Modeling arsenic in European topsoils with a coupled semiparametric (GAMLSS-RF) model for censored data.

Arsenic (As) is a versatile heavy metalloid trace element extensively used in industrial applications. As is carcinogen, poses health risks through both inhalation and ingestion, and is associated with an increased risk of liver, kidney, lung, and bladder tumors. In the agricultural context, the repeated application of arsenical products leads to elevated soil concentrations, which are also affected by environmental and management variables.

Spatial assessment of topsoil zinc concentrations in Europe.

Zinc (Zn) is essential to sustain crop production and human health, while it can be toxic when present in excess. In this manuscript, we applied a machine learning model on 21,682 soil samples from the Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) topsoil database of 2009/2012 to assess the spatial distribution in Europe of topsoil Zn concentrations measured by aqua regia extraction, and to identify the influence of natural drivers and anthropogenic sources on topsoil Zn concentrations. As a result, a map was produced showing topsoil Zn concentrations in Europe at a resolution of 250 m.

From regional to parcel scale: A high-resolution map of cover crops across Europe combining satellite data with statistical surveys.

The reformed Common Agricultural Policy of 2023-2027 aims to promote a more sustainable and fair agricultural system in the European Union. Among the proposed measures, the incentivized adoption of cover crops to cover the soil during winter provides numerous benefits such as improved soil structure and reduced nutrient leaching and erosion. Despite this recognized importance, the availability of spatial data on cover crops is scarce.

Disclosing contrasting scenarios for future land cover in Brazil: Results from a high-resolution spatiotemporal model.

Gaining information on the dynamics of land cover changes is a valuable step towards improving practical conservation actions. In recent years, the Brazilian presidential elections in 2018 and the recovery from one of the nation's worst economic recessions defined a political scenario that has been causing shifts in the patterns of land cover change. A variety of national plans for the near-future exist and include the construction of new roads connecting remote Amazonian areas and large dams that could flood up to 10 million hectares.