Contaminated land, Contaminated land overview Contaminated land, funding Soil, Soil Overview 
         

The Agricultural and Biological Research Group (ABRG) funds a programme of agricultural, biological and related research, which forms a significant part 
of the UK science base in this area. This is conducted primarily through its sponsored bodies; the five Institutes; Scottish Agricultural College, the Royal 
Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, and Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland.       
      
Most funding is by grant-in-aid to sponsored bodies. The funded projects are mainly applied.  The actual breakdown is 82% applied research and 18% basic research. 
  
    
The programme started in 1993 and lasts until 2007. The annual budget is variable:     
2003: 2.968M £; 2004: 1.897M £.   
   
Description of themes:   
   
1.1 Soil Sustainability   
   
1.1.1 Soil Physics    
   
Knowledge of soil physical properties is the most basic requirement to improving our understanding of how soils function, enabling us to be in a position 
to manage them in a sustainable manner. A significant physical feature of soils is its apparent randomness, or heterogeneity. Building on research commissioned 
by SOAEFD in 1991, research is continuing that uses the theory of non-linear dynamics and fractal geometry to describe soil heterogeneity and the consequences 
for soil processes.   
   
1.1.2 Soil Microbiology    
   
Micro-organisms that inhabit soil play a vital role in making available nutrients that may be used by plants or lost from the soil system. Combining our understanding 
of soil physical properties with research on the composition and activity of soil microbial communities is important for developing soil management strategies 
that require less artificial nutrient input. SEERAD commissioned a 9-year programme (MICRONET) that is central to our research in this area. The MICRONET 
programme initially developed and applied molecular and community scale techniques to quantify the diversity of microbial populations. This work has shown 
significant differences in microbial populations from soils under different land uses. The research is being further developed within the programme to investigate 
the relationship between plants and microbial communities, and will contribute to the development of strategies for sustainable land use.   
   
1.1.3 Soil Nutrient Cycling   
   
The soil physical environment and the activity of soil microbial communities contribute to the cycling of nutrients within soils, their availability to 
plants and their potential for loss from the soil through leaching or gaseous emissions. The research programme on soil nutrient cycling focuses on transformations 
and movement of nutrients within soil to promote fertility and restrict nutrient losses.    
   
1.1.4 Soil Protection   
   
The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report The Sustainable Use of Soil (1996) stated that 'soils should be accorded the same priority in environmental 
protection as air or water'. This programme of research aims to build on the understanding gained from previous programmes of wastes and pollutants research 
to provide a framework for the protection of soils. Research includes assessment of the impacts of sewage sludge, organic micro-pollutants and heavy metals 
on soil fertility.