THE ROLE OF QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES IN SOIL SCIENCE WHEN INTERACTING WITH STAKEHOLDERS

A new research paradigm is developing in soil science as interaction b etween researchers and stakeholders, ranging from farmers, regulators to planners, becomes increasingly important. Interaction relates to 'r esearch negotiations' in which various approaches towards a problem ar e defined in terms of 'research chains' to be evaluated by a cost/bene fit analysis. The focus is on alternative options, from which the stak eholder can choose, rather than on single, clearcut solutions. The app roach is illustrated for a small-scale European case study on soil aci dification. Another case study is presented for the field level, deali ng with ecological soil management by the farmer. Such work is always based on initial 'prototyping' by which soil management is considered within a broad context of farm management, using farmer's expertise an d data from literature. Prototyping was less successful here because o f lack of data on effects of ecological soil management. This illustra tes the general problem that prototyping alone will not advance the sc ience and that it will only be effective when it leads to innovative r esearch as well. Soil studies showed that even though potential produc tion was 20% higher in the ecologically managed soil, as compared with traditional management, real production levels were only 30% of the t raditional level. One of the reasons was seven structure degeneration which could be attributed to a lower workability and trafficability of the ecologically managed soil which had obtained a significantly high er organic matter content. Future soil scientists should become 'knowl edge brokers' with 'T-shaped skills', who can work well in interdiscip linary teams. They should have excellent communicative skills and a br oad understanding of agri-ecological production systems, while being a ble to define the need for and perform cutting-edge soil research. Qua ntitative approaches are increasingly needed in soil science, but they are most effective when applied in the context of 'prototyping', impl ying utilization of existing expert knowledge. Soil measurements in th e field should pay more attention to heterogeneous soil conditions as described by pedologists.