Tony Juniper CBE is a prominent environmental figure, active in the defence of Nature for 40 years. He has led major organisations, run global campaigns, written many books and advised at the highest levels. He began his career as an ornithologist and went on to join Friends of the Earth, initially leading the tropical rainforest campaign and then was appointed as Executive Director. He worked as an advisor to HRH The Prince of Wales, was President of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts and was an Executive Director at WWF-UK. He is now the Chair of the British Government’s official conservation agency Natural England and a Fellow with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. He has advised many global businesses on their environmental strategies. His books include the multi-award winning What has Nature ever done for us? and Harmony, which was co-authored with The Prince of Wales. Tony Juniper is a frequent contributor to TV and radio broadcasts and is a prolific speaker on environmental themes. He has received many awards and widespread recognition for his environmental work and in 2017 he was appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to conservation.

Will Blake is Professor of River Basin Science and Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute at University of Plymouth with expertise in applying environmental diagnostic tools to support sustainable land & water management. Current work with farmers in UK and the global south explores impacts of land management on soil hydrological processes and use of sensor technology to assess soil composition, supporting the evidencing of Climate-Smart Agriculture and regenerative practices. He is an Advisory Board member of the UNESCO International Sediment Initiative and expert member of Joint UN Food and Agricultural Organization and International Atomic Energy Agency (FAO/IAEA) programmes on nuclear techniques in food and agriculture.

Diana Mangalagiu is Professor at the University of Oxford.

With a dual background in natural sciences, her interdisciplinary research encompasses sustainability transitions, long-term planning, and integrated risk governance in public policy and corporate settings, addressed through modelling, stakeholder-based inquiry and foresight approaches.

Over the past two decades, she has led international projects on environmental policy – including the co-chairing of the Sixth Global Environment Outlook for the pan-European region and the Coordinating Lead Author role for the IPBES Nexus Assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change. She has published widely on sustainability, and the integration of environmental and economic policies across corporate and public sectors, co-founded the Initiative for Science, Society and Policy Dialogue, is a scientific board member of the Global Climate Forum and High-Level Group for the International Science Council.

Dr Bruce Lascelles BSc (Hons), PhD, FISoilSci, MCIEEM, CEnv

Bruce is a Chartered Soil and Environmental Scientist with 35 years’ technical and business management expertise and is currently Director of Sustainable Land Management at Arcadis, a Past President of the British Society of Soil Science and President Elect of the International Union of Soil Sciences. Bruce focuses on the survey and understanding of soils and on the interaction of the physical and biological worlds in relation to land use change. Bruce is a strong and active advocate for soils and the physical environment as a whole and supports a number of organisations around engagement and knowledge in this area. 

Since 1987 Cranfield University has been the custodian of the National Soil Data for England and Wales, on behalf of Defra. In 2026, the LandIS national soil database will become open access, and with this comes new and exciting innovation opportunities for how soils data is managed and accessed. In this workshop, we will provide more information about the launch of our open-access LandIS National Soils Portal and invite the community to feed ideas and suggestions for how soils data can be collected, stored, visualized, and distributed most effectively.

Dan is a Senior Lecturer in Soil Formation at Cranfield University. He leads both fundamental and applied research on soil formation and the parent materials from which soil is formed. His work focuses on the interactions between parent materials and soils, how soil parent materials support soil ecosystem services, and the natural and anthropogenic threats to the parent material zone. He also studies how soil formation can be accelerated, such as the manufacturing of new soils for urban green infrastructure.

Dan’s passion for soils research germinated in 2012 when he studied mobile debris lobes in Alaska during a Royal Geographical Society Scholarship. Following his return, he obtained a first-class degree in Physical Geography at the Royal Holloway, with prize-winning research on root architecture and soil erodibility. During his PhD at Lancaster University, he conducted the first isotopic measurements of UK arable soil formation, and the first globally-relevant estimates of soil lifespans.

Dan is the Early Career Scientist representative for the European Geoscience Union, representing >20,000 Early Career Scientists from more than 20 geoscience disciplines across the Union. Previously, he was former ECS Representative for the Union’s Soil System Science division and the National ECS Officer for BSSS. 

