Welsh university lends expertise to first pan-European soil erosion monitoring network

A unique scientific network setup to better understand soil erosion in Europe will draw on a Welsh university’s expertise.

EUROSION brings together 24 partners from 13 countries to establish the first pan-European dynamic soil erosion monitoring network.

The large-scale research and innovation project relies on 14 monitoring sites, stretching from Norway to Tunisia, which will act as open-air laboratories and cover water, wind and farming-related erosion processes.

Erosion is a major threat to processes involving soil, such as nutrient cycling, food provision and water purification.

Better monitoring and analysis of its on- and off-site effects is required according to the multi-national team.

“On-site effects refer to impacts on the land where erosion occurs such as loss of topsoil and reduced soil fertility),” explains Dr Zhuoli Zhou, from Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

“While off-site effects are impacts elsewhere, for example sediment entering rivers or dust from wind erosion affecting surrounding areas.

“So, this network will provide valuable data to better understand these impacts arising from soil erosion processes, supporting more effective land management across Europe.”

The network aims to expand, improve and harmonise existing data, knowledge, and monitoring approaches.

These advances will enable partners to assess soil erosion status and trends across geographies and over time.

The team says doing so will help to reduce soil erosion by promoting best practices to agricultural land managers and decision-makers.

Professor Adrian Chappell, Cardiff University Professor in Climate Change Impacts, added: “This 5-year funding is a valuable opportunity for us to tackle long-standing weaknesses and improve integration in modelling, measurement, and monitoring approaches to wind erosion and dust emission.”

Launched by the European Union (EU) with €11.49 million support, the project will directly contribute to the European Soil Strategy and the European Green Deal by providing integrated, harmonized, and dynamic understanding of soil erosion.

The project also aligns with EU goals for sustainable agriculture and climate resilience, supporting evidence-based decision-making for soil protection across the continent.

Find out more about EUROSION.