Soil as a sustainable resource for the bioeconomy (BonaRes)

The BonaRes portal serves as a repository for project information, data, knowledge, and models, offering decision support for sustainable soil management. Central research areas include the investigation of soil management practices’ impacts on soil processes and functions, such as tillage, crop rotation, fertilization, and pest control. The service portal provides information tailored for various stakeholders, including practitioners, policymakers, and civil society. 

Soil fertility is the foundation for sustainable plant production and terrestrial bioeconomic value chains. Beyond yielding marketable crops, soils must provide a host of ecosystem services, including water and carbon storage, groundwater filtration, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity maintenance. Sustainable land use seeks to optimise these services while efficiently utilizing natural resources such as water, energy, nutrients, and land. BonaRes seeks to unravel the complex interactions among biological, chemical, and physical processes within soil systems and their responses to agricultural management practices. By generating essential knowledge on soil functionality, BonaRes aims to furnish reliable options for sustainable soil use. 

BonaRes is notable for its collaborative research approach involving multiple stakeholders and the extensive data that is being collected and made accessible.