Project description

Predicting Soil Health to Protect Ecosystems

PHISHES is an innovative research project designed to bridge the missing link between data on soil health and actions for the safeguard of soils. The methodology being developed entails quantitative predictive capabilities taking current research practices further. It does so by providing: 

  • Specific end user-oriented tools to inform practices and policies regarding sustainable soil management practices and restoration of polluted soils. 
  • Improved parameterization of the soil-plant-atmosphere system, accounting for carbon and nitrogen balances, fate of pesticides and, through coupling, for predicting leaching to groundwater and surface water. 
  • Estimated increase in soil ecosystem services in future farm management scenarios and future climates. 
  • Climate change tools. 
  • Numerical grid-based tools that are able to shift between scales. 
  • Estimated ecotoxic effects of contaminants of emerging concern in surface water and groundwater. 
  • Characterised efficiency of land use management to decrease soil pollution in urban and industrial areas. 
  • Estimated changes in pollutants’ transfer from soil to groundwater and surface waters, after shift from conventional tillage (CT) agriculture to conservation agriculture (CA) systems. 

At the core of the project is the development of the PHISHES Digital Platform (PDP), a powerful tool designed to simulate and assess the impact of various management choices and environmental conditions on soil functions and ecosystem services. The PDP houses the methodology and provides access to various resources for simulating and evaluating the effects of various adaptation and mitigation measures on soil ecosystem services, such as sustainable agricultural practices, land restoration and remediation solutions, and pollution prevention measures. 

Beyond research, the project will translate these scientific insights into evidence tailored to inform policy recommendations, ensuring that decision-makers have the necessary data-driven insights to protect and restore soils. 

Have a look at the technologies used in PHISHES

The PHISHES consortium brings together diverse and complementary expertise across seven key activities. These are structured within seven work packages and five test cases, ensuring a comprehensive approach to achieving the project’s goals.

  • Project number: 101157438
  • Duration: 48 months (starting from 1st September 2024)
  • EU Contribution: HORIZON-RIA
  • Coordinator: DHI A/S
  • Consortium: 9 organizations from 8 countries

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.