Soil Systems

Soil is the largest terrestrial carbon reservoir, storing approximately 2,500 Gt of organic carbon in the top 2 metres — more than the atmosphere and vegetation combined. Understanding soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics is critical for climate change mitigation, carbon credit verification, and sustainable land management. VELSTROM focuses on SOC estimation using remote sensing, machine learning, and ground-truth laboratory data.

Soil nutrient cycles (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients) govern plant productivity and ecosystem health. Nutrient depletion degrades agricultural output, while excess nutrient loading causes eutrophication. Precision nutrient management integrates soil testing, spectral proxies, and variable-rate application technologies.

Soil degradation — erosion, compaction, salinisation, acidification, and contamination — threatens food security for billions. Monitoring degradation requires integrating satellite indicators (bare soil indices, erosion proxies) with field surveys. Restoration strategies include cover cropping, agroforestry, and biochar application.