Ron is Professor of Data Sciences at Cranfield and Head of the Cranfield Environment Centre. He specialises in the application of spatio-temporal models to understand the nature and behaviour of natural systems and processes. He is interested in the application of (spatial) modelling tools to understand the structure and function of environmental systems and processes. Environmental systems are complex, and this expresses itself as complex but determinable spatiotemporal patterns. The application of these approaches has led to significant advances in our understanding on the spatial dynamics of ecosystem services, in particular in Urban areas. Another key area in which these techniques have proven invaluable is in the area of resilience as applied to ecological functions, allowing significant insights into the nature and functioning of resilience. Both these areas have significant societal significance, in helping inform how to infer resilience in the natural and man-made systems on which we depend, but also in how to design and plan the built environment to retain the benefits from the natural capital inherent in our greenspaces.

40@40’: Insights from Forty Papers Across Forty Years of Soil Use and Management

Authors: Leo Condron, Lisa Lobry de Bruyn, David O’Connor, Adrian Unc, J. Webb and Fiona Nicholson*

*ADAS Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG20 9PD, UK. Email: fionanicholson2018@gmail.com

Abstract: This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the BSSS journal Soil Use and Management (SUM), which is celebrated with a special collection of 40 papers. Over four decades, SUM has evolved from a UK-centric publication to one with significant international reach, reflected in the global distribution of its authors, the internationally diverse editorial team and the rising number of published articles. In this talk, we revisit selected papers from the SUM archive to chart the development of applied soil research, from its original agricultural focus to a broader role in tackling global environmental challenges and societal concerns. We examine how the topics covered have shifted – ranging from soil acidification and nutrient management to carbon sequestration and innovative soil amendments –and how this research has influenced current thinking in sustainable land management.  The journal continues to examine the nexus between soil’s inherent properties, soil management practices and the people who steward this resource for its optimal use. Looking ahead, SUM remains committed to publishing innovative research that provides new insights into the influence of natural and anthropogenic processes, with an emphasis not only on agricultural productivity but also on soil functions, soil health, and the long-term sustainability of managed ecosystems.

Keywords: soil, use, management, journal, research

Fiona is an environmental scientist with 17 years research experience on the environmental impacts of agricultural practices. Particular research interests include heavy metal fate and behaviour in agro-ecosystems, and the environmental effects and nutrient value of manure/waste applications to agricultural land,

She is a deputy editor and social media coordinator for Soil Use and Management.

A New Standard for Soil Ecosystem Services and Functional Biodiversity: Measuring nematode with automated microscopy and AI

As climate change intensifies and is bringing more droughts, heatwaves, and extreme weather, soil health is critical for resilient land-use systems. Healthy soils support sustainable crop production, enhance water retention, improve carbon sequestration, and strengthen ecosystem resilience. This presentation explores the role of soil-health monitoring in climate adaptation, highlighting innovative techniques, especially around soil life dynamics.

To this end, nematode community analysis serves as an informative proxy for soil food-web structure and ecosystem services. We present a workflow that couples automated light microscopy with machine learning/AI. The image-derived metrics support nematode-based indices (NBIs) for data-supported decision-making. With this approach, Antonie (a Royal Eijkelkamp spinoff) aims to set a new standard for soil-life monitoring and ultimately improve our understanding of soil-ecosystem functioning.

Climate Smart Agriculture and Youth Network Global (GCSAYN) is a dynamic network of youth serving individuals and partner organizations with a strong interest in Climate Smart Agriculture and sustainable agriculture. Our network encompasses over 170 countries through connection, utilizing online platforms, where members share findings and seek practical advice for their projects and activities. It is an organization that encourages young people to come into agriculture. It realizes that the future is dependent on agriculture both for the provision of food and raw materials for industries.

The primary objective of GCSAYN is to create awareness and build the capabilities of young people on CSA concepts to strengthen their abilities to adapt and mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) while sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and food security.

In deciding to partner with the British Soil Science Society, GCSAYN believes that Soil is the heart of clmate action, food security and biodiversity. Soil is the central material for food production. Soil is also an important component in mitigating and adapting to climate change which is currently a big concern in agricultural production. Hence, the youth having a firm understanding of effective soil management and how to use it to ameliorate the impact of climate change, is going to encourage Climate Smart Agricultural production. It is therefore important that we have young people who have a clear appreciation of soil management and

crop production in a way that is sustainable and resilient to climate change and also in a way that enhances the welfare of man and the ecological integrity of the environment.

