1. Video and infographic

El equipo de la zona de estudio del SE de España realizó un video corto y una infografía para describir la importancia de la calidad del suelo y una serie de prácticas de manejo beneficiosas utilizadas localmente.

A short video and an infographic were made by the SE Spain study site team to describe the importance of good soil quality and a number of locally used beneficial management practices.

	Vídeo	Video
	»La importancia de la buena calidad del suelo. El suelo es un recurso que tarda mucho tiempo en formarse y puede degradarse fácilmente. El suelo no es renovable a escala temporal humana. El suelo nos proporciona alimentos y regula los ecosistemas terrestres. La conservación del suelo es muy importante para mantener su calidad y propiedades. Este es el objetivo principal del proyecto iSQAPER (Evaluación interactiva de la calidad del suelo es mantener la calidad del suelo con una agricultura sostenible). Para tener una buena salud debemos mantener la calidad del suelo. Cuida el suelo para mejorar tu calidad de vida. (en inglés con subtítulos en español)	»The importance of good soil quality Soil is a resource that that takes a long time to form and can easily degrade. Soil is not renewable on a human time scale. Soil provides us with food and regulates terrestrial ecosystems. Soil conservation is very important to maintain its quality and properties. The main objective of Interactive Soil Quality Assessment is to maintain soil quality for sustainable agriculture. For good health we must maintain the quality of the soil. Take care of soil to improve your life quality. (in English with Spanish subtitles)
	Infografía	Infographic
	»Prácticas agrícolas sostenibles del Sureste Español Se ilustran y describen el mulching (acolchados), la rotación de cultivos, la aplicación de compost, el laboreo mínimo, la agricultura orgánica y el mantenimiento de una cubierta vegetal se ilustran y describen. (en español)	»Sustainable agricultural practices from southeast Spain Mulching, crop rotation, application of compost, reduced tillage, organic agriculture and maintaining a vegetation cover are illustrated and described. (in Spanish)

 2. Study site description

Location

The area of the study is located in the south-eastern of the Spain, enclosing study sites in Alicante, Valencia and Murcia provinces. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with 3-5 months of summer drought, usually from June to September with a mean annual precipitation ranging from 200-500 mm and a mean annual temperature of 16ºC. The area has an important agricultural activity, with the main crops being citrus in the lowest areas (under irrigation), and olive, almonds, vegetables, fruits and vineyards elsewhere (usually rainfed). Cereals are also grown. There has been an expansion of citrus crops in the last few years, with the transformation of dry crops and forest area into irrigated agricultural land.

Main farming systems and typical agricultural management activities in the study area

The main crops are citrus plantations, rainfed vegetables, olive, vineyards, fruits and cereals. Rainfed areas are triggering high erosion rates, and also the new orange plantations increase soil losses. It is common practice to use wastewater and water rich in salt due to scarcity of water in this area, and in some agricultural areas this has a high impact on the soil with important loss of structure. Traditionally the main system of farming is based on the use of inorganic fertilizers and intensive tillage. As a consequence, it is has been noticed that the aquifer of the area is contaminated with specific pollutants. In recent years, an organic farming system with soil cover provided by leguminous species and pruning remains has been introduced. The use of adventitious plants and manure from sheep and goats are also being introduced in vineyards.

Characteristic soils and soil quality monitoring practice

Lithologies and soils are diverse, but soils are mainly developed under calcareous materials (limestone, marls), and on quaternary sediments. In the WRB (2010) classification they are mainly Regosols, Cambisols, Calcisols and Luvisols. Agricultural land management is one of most significant anthropogenic activities in the south of Spain that greatly alters soil characteristics, including physical, chemical, and biological properties. This fact is particularly relevant in Mediterranean environments, where unsuitable land management practices together with climatic constraints (scarce and irregular rainfall and frequent drought periods) can contribute to increased rates of erosion and other degradation processes on agricultural lands. These conditions can lead to a loss in soil fertility and a reduction in the abundance and diversity of soil microorganisms. Agricultural management influences soil microorganisms and soil microbial processes by changing the quantity and quality of plant residues entering the soil and their spatial distribution, through changes in nutrients and inputs. The excessive use of pesticides can drastically modify the function and structure. The quality of soils is low as a consequence of persistent agricultural practices including: intensive tillage, irrigation on slopes, which encourages water-based erosion, use of saline waters, and excessive use of fertilizers. Furthermore, these agricultural soils are subjected to semi-arid conditions with long dry periods; in general, they have low organic content and poor soil structure.

Previous research and innovation actions on soil improvement and monitoring

• Research the evaluation of soil management practices in agricultural areas specially focuses in soil microbial activity (PLFA’s content, Microbial Biomass Carbon, Basal Soil Respiration rate, DNA isolation, enzymatic activities) (GEA-UMH in collaboration CEBAS-CSIC)
• Monitoring soil quality under different agricultural management (biological, physical or chemical indicators) (GEA-UMH).
• Promoting the increase of the use of organic farming system (GEA-UMH In collaboration with Consellería of Agricultura and Farmers association).
• Implement programs of education and training courses to farmers.

3. Participation of stakeholders in the iSQAPER research programme

The local stakeholders listed in Table 1 were involved throughout the duration of iSQAPER in a number of research tasks including: providing experimental sites for the soil quality assessment and agricultural management practice evaluation; testing and evaluating SQAPP; and attending demonstration workshops.

Table 1: Local stakeholders involved in the iSQAPER research programme

4. Research tasks

Soil quality assessment and agricultural management practice evaluation

Based on WOCAT database (www.wocat.net), iSQAPER selected 18 promising agricultural management practices (AMPs) with potential to improve soil quality (»Agricultural management practices in the iSQAPER study sites). Twelve examples of a number of these AMPs were identified in the SE Spain study site that conformed to the following criteria:

1. the promising management practice has been implemented for at least 3 years;
2. at least 2 different soil types are represented; and
3. at least in 2 different first level Farming Systems (arable, permanent, grazing) are represented.

For each AMP plot, nearby control plots were also identified where the practice has not changed.

Table 2: AMPs identified in the SE Spain study site. Climatic region: Mediterranean temperate/semi-arid