ConceptNumber
RLA2007018
Title
Use of nuclear techniques to: a) determine soil redistribution amounts and b) assess land degradation caused by anthropogenic activities in Latin American, Caribbean and Antarctic ecosystems. (ARCAL)
Classification
New
Justification
Soil erosion and the associated land degradation have been recognized as a major environmental concern. The United Nations has underscored soil degradation as one of the most important environmental challenges to guarantee sustainable food production and water supply, and soil and water conservation in the 21 century (World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002 Johannesburg, South Africa) associated to the growing population. The ARCAL Regional Strategy Profile identifies the deficient use of agricultural soil, and the associated permanent loss of productive agricultural areas, as one of the most important environmental and alimentary problems in the Latin American and Caribbean regions (Alimentary Security, A3, PER-ARCAL, 2007-2013). In these regions wide natural areas have been dramatically diminished by various human interventions (i.e. agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, non-sustainable farming practices). There is an urgent need to obtain reliable quantitative data on the extent and rates of soil erosion. A more comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of the problem can provide the needed input for developing effective soil conservation measures, such as improvement of cultivation and management practices. Direct measurements of soil redistribution by conventional methods require complex, costly, and prolonged methodologies that typically result in unrepresentative and misleading short time mean values. Environmental radionuclides such as 137Cs, 210Pb and 7Be, have proven to be very powerful tracers of soil movements and its spatial distribution. On this basis, the project proposes the use of environmental radionuclides to assess soil erosion/sedimentation rates on different spatial and temporal scales, in selected areas of the participating member states. A very important strategically area is suggested to be included in this project: The South Shetland Islands and the surrounding Antarctic environments (located South of South America). The estimation of retrospective redistribution of sediments in melting areas (using 137Cs and 210Pb) and the short-term behavior of sediment redistribution (using 7Be) are of outstanding interest to contribute to the knowledge of the impact of climate change in Antarctica. Supporting data on spatial distribution and vertical migration of the 137Cs in soils of this Antarctic environment were measured about 13 years ago (Schuller et al. Radiat Environ Biophys, 41:295-302, 2002) and can be used as reference.
Beneficiaries
Regional and national institutions involved with agricultural and forest sustainability and soil protection practices.
Strategy
The Project will include field and laboratory activities, and utilize theoretical approaches. The standard strategies employed in previous IAEA Coordinated research programmes to assess soil redistribution through the use of environmental radionuclides will be considered, including: Sampling Strategies: -- Selection of suitable reference areas and of fields exposed to erosion and/or sedimentation processes.. -- Use of a grid or multiple transect sampling plan over the full slope range at the selected sites. -- Soil sampling performed following a standard methodology to obtain radionuclide (137Cs, 210Pb and 7Be) vertical distribution and inventories along the soil transects. -- Chemical-physical soil properties will be determined for each location area, including soil horizon, pH, particulate size, organic carbon content, CEC, nutrients, etc. --Determination of the concentration of 7Be, 137Cs and 210Pb in the collected samples For the transport of some project participants from Santiago de Chile to the South Shetland Island and surroundings, for field work, transport to sampling sites, collection of the incremental soil samples and implementation of the work at the Antarctic territory a Research Proposal will be presented in Chile to the XIII Concurso Nacional de Proyectos de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica Antártica, founded by the Instituto Chileno Antártico (INACh), application deadline July 27 2008. The project presented to INACh will include the application for providing some funds for coordination work to be undertaken by the Chilean researchers with the staff from other countries. Additionally support for organization of a meeting on Antarctic radioecological research in Punta Arenas, Chile will be suggested in the frame of the INACh Project application. Laboratory Strategies: Harmonize among the participating member states, a network of high-resolution gamma spectrometry systems to estimate soil redistribution. Detectors, shielding, and sample geometry would be optimized to obtain reproducible results for all studied areas. Theoretical approach: Empirical equations, theoretical models, mass balance models, etc., will be used to convert environmental radionuclide inventories into erosion/sedimentation rates/amounts. Further, observed soil redistribution rates (as obtained through the sampling and laboratory strategies) will be compared to erosion modelling and prediction methods to assess such models accuracy and validity.
Sustainability
Qualified laboratory capabilities and trained locally available staff. Consequently, future activities will be less expensive. It is reasonable, considering the importance of the project, that financial resources will be accessible from both National (Ministers, Universities, Research Centers, etc.) and non-governmental organisms, who have interests in agriculturally sustainable practices and soil conservation in the region.
Objective
a) Environmental radionuclides in soil: to generate reliable erosion data for different natural, forest and agro-ecosystems, through the measurement of environmental radionuclide inventories. b) Soil redistribution rates: to evaluate and use various theoretical approaches to assess erosion/sedimentation rates in the selected areas. c) Soil sustainable practices and soil conservation: to evaluate the effect on soil ecosystems due to human interventions.
Logical Framework Matrix (LFM)
Design Element / Indicator / Means of Verification / AssumptionsOutcome / · to fortify the research capabilities of the beneficiary States members in the field of soil erosion research, and soil conservation.
· to strengthen national organisms’ efforts concerning soil conservation research, through training, workshops, courses, etc.
· to generate reliable erosion and sedimentation data for different regional ecosystems.