A partnership between GCSAYN and BSSS is going to be a win-win situation because the two organisations will work together through their interns and mentees to inculcate sound soil management principles and techniques as well as the climate smart technologies and Climate smart techniques in handling agricultural production. The result will be that we are creating future farmers that are well grounded in managing the soils as well as managing crop production in a way that is Climate Smart and resilient to the vagaries of climate change.

Prof. Elechi Asawalam is a lecturer  at College of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Abia State Nigeria. Between 2004 and 2007, she was a Research Fellow at International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya.  In 2010, she was a Visiting Scientist at Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, USA. She is an Integrated Pest Management specialist. She is an Adviser on Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems and Sustainability, as well as Co- Chair, GCSAYN Research and Scientific Committee.

An overview of the AMAST (AMR in Agrifood Systems Transdisciplinary) Network and opportunities to engage with its members

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites stop responding to antimicrobial medicines. It is deemed to be the next pandemic, and stringent actions need to be taken to mitigate it. It is closely linked to the One Health concept involving humans, animals and the environment, hence its prevalence can be widespread if adequate measures are not taken as surveillance and to mitigate its spread. The AMAST (AMR in Agrifood Systems Transdisciplinary) Network coordinates the agri-food trans-disciplinary community engaged in AMR activities covering crop, livestock and aquaculture sectors.  The network will engage in interactions with industry, trade associations, policy makers, and academia involved in food production. It is led by Dr Matthew Gilmour (Quadram Institute) and Dr K Marie McIntyre (Newcastle University). AMAST is one of the eight networks on AMR funded by UKRI under its Transdisciplinary Network to tackle AMR.

The AMAST (AMR in Agrifood Systems Transdisciplinary) Network is dedicated to protecting the future of our food systems and public health by addressing antimicrobial resistance through collaborative, innovative research and action. In the AMAST Network we bring together farmers, scientists, food producers, veterinarians, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to develop practical, evidence-based solutions for optimising antimicrobial use while maintaining productive and sustainable food systems.

The talk will provide an overview of AMAST and its key members, proposed activities and funding opportunities for those interested to apply. In addition to these the talk will be an interactive one involving Slido to engage with the audience on (i) their awareness of AMR in agriculture from the soils perspective (ii) skill sets are existing within the soils community at the event to address AMR (iii) skill sets or training which will be needed to tackle AMR (iv) current AMR challenges facing agriculture from a soils perspective (v) challenges identified which have a short, mid and longer term solution. This is not an exhaustive list but provides an overview of what the talk will cover. A summary of the key messages from the Panel Discussion on AMR as part of the ECR event will also be shared during this talk.

Professor Sakrabani is a soil chemist with more than 20 years of experience in determining nutrient dynamics in soils associated with application of organic amendments such as compost, manure, slurry, sewage sludge, biochar and digestates. His work explores the resource efficiency and reliability of organic amendments as alternative sources of fertilisers to reduce demand on inorganic fertilisers to promote regenerative agriculture. He has an excellent and extensive track record in projects on projects related to formulation and application of novel fertilisers such as organo-mineral fertiliser (OMF) which consist of organic amendments with reduced mineral fertilisers. His interest is AMR is related to use of manure and crop residue as part of OMF and its potential pathways to have antibiotic resistance genes which can contribute to AMR through interactions with selected soil properties. His research covers use of novel approaches using muonic X-Rays and neutron computerised tomography to characterise OMF for its physical and chemical properties.

Pete Smith is Professor of Soils and Global Change at the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Aberdeen and Science Director of the Scottish Climate Change Centre of Expertise (ClimateXChange). His interests include climate change mitigation, soils, agriculture, food systems, ecosystem services modelling and nature-based solutions.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a Fellow of the Institute of Soil Scientists, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, a Fellow of the European Science Academy, and a Fellow of the Royal Society (London).

