potentially significant impact this could have on water users. Groundwater could form a key component of adaptation strategies, but more data and research is needed to understand how this can be achieved sustainably and equitably at a catchment scale.

Dr Kirsty Upton, BGS Senior Hydrogeologist.

Other recommendations from the research include:

• using more efficient irrigation methods
• avoiding the introduction of more water-demanding crops
• increasing water harvesting
• better storage of water during wetter months
• increased monitoring to allow for improved coordination of water resource-use across catchments
• a greater role for river catchment partnerships to coordinate use of water resources at landscape scale
• cross-sector coordination to prepare for future water extremes

provision of adaptation advice and funding

We found that, for many, water scarcity is already an increasing issue. At critical times of the year, even short periods of water shortage could lead to vegetable and fruit crop failure.

Some are already taking measures to adapt, particularly in the distilling sector, where technical advances could help reduce their need for water for cooling, but many could be at risk if they don’t take more action.

Our work suggests more information about resources would help them , as would information adaptation strategies they can take, as well as help funding these and collaborating across catchments over resources.

Dr Miriam Glendell, The James Hutton Institute.

The study, which was led by The James Hutton Institute, was commissioned by Scotland Centre of Expertise for Water, which is based at the institute, with partners at Scotland Rural College, the University of Aberdeen and BGS.

, with agricultural land use occupying the vast majority of that space. . Soils enable food production and livestock grazing, in addition to other essential ecosystem services such as carbon or water storage.  

Soil parent materials are one of five soil-forming factors and are derived from the weathering of underlying rocks and deposits. Understanding a soil parent material is useful when assessing different types of environmental and soil measurements as it strongly influences a soil texture, drainage characteristics, baseline chemistry and depth and profile structure. 

What is the BGS Soil Parent Material Model? 

The 51ÁÔÆæ Soil Parent Material Model provides information to better understand soil and subsoil characteristics across Great Britain. It includes information on:  

• textureÌý
• depthÌý
• chemistryÌý
• erosionÌýÌý

The dataset is intended for a wide range of users, including: 

• farmers 
• agronomists 
• environmental groups 
• land agents 
• energy companies  

The model provides information to help farmers and agronomists to identify soils and landscapes susceptible to erosion and develop more resilient soil-management plans for their farms. Increasingly, the dataset is being combined with on-farm soil sample data, as well as being used to cross-check data captured from drone surveys and onboard sensors.  

Soil texture  

The texture of a soil is a critical factor for crop production and other types of land use. It is one of the most easily recognisable soil properties for farmers when assessing their soils for crop viability. Texture is determined by the size and mixture of clay, sand and silt particles, which influence a wide range of other soil properties like its water-holding capacity, drainage characteristics and overall structure.  

For example, soils with a heavy clay content better retain water and nutrients; however, their compact structure makes them harder to work with. Sandy soils allow for better drainage due to the larger particles, but this can make them more susceptible to drying out in warmer conditions and allow nutrients to leach away much more easily during heavy rainfall. Loamy soils, which contain a more equal distribution of sand, silt and clay, are often considered to be the most ideal soil type for agriculture.  

The BGS Soil Parent Material Model dataset indicates soil texture using the descriptions ‘light’, ‘medium’ and ‘heavy’, based on the percentage sand, silt and clay content. 

Soil depth  

The depth of a soil influences the type of vegetation that can grow in it, as well as how much water and nutrients may be available. Deep-rooted crops will require deeper soils to thrive and there may be problems with water management where shallow soils are unable to provide sufficient plant-available water capacity.  

Interest in putting more organic carbon back into soils is increasing, which is also driving more interest in the thickness of soil profiles across Great Britain. These profiles are available in the BGS Soil Parent Material Model. The dataset has also been used to look at agroforestry, where soil depth plays an important role in crop development. 

Soil chemistry  

A soil chemistry is heavily derived from the minerals found in the underlying soil parent material. Applications of nutrients and conditioners to farming land can change this over time, but the natural processes of soil development will always return a soil to the baseline geochemistry of its parent.  