· to evaluate the effect of human intervention and contribute to improve land management strategies on soil conservation.
· to use the obtained data to calibrate, confirm, and validate, existing models of soil redistribution.
Output / · Standardized protocols and methods to assess soil erosion/sedimentation using environmental radionuclides
· Generated databases including radionuclide inventory and soil quality information for Latin American, Caribbean and Antarctic ecosystems.
· Better understanding of the impact on soil from the various human interventions (agricultural practices, deforestation, etc.) and, consequently, on soil fertility and productivity. Better comprehension of the effect of climate change on sedimentation processes on an Antarctic environment.
· Publication of protocols and research results regarding soil redistribution in Latin American, Caribbean and Antarctic ecosystems; provision of guidelines for soil erosion/sedimentation control.
Activity / · Consultants meeting. Preliminary reports and work plan design. (San Luis, Argentina) / · National infrastructure available to develop the reunion / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· Formation and launching of the regional laboratory network. Installation of the new laboratory devices / · Equipment and personnel of all involved scientific groups / · Progress report / · Qualified personnel available Instrumentations available
· Workshop 1. First project report . Brasil / · Qualified Participants attend the workshop / · Workshop report / · Commitment from national authorities and other national institutions to organise the meeting / Cooperation and participation of Experts.
· Training courses. ‘Use of Environmental Radionuclides to Estimate Soil Redistribution’. Valdivia, Chile / · Participant attend the training course / · Course report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA / Support and cooperation with National Authority
· Training courses. ‘Gamma Spectrometry’ (Brasil) / · Participant attend the training course / · Course report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA / Support and cooperation with National Authority
· Grants, contracts, agreements (soil laboratories, etc.) / · National infrastructure available / · Technical report / · Qualified National Laboratories available. Support and cooperation with National Authority and National Institutions
· Coordination of laboratory activities / · Interlaboratory activities Common protocols / · Technical report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· Conduct experiments / · Qualified personnel carried out sampling activities / · Progress report - Conform databases / · Qualified personnel available. Support and cooperation of National Authority
· Analysis of samples / · National infrastructure available / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Authority and National Institutions
· Consultants meeting. Progress reports, standardized methods consultations, work plan updates. (Uruguay) / · National infraestructure available to develop the meeting / · Progress report / · Support of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA
· Workshop 2. Second project report. Punta Arenas International Conference on Environmental Radioactivity. Punta Arenas, Chile / · Qualified Participants attend the workshop / · Workshop report / · Commitment from national authorities and other national institutions to organise the meeting / Cooperation and participation of Experts.
· Modelling approach to estimate erosion / sedimentation rates
· Workshop 3. Final project report (Cuba) / · Qualified Participants attend the workshop / · Workshop report / · Commitment from national authorities and other national institutions to organise the meeting / Cooperation and participation of Experts.
Input / · MT1 (San Luis meeting) / · National infrastructure available by Q1-2009 in San Luis, Argentina, to develop the reunion / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· EM1 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· MT2 / · National infrastructure available to develop the reunion / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· MT3 (Organization of proficiency test to assess the analytical performance of the participative laboratories) / · National infrastructure available to develop the reunion / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· EM2 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· MT6 (Uruguay) / · National infrastructure available to develop the reunion / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· EM3 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· MT5 (Punta Arenas International Conference) / · National infrastructure available to develop the reunion / · Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· MT7 (Cuba) / · National infrastructure available to develop the reunion
· National infrastructure available to develop the reunion / · Progress report
· Progress report / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· FE1 (Cuba) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2009 / · FE reports / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE2 (Cuba) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2010 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE3 (Chile) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2009 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE4 (Chile) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2010 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE5 (Argentina) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2009 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE6 (Argentina) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2010 / · FE Report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE7 (Uruguay) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2009 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE8 (Uruguay) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2010 / · FE Report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE9 (Brasil) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2009 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE13 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· TC1 / · Participant attends the training course / · Course report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA / Support and cooperation with National Authority
· TC2 (Brasil) / · Participant attends the training course / · Course report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA / Support and cooperation with National Authority
· SV1 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· SV2 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· SV3 / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· SC1
· SC2
· SC3
· EQ1 (Gamma ray detector-Chile) / · Equipment delivered on time
· EQ2 (Gamma ray detector- Brasil) / · Equipment delivered on time
· EQ3 (Gamma ray detector - Argentina ) / · Equipment delivered on time
· EQ4 (Gamma ray detector accessories - Cuba) / · Equipment delivered on time
· Equipment delivered on time
· EQ5 (Gamma ray detector - Argentina) / · Equipment delivered on time
· EM4 / · Support and cooperation of National Institutions. Application received on time by IAEA.
· EM5
· EM6
· SV4
· SV5
· EQ8 / · Equipment delivered on time
· EM7
· EM8
· EM9
· MT4 (Antartic sampling mission) / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA / Support and cooperation with National Authori
· EQ6 (Gamma ray detector - Brasil) / · Equipment delivered on time
· EQ7 (Gamma ray detector - Uruguay) / · Equipment delivered on time
· FE10 (Bolivia) / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2009 / · FE report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA
· FE11 / · FE implemented during Q1/Q2-2010 / · FE Report / · Qualified personnel available / Application received on time by IAEA