How to measure, report and verify soil carbon change to realize the potential of soil carbon sequestration for atmospheric greenhouse gas removal

There is growing international interest in better managing soils to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) content to contribute to climate change mitigation, to enhance resilience to climate change and to underpin food security, through initiatives such as international ‘4p1000’ initiative and the FAO’s Global assessment of SOC sequestration potential (GSOCseq) programme. Since SOC content of soils cannot be easily measured, a key barrier to implementing programmes to increase SOC at large scale, is the need for credible and reliable measurement/monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) platforms, both for national reporting and for emissions trading. Without such platforms, investments could be considered risky. In this presentation I outline some recent novel developments that show promise for quantifying SOC. I will describe how repeat soil surveys are used to estimate changes in SOC over time, and how long-term experiments and space-for-time substitution sites can serve as sources of knowledge and can be used to test models, and as potential benchmark sites in global frameworks to estimate SOC change. I will briefly describe how models can be used to simulate and project change in SOC and examine the MRV platforms for SOC change already in use in various countries/regions and describe a new vision for a global framework for MRV of SOC change, to support national and international initiatives seeking to effect change in the way we manage our soils.

• What is Soil Organic Carbon Content?
• Why it is important
• As a carbon sink
• Carbon offset credits
• The importance of Soil Organic Carbon Content in agriculture
• How soil samples are taken and collected
• The importance of accurate sampling techniques
• Profiling sediments
• How is it measured in the laboratory
• and how are the results presented
• Tools for direct measurement of SOC content
• What are poor, indifferent and good levels of SOC
• Closing remarks

Vincent has many years’ experience in the environmental field – more than he is prepared to admit to! More than 30 years ago he and Kaja, his wife, established Van Walt to fill a gap in the market for equipment that provides consistent, accurate results – equipment that sets the standard for soil and groundwater monitoring and research. Today he remains equally as committed and still spends the majority of his time sharing his expertise on groundwater field techniques, percussion drilling, soil moisture measurement and mineral exploration with customers at home and abroad. As an enthusiastic sailor he has learnt to appreciate the combination of quality and craftsmanship to create something that is both functional and beautiful.

Fred’s presentation examines the regeneration of contaminated urban land through the case of Manchester Sportcity – A History of Remediation and Regeneration. It highlights how a coherent, long-term vision, driven by community aspirations, integrated services, and environmental sustainability, shaped a masterplan that responded to environmental, social and economic needs. Moving beyond conventional, isolated remediation approaches, the project connected together interventions such as soil restoration, sustainable drainage, and active travel infrastructure to deliver a connected, resilient urban landscape. The Sportcity case demonstrates how strategically aligning technical solutions with public values can unlock lasting transformation in post-industrial settings.

Professor Frederic Coulon holds the Chair in Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology at Cranfield University and is internationally recognised for his leadership in pollution control and remediation across contaminated land, waste, and wastewater systems. He has pioneered risk-based management strategies and biotechnological solutions that have shaped environmental policy and practice across the UK, Europe, Africa, Singapore, and China.

As the Director of the UKRI Engineering Biology Hub’s Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC), he leads pioneering research in engineering biological applications and environmental biotechnology to develop innovative environmental solutions. His work drives sustainable solutions within the Water-Soil-Waste nexus, addressing global environmental challenges across industries and scales. His contribution was featured in Cranfield University’s 2014 REF Impact Case Studies for advancing hydrocarbon bioremediation. Prof. Coulon is the Chairman of the European Conference AquaConSoil and the NICOLE Academic Group. He serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief for Environment International and Heliyon Environment, and as Associate Editor for Science of the Total Environment.

After 34 years in the Environment Agency and the KCC Waste reg team Jonathan has recently moved to work with CLAIRE, an industry leading organisation dealing with best practice guidance and frameworks for positive materials management on sustainable development sites, enabling land contamination issues to be dealt with comprehensively.

He has worked on risk assessment of developed closed landfill sites, landfill engineering and environmental controls enforcement on permitted sites, and a variety of land contamination projects. He was part of a team of GW&CL specialists and a national advisor on a number of specific projects related to soil remediation and waste management, including DoWCoP and emerging substances like PFAS.

It is argued that the artificial separation between humans and nature (as in all the non human living beings) is a key factor in the ongoing unsustainable extractive relation with the natural world, the notion of nature itself being problematic. A deep realisation that humans are an integral part of nature and a better empathy with non-human living beings could have a positive impact on the collapse of ecosystems, including soil health.

Art in its multiple forms arguably has the power to bring new perspectives and insights to different publics. Since the 1970s artists have created work with soil and soil-related aspects such as food growing and science-inspired experiments. Although the issue of widespread poor soil health is increasingly reaching the mainstream, soil and its complex life web is often overlooked by the general public.