The pH of a soil is critical to nutrient availability, influencing the type of vegetation that can grow in it. Our dataset provides information on the carbonate content of parent materials, which has been used to assess buffering of pH, as well as the plant availability of critical minerals like magnesium and selenium. 

Soil erosion 

One of the threats to soils is the risk of erosion by wind and rain, which has been blamed on intensive agriculture and land-management processes. . Climate change may exacerbate soil erosion. Changing weather patterns can bring periods of more intense rainfall, creating rills and gullies in a wide range of soil types, whilst periods of desiccation during heatwaves, combined with more intense wind systems, pose a risk of wind erosion to our lighter soils. The loss of valuable soils into drainage systems is costly and often requires some form of remedial clean-up.  

Why are more people accessing BGS Soil Parent Material Model? 

Increasing interest in the BGS Soil Parent Material Model can be attributed to a growing awareness of the importance of soils and the need to better understand soils to help develop sustainable agriculture. The UK Government ‘‘ outlines the aim for all of England soils to be managed sustainably by 2030. 

UK research into soils has grown significantly in the last few years and, more recently, has been driven by better modelling techniques and data availability, and a rise in people wanting to use data for soil and landscape metrics. Farmers are also being asked to collect more information about their soils. This valuable new data can be used in conjunction with mapping to improve sampling strategy and optimise the extrapolation of the data across the wider farm holdings. The wider agronomy sector is using a range of novel spatial analysis techniques, including artificial intelligence, to compare different aspects of land use for soil benchmarking; integration with the parent material mapping enables local-to-regional extrapolation of their research. 

How to access the model 

The 51ÁÔÆæ Soil Parent Material Model dataset is available for download. A more detailed, 1:50 000-scale dataset is available under licence — please contact BGS Enquiries (enquiries@bgs.ac.uk). The dataset webpages have more information, links, sample data, downloads and a user guide. 

The model is also available to view as a map through the (UKSO), which provides soil data comprising 200 layers of information from nine research bodies across the UK. 

The future of the BGS Soil Parent Material Model 

We are currently in the process of securing funding for UKSO the next five years and preparing for the latest release of the BGS Soil Parent Material Map within the next 12 months.  

51ÁÔÆæ has an active soil research team and a world-leading group of environmental statisticians contributing to our soil research activities.   

For further information about the BGS Soil Parent Material Model please contact the digital data team (digitaldata@bgs.ac.uk).  

About the authors

Lauren Harris is a business assistant in BGS Informatics, but is also in her fourth year of part-time study at the Open University studying for a BSc in environmental science (2020 to present).

Environmental contaminants pose a serious problem to nearly all rivers in England and Wales. According to a 2019 report by the Environment Agency, only 14 per cent of rivers are of ‘good ecological status’ while, even more shockingly, zero per cent of rivers reached ‘good chemical status’.

As the natural drains that flow through our cities and countryside, rivers are at the receiving end of our household, industrial and agricultural waste. Many of the chemicals now ubiquitous in our aquatic environments, such as trace metals and agrochemicals, can bioaccumulate in aquatic wildlife and cause a wide variety of health issues such as neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, genotoxicity and immunosuppression. All these issues can affect the survival of individuals and populations throughout the food, or trophic, web and therefore have the potential to threaten the delicate ecological balance within our rivers.

Agriculture and river health

In the UK, our reliance on agrochemicals is of especially great concern to river health. More crops are being treated with pesticides than ever before and increasingly often. Treatments regularly contain harmful mixtures of pesticides that, when combined, can cause a ‘cocktail’ effect. Despite an increase in the number of chemicals being regularly monitored in river water, we are far from understanding the full ecological and ecotoxicological impacts of these contaminants on our freshwater ecosystems.

