| Focus 1/3 | The impact of agricultural practices on soil microbiological quality

RMQS – Réseau de Mesure de la Qualité des sols

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1. A tool for long-term soil monitoring in France

Established in 2000, the French Soil Quality Monitoring Network (Réseau de Mesure de la Qualité des sols or RMQS) [1] is specifically tasked with the long-term monitoring of soil quality across the whole of France (mainland and overseas territories). It is funded by the Soil Scientific Interest Group (in short Gis Sol) [2] and is coordinated by the Info&Sols unit at INRAE Val-de-Loire. It is based on 2,240 sites distributed evenly across a square grid with 16 km sides. Every 15 years, soil samples, measurements and observations are taken at the centre of each grid cell.

  • First campaign (RMQS1): 2000 to 2009 → 2,170 sites in mainland France
  • Second campaign (RMQS2): 2016 to 2027 (ongoing)
  • Overseas territories: 70 sites (the West Indies, Réunion, Mayotte, French Guiana)

2. What is measured?

The assessment is based on the analysis of numerous physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, as well as on knowledge of the land-use history and management practices at each site [3]. The topics studied within the network:

  • Contamination

The first campaign enabled the mapping of nine trace metals (cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, molybdenum, nickel, lead, thallium, zinc). Using archived samples, other contaminants were subsequently analysed (arsenic, mercury, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins and furans).

  • Climate change and carbon:

Data from the RMQS were used to accurately reassess soil carbon stocks and map them. These measurements are being repeated during the second campaign to track changes. New indicators have been added: available water, particulate organic matter and deep carbon stocks.

  • Soil biodiversity:

Figure 1. Strategy for analysing RMQS soil samples to produce national maps of microbial biomass and the diversity of bacteria and fungi in French soils. [Source adapted from INRAE ., CC Licence]
Analysis of samples from RMQS sites has enabled the creation of national maps of microbial biomass, bacterial diversity and fungal diversity in soils (Figure 1) (See Impact of agricultural practices on soil microbiological quality).

  • Accessible samples and data

Following analysis, RMQS samples are archived by the European Soil Sample Bank (CEES) [4]. They may be made available for other projects. RMQS1 analysis data are freely available online via the Gis Sol data repository.

In summary, the RMQS is a unique observatory that enables the long-term monitoring of changes in French soil quality, the anticipation of soil degradation, and the informing of soil protection policies.

Notes & references

Thumbnail. RMQS network. [Source Gis Sol]

[1] The network partners are: Gis Sol, INRAE, OFB, Ademe, the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the Ministry of Agriculture, France-génomique, Genoscope.

[2] https://www.gissol.fr/le-gis/programmes/rmqs-34

[3] https://www.gissol.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Manuel_V_Num2.pdf

[4] https://gissol.hub.inrae.fr/programmes/cees