The talk will focus on recent art and creative technology projects that involve different audiences in activities about soil and connections to non human life, with a focus on electrogenic soil bacteria.

In an era of climate crisis rebuilding depleted soils has never been more critical. Few human interventions have the power to mitigate the devastating impact of climate change, as regenerative agriculture. But how to change the hearts and minds of farmers and consumers when post pandemic people are germophobic, addicted to cheap but un-nutritious food, and hooked on practices that grew out of ‘conventional’ wisdom developed by Big-Ag synthetic fertiliser, insecticide and fungicide manufacturers. Art has a key role to play in provoking a re-think about the importance of soil. It can surpise the public – reveal the invisible, and shine a light on what is at stake, often in a more digestible way than straight statistics.

Art to reveal soil’s dirty secrets

Jo Pearl, Multi-disciplinary Artist, Soil and Climate Activist:

London-based artist Jo Pearl is member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, and a former PR whose work has a campaigning edge. Her soil-focused work has been exhibited at the Royal Geographical Society’s Earth Photo 2024, Somerset House’s SOIL: The World At Our Feet, Dialoghi Del Suolo, in Florence accompanying the UISS’s Centenary Congress in 2024, as well as the forthcoming Soil Art Tales, in 7 museums around the EU from November 2025.

Artist and soil activist Jo Pearl shares her most recent work, imbued with wonder about the biodiversity in healthy soil, to playfully make visible the invisible biome beneath our feet. From clay stop frame animation, to kinetic sculpture, Pearl shares how she uses clay and ceramics to speak about soil health, enchanting viewers so that they fall in love with this material. She will be presenting Dirty Secret, her most recent commission for the EU’s Soil Art Tales travelling exhibition that opens in Venice in November 2025, as well as Oddkin and Unearthed Mycelium exhibited at Somerset House’s landmark exhibition SOIL : The World at our Feet in Spring 2025.

Power of the mud: art experiments with soil, electrogenic bacteria and people

Paul Granjon is an artist and educator whose self-made machines explored the co-evolution of humans and machines with a humorous and critical perspective. The work questioned the validity of a creeping digitization that tends to replace living beings with digital programs and creatures, supporting a society based on economic profit, surveillance and extraction.

His interest in vital issues of resilience and ecological implication grew over the years, based on the conviction that a renewed relationship with plant, animal and mineral beings and environments, combined with a radically re-imagined use of technology are crucial pre-requisites for a good life on earth.

Current practice-based research includes the design and delivery of participative art activities and artworks that combine creative technologies and bio-life with a joyful dimension. The work aims to alleviate eco-anxiety and to stimulate an ecosophical approach to everyday life. Paul currently teaches Fine-Art at Cardiff School of Art and Design and is a member of the Art and Ecology research group at Goldsmiths University.

Daro Montag is a visual artist and Associate Professor of Art & Environment at Falmouth University. His art practice has, for over thirty years, been involved with environmental and ecological issues – he is particularly interested in the inherent creativity of the organic world.

He is probably best known for the technique he developed for generating images through the activities of soil micro-organisms, known as ‘bioglyphs’.  These works reveal and make visible the microscopic life within soil that would otherwise be impossible to see. It is hoped that these bioglyphs will contribute to a deeper understanding of soil as a living organism.

Daro’s artworks have been exhibited at galleries in the UK, Europe, USA, Australia, China and the UAE, and have been published widely.

Between 2013-16 he co-produced Soil Culture, a series of exhibitions, projects and publications, in collaboration with the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World. This was the UK’s most significant cultural contribution to the 2015 International Year of Soil.

In this talk, Daro will provide a brief overview of some of the various ways that artists have incorporated soil into their creations. In addition to the aesthetic uses of different coloured earths, we shall be introduced to the sculptural, spiritual, and sensual qualities that have been drawn on by artists since the 1950s.

In this session, we invite researchers from academic and commercial organisations to discuss the role that soil microbiology can play in promoting sustainability in producing food.  Three experts in this area will give a short introduction followed by an extended question and answer session.

There is an interplay between the discovering of new things and the wide-scale propagation of those things into real-world use – in this case, the production of food.  Science and business collide: the hope is that the best ideas are implemented by commercial farming operations.