The project

A PhD project, led by Calum Ramage and his team of supervisors from the University of Nottingham (L Yon, M Johnson and L Bailey) and BGS (Christopher Vane and Raquel Lopes dos Santos), has set out to assess the impacts of pesticides and trace metals on British rivers and on the health of their aquatic inhabitants. At BGS, targeted pesticide screening methods will be used to detect and quantify a wide range of current-use pesticides in the waters, sediments and biota of two of our rivers: the River Tone in Somerset and the River Wensum in Norfolk. At the University of Nottingham, work will focus on trace metal analyses and effect-based monitoring methods, using wild fish as bioindicators of aquatic health. Ìý

After a challenging year and a half spent heavily adapting the PhD project, which was originally due to take place in Kruger National Park, South Africa, fieldwork in the UK finally commenced in autumn 2021. Various sediment sampling equipment was first tested on the Tone during a scoping visit to work out the most suitable sampling method. This was quickly followed by two very long and challenging days of fish sampling in early October, then two weekends of environmental sampling in which surface water and surface sediments were collected from across both river catchments. While sampling English rivers may not have matched the excitement of South African fieldwork, the additional peace of mind felt when wading into non crocodile-or hippo-infested waters did partially make up for it!

Future work

Now that the first batch of samples are in, the next few months will be spent processing, extracting and analysing the water, sediment and biotic samples by LC-MS/MS for the presence and distribution of pesticides in the two rivers, as well as for their bioaccumulation in invertebrates and fish. An in-depth fish health assessment, using a range of biochemical and histopathological assays, will also be completed to provide an impact assessment of pollutants in both rivers.

About the author

Calum Ramage

I was born and raised in rural France on the Swiss border and have always been drawn to nature and wildlife. My passion for the natural world led to me studying biological sciences at University College London and the University of Western Australia, before leaving to work on conservation and island restoration projects in South Africa and Mauritius. I was then drawn back to the UK by this multidisciplinary PhD project, which links environmental and wildlife health to anthropogenic activities.Ìý

As climate change affects the globe, the regional impact in southern Africa is that of a drying climate with more frequent droughts (Dai, 2012). Combined with an increasing population, this poses challenges to future food supply (van Ittersum et al., 2016).

Conservation agriculture (CA) is a promising tool to help combat the factors affecting food security in the region. This is an agricultural technique consisting of minimal soil disturbance (no tillage), mulching the soil with crop residues (the remains of the crop after harvest), and crop rotation and/or intercropping to diversify the system (FAO, 2016). CA has been shown to increase both yields and the resilience of crops to drought when compared to conventional agricultural methods and has been found to increase water infiltration into soils, reducing runoff and erosion (McGarry et al., 2000; Palm et al., 2014; Pittelkow et al., 2014; Steward et al., 2018; Thierfelder and Wall, 2009; Verhulst et al., 2010).

Whilst we are aware that CA can improve yields and drought tolerance and that it can influence water infiltration, little is known about hydrodynamics below the ground surface, i.e. the way the water moves through and is stored within the soil profile and how it travels to the groundwater table. The , described in detail in a blog by project lead Prof Murray Lark, aims to provide some answers to fill this knowledge gap.

Questions the project hopes to answer include:

• how does CA affect the quantity of water stored in the soil profile?
• how is water uptake by crops influenced by CA?
• how does CA alter recharge rates for groundwater?

My own research is on near-surface geophysics, specifically developing and applying electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), a ground imaging technique. ERT entails the use of an instrument to pass an electrical current through the ground via cabling and metal electrodes, and the measurement of voltages produced by the resultant electrical field in the vicinity of that current. By collecting many measurements in one dataset and processing the data with specialised software, it is possible to model (or image) the electrical resistivity of the subsurface in either two or three dimensions and at a high spatial resolution.

The resultant electrical resistivity models may be influenced by factors such as soil composition, porosity and water content. Through the repetition of ERT measurements over time, it is possible to see the changes in resistivity of the ground; assuming the soil composition has remained constant, any difference in resistivity is likely caused by variations in the water content of the soil, therefore it is possible to image soil moisture content over time (hydrodynamics). This ability to study the hydrodynamics of soils makes ERT ideally suited to helping to answer the research questions of the CEPHaS project.