Bring your questions about the latest science, the challenges ahead and the ways that we can ensure that the best ideas are adopted by the farming community.  The answers will give you a lot to think about.

Harnessing plant-soil interactions for sustainability

Liz is Dean of Research for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and Professor of Food and Environmental Security at the University of Edinburgh. Her expertise covers soil health, agricultural systems, food security, plant-soil interactions and environmental change.

Liz undertook her PhD at the University of Edinburgh, and returned eight years ago to help establish the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems as its Deputy Director. In between she held a lectureship and BBSRC Wain Research Fellowship at Imperial College, a NERC Advanced Fellowship and the Established Chair of Soil Science at the University of Aberdeen. She was Head of School of Biological Sciences at the University of Aberdeen for five years prior to returning to Edinburgh.

Liz holds various current and previous strategic leadership and advisory roles for higher education and research, including with UKRI, UK and Scottish governments, and international research organisations and funders. She is a Commissioner for the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, and she is a Past-President of the British Society of Soil Science.

The power of beneficial microbes in improving crop protection and nutrition

As CEO, Angela leads the scientific direction of FA Bio, nurturing and evolving the business process design and strategy, defining its innovation pipeline and growth.

With more than 19 years experience in agriculture and using innovation to solve the challenges of sustainability, Angela has a strong background in leadership, biotechnology, and agriculture.

Angela studied for her Bachelor’s degree and Master of Science at the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia. She went on to complete her Master Research in Chemical Biology of Crop Protection and Sustainability and was awarded the Lord Porter Prize, and her PhD in Chemical Biology at Imperial College London. Following the completion of her studies, Imperial College awarded her the Medal for Student Outstanding Achievements awards.

Since completing her PhD Angela has focused on developing her leadership skills, undertaking a Women in Leadership programme by IESE, Business Process Design for Strategic Management by MIT Sloane School, and a course on Dynamic Negotiations by INSEAD Business School. Besides, Angela in an Entrepreneur at the Royal Academy of Engineering and have received a tailored Leadership and Executive Training part of the Shott Scale Up Accelerator Award.

Angela is driven by applying biotechnology to help farmers produce more with less using regenerative agriculture. She is also driven to encourage women pursue an entrepreneurial journey.

The bioinformatics challenges in resolving soil microbiomes to enable their future application as soil health indicators

Chris Quince has pioneered techniques to reduce sequencing noise and the application of methods such as shotgun metagenomics to microbial communities. This cutting-edge approach fragments and sequences all of the genomes in a microbiome – quite literally taking a shotgun approach – and these are then reconstructed using sophisticated computational approaches. The methods to reconstruct sequence fragments back into metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) have been significantly advanced by Quince.

He has used these metagenome techniques and analysis methods, in conjunction with his wide network of collaborators, to address urgent clinical questions, such as trialling new treatments for paediatric Crohn’s disease and understanding what drives antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the gut microbiome.

Dr Quince’s research at the Earlham Institute focuses on:

• Improving methods for metagenome strain resolution incorporating novel long-read technologies and library preparation, as well as plans to extend his methods for metagenome binning to eukaryotes such as fungi.
• Developing novel microbiome analysis methods enabling strain phenotype prediction from MAGs, mechanistic approaches for integration of multi-omics and models for microbial community assembly.
• Carrying out large-scale microbiome data analyses, continuing his previous work on AMR, anaerobic digestors and pediatric Crohn’s disease.
• Commencing the Global Challenges Research Fund GastroPak project, which aims to determine the sources of non-viral gastroenteritis in Pakistan.

Natural England is the Government’s advisor for the natural environment in England, providing scientific, evidence-led advice. This panel will explore the growing momentum behind making soil data and mapping more accessible – and why that matters.

Better access to soil information will unlock new opportunities to support the Government’s environmental goals. It’s not just about data – it’s about transforming how soil knowledge feeds into decision-making, raising awareness, and driving positive impact.

Improved soil data availability is helping us deepen our understanding of how soils function, build smarter tools, and create interpretable maps that can help inform future strategies and decision-making. Join us to discover the latest developments and how Natural England is making soil data more usable, visible, and powerful than ever.

Eleanor is an experienced, Chartered soil scientist and Fellow of the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS). She provides a strategic and scientific lead to promote and influence the integration of soils into projects and programmes delivered by Natural England. Working closely with Defra and other agencies, and developing trusting partnerships externally, to deliver evidence, tools and guidance to better understand and improve the health of soils and contribute to nature recovery, climate change resilience and food security. 

 Eleanor has a research background and over 10 years’ experience working with the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system; including undertaking field surveys; providing internal training on ALC; and providing advice to Government departments on the ALC system, data and mapping.

Matthew Shepherd is Natural England’s Senior Specialist for Soil Biodiversity, with 23 years of experience in working in soil science and longer experience in ecology and conservation. He manages research to improve soil management for ecosystem services, by working in harmony with soil organisms. Matthew engages with farmers, industry, and the public, partnering with farm outreach advisors, but also promoting soil biology and its importance among the general public through events, videos and television. He also manages and delivers soil monitoring and is an expert on soil mesofauna, particularly soil mites, for which he runs the UK national recording scheme and provides training for students, researchers, and naturalists. With a background in Ecology and a PhD on grazing effects on soil in semi-natural ecosystems, he has contributed to evidence on upland overgrazing, the state of our peatlands and how to restore them, and developed approaches to understand and improve soil health.

James serves as a Senior Soil Specialist at Natural England, where he plays a pivotal role in advising area teams on the methodology employed by consultants for ALC across England. His expertise is particularly crucial for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), as well as mineral and waste applications and other development management planning proposals.

A dedicated professional in his field, James holds Full Membership with the BSSS. With 7 years of experience in validating ALC surveys, James has consistently upheld rigorous standards in his work. Through his role, James significantly contributes to ensuring sustainable land management and informed decision-making in development and environmental planning.

Jonathan, a Senior Soil Specialist, focusing on Land Management, supports the delivery and development of research and development, tools, guidance and training to further our understanding of soil health and its contribution to ensuring nature recovery, climate change resilience and food security.

Prior to joining Natural England, Jonathan worked within Environmental Consultancy with 7 years’ experience as a Contaminated Land Specialist and has a wealth of experience managing and handling large soils data sets. Jonathan has a good understanding of the Natural England ALC and soil datasets and their potential use and application to inform future land use planning.

Dr Rob Sparkes

Robert Sparkes is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, with research and teaching interests spanning Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Chemistry, and Material Science, with expertise in a broad range of chemistry techinques, including chromatography, spectroscopy, and elemental/isopic analysis.

He researches many aspects of the global carbon system, from the continent scale to the molecular scale, and from the deep sea to meteorites. At the moment, he is particularly focussed on the burial and long-term storage of carbon in saltmarshes, and the role that coastal wetlands can play in mitigating climate change. This work, in collaboration with collegues at MMU, academics around the world, government agencies, businesses and charities, has been published in a wide range of academic journals and technical reports.

Robert is an environmental geochemist, tracing carbon as it moves around our planet. He is particularly interested in working out how burying carbon in coastal sediments can help mitigate climate change. 

Recommendations for measuring organic carbon – comparison of loss-on-ignition, and elemental analysis methods

Measurements of sedimentary carbon concentrations, including total carbon (TC) and the organic (OC) and inorganic (IC) fractions, support research across the Earth and environmental sciences, and are critical for regulatory monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon stocks. Multiple methods are used across disciplines, but some have poor accuracy (producing incorrect results) or precision (large run-to-run variance). This study rigorously tested three common protocols using a combination of certified reference materials and real-world samples.

Loss-on-Ignition (LoI) converts measured organic matter loss into an organic carbon concentration, and none of the previously published conversions tested in this study were accurate.  Total carbon measured by elemental analysis (EA) and was accurate and precise but differentiating OC and IC using the elemental analyser requires pre-treatment – two were tested. Removal of carbonate via acid washing also led to significant organic carbon loss. Combustion of organic matter prior to EA gave precise and accurate IC and OC measurements, which were independently confirmed using an alternative method – temperature-dependent combustion.

Overall, we recommend that loss-on-ignition and acid washing pre-treatments are not used to determine organic carbon contents, especially in recent soils or sediments.

Robert B. Sparkes ^a, Stuart A. Rae^a, Lucy McMahon^a, Hannah L. Mossman^a,b, David McKendry^a, Rachel M. Dunk ^a

^a Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK

^b Conservation Evidence, WWT, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT, UK