At BGS we have developed a low-cost, low-power, ERT monitoring instrument called PRIME. Due to its low cost we have been able to purchase several instruments, enabling each to be permanently installed at an individual site. The low power requirements mean that we can install them in remote locations with just a solar panel and some batteries to provide the required energy. Consequently, we have been able to collect data with a higher temporal resolution than has been previously possible. We are collecting measurements twice daily in our three CEPHaS observatories in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

In the CEPHaS project, we are using a combination of techniques to try to address our research objectives, through both the novel technique of ERT monitoring and more traditional methods:

• collecting weather data and monitoring the crops themselves to calculate evapotranspiration
• installing point sensors in the upper metre to monitor soil water content and soil suction (the capillary suction caused by the porosity of the soil).
• drilling boreholes to tens of metres and instrumenting them with piezometers to monitor the level of the groundwater table in order to study groundwater recharge

These traditional point-sensor methods provide high accuracy and a high frequency of measurements over time (temporal resolution), but their low spatial resolution means that they struggle to capture heterogeneities common in the subsurface and are not always able to show the cause of any rise or fall in groundwater levels.

We are using these more traditional methods together with ERT monitoring as the strengths and limitations of each complement one another.  While the collection of twice-daily measurements is pushing the boundaries for ERT monitoring, it is far less frequent than data collection by point sensors. Meanwhile, the high spatial resolution collected by ERT monitoring allows us not only to better understand heterogeneities between point sensors, but also to bridge the gap between the soil sensors in the upper metre and those sensors found in the boreholes at depth.

The aerial photograph in the video shows the agricultural test plots, while the coloured cuboids beneath the ground surface show the modelled electrical resistivity. Each of the resistivity cuboids are 1 m square in plan view, and 3.1 m deep. In the initial, static phase, warmer colours equate to higher resistivities, while cooler colours signify lower resistivities. After this, the modelled ERT shows changes in resistivity over time, with blue colours depicting decreasing resistivity and red showing resistivity increases. The decreases in the resistivity are caused by the wetting fronts created by several rainfall events penetrating to depth.

In addition to the research objectives of CEPHaS, the project possesses a very strong capacity-building element. The training and experience that has been provided throughout the project means that colleagues at the University of Zambia, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the University of Zimbabwe are amongst the most advanced users of PRIME technology outside of BGS. Not only this, but the equipment installed in the three CEPHaS observatories is to remain after the end of the project, allowing project partners to continue with important research and bid for new projects.

The CEPHaS project aims to answer important questions surrounding the hydrodynamics of CA by using complementary methods, both traditional and novel. With our findings, we want to assist policymakers and potential CA farmers with making informed decisions about the uptake of this promising agricultural method. We hope that the dissemination of our findings, and the increased research capacity the project has built, will leave a legacy long beyond the project end.

Published in by Nature, a study by scientists at BGS provides a spatial analysis of lime resources in England and Wales and sets out to determine if magnesium-rich lime products could be used more effectively in agricultural production systems.

In a collaborative project led by BGS, experts used publicly available datasets to identify potential resources of carbonate rocks, such as limestone, dolostone and chalk, in the UK, and their magnesium and calcium status.

The data was combined with the locations of agricultural lime quarries and areas where soils are likely to be deficient in magnesium and may require liming. New data developed during the research will be added to the , the free-to-access online archive of UK soils data from nine major research bodies.

The benefits of agricultural lime products

Magnesium is an essential plant nutrient that plays a key role in plant growth and is essential for animal health. Low magnesium status, known as hypomagnesaemia, can be potentially fatal for cattle and sheep and is widespread in Europe, with economic impacts on farming.

Effective prevention of magnesium deficiency benefits both animal welfare and economic productivity. 

Applying magnesium-rich agricultural lime products can help to maintain healthy soil pH levels and ensure that magnesium levels in livestock feed is at sufficient levels, helping animals to get essential dietary nutrients.  

Agricultural lime is any calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate-rich form of crushed rock (limestone, dolostone or chalk) that is applied to soil. It is used to reduce soil acidity, optimising soil pH levels for grass growth in pastures. 

Despite this, the use of preventative measures and pasture interventions, including the application of magnesium-rich fertiliser or lime products, is reportedly low. 

A geological challenge

Dietary supply of magnesium can be a challenge for farming and agriculture because magnesium concentrations are heavily dictated by geological factors, including soil type. 

The magnesium content of soil relates to that of the bedrock. Where it is high in the bedrock it tends to be naturally high in soil and vice versa. That means the composition of all pasture and farm-grown fodder will always be influenced by this natural environmental endowment.

Tom Bide, BGS Minerals Geoscientist.

As well as the source rock, magnesium concentrations in soils are also controlled by other environmental factors, including climate, rainfall, degree of weathering, cropping intensity and fertilisation practices.

Environmental factors also contribute to low pH in soils. Added to this, the application of nitrogen fertilisers can have an acidifying effect.

A challenge for agriculture is that it is both labour and resource intensive to identify and treat areas of low pH and magnesium. To assist with this problem, scientists have used readily available spatial datasets and accessible legacy survey data to develop decision-making information, which can assist preliminary assessments of soil and forage nutrition. Such integration of datasets can add to the understanding of the supply and demand dynamics of agricultural lime in England and Wales, ensuring that the most realistic and appropriate resource management strategies are applied. 

The supply and demand dynamics of agricultural lime in England and Wales

The study, by scientists at BGS in collaboration with the , has combined geological and environmental data to demonstrate where supply could potentially meet demand.

We used datasets that provide an understanding of where grasslands may have pH values that indicate liming would be beneficial, and where those may coincide with low plant-available soil magnesium concentrations. This was combined with a comprehensive database of mines and quarries in the UK.

What we found is that the areas of England and Wales where magnesium deficiency and low pH are most likely to co-occur are seen in mid-Wales and parts of south-west, north-west and the Midlands of England.

Despite this, areas where liming may be an effective solution to low soil magnesium were often found to be likely to be restricted by the availability of suitable products.

Tom Bide, BGS Minerals Geoscientist.

Balancing demand with supply

In terms of demand, analysis shows that 18 per cent of the study area may be both suitable for and require liming with calcium liming material and 8 per cent with magnesium liming material.

When it came to supply, in total 96 potential supply sites were identified. Of these sites, only 14 have the potential to produce high magnesium lime and 29 have the potential to produce high calcium lime.

Our spatial analysis shows that, for many areas, the distance from source to market for magnesium-rich liming material is substantial. However, for some areas, such as around the East Midlands, South Yorkshire and south-west Wales, the application of high-magnesium limes could be a practical solution for livestock magnesium deficiencies

For many areas, other methods of magnesium intervention may be preferable, for example by application of processed magnesium additives or planting of magnesium-rich forage.

This is in contrast with high-calcium lime, for which much of England and Wales are in areas in proximity to quarries that can supply this material. These sites, like limestone resources, are widely spread across England and Wales. The wide distribution and existing supply chain for high-calcium limes means these products are readily available for the vast majority of lowland grasslands in England and Wales.

Tom Bide, BGS Minerals Geoscientist

The authors are keen to note that the study only was only concerned with crushed and ground liming products that comprise untreated quarried and crushed geological material. These did not include lime produced from food manufacture by-products or sites that may only supply lime for cement and mortar uses.

What we can conclude is that high magnesium and calcium agricultural limes may have wider market use than is currently realised, as shown in farm practice and trade statistics data. This analysis specifically shows that, in certain areas, the use of high-magnesium lime for soil treatment is a viable possibility for the dual benefit of altering pH and increasing soil magnesium content.

Tom Bide, BGS Minerals Geoscientist.

 

Making data available to inform future decision making

The analysis also highlights the opportunity for farmers, agronomists and other users to benefit from the huge range of existing, publicly available data that may not always appear accessible to potential users outside the geological sciences.

We hope this study provides information that can help to guide on-farm decision making for use of magnesium-rich and other lime resources. This could be used in conjunction with other options to reduce risks of magnesium deficiency in livestock, and improve soil pH.

Tom Bide BGS Minerals Geoscientist.

 

Data from the study will be made available in the .

Funding

This work was funded jointly by the (BBSRC) and the (NERC) with the members of the (SARIC).

Sustainable Development Goals

This BGS research directly addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to increase the sustainability, productivity and resilience of agriculture and raise animal welfare standards.