D-TECT

Geospatial drainage status detection mapping of organic rich soils for NIR and policy support needs

Project summary | Project Objectives | Project Team

A challenge for Ireland is the enhancement of our food production system to contribute to climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection and water quality improvements whilst developing resilience for future climate scenarios. In 2022, Ireland developed a pathway to cut economy wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 51% by 2030. This entails a 25% reduction (c. 5.75 Mt CO2e) in GHG emissions from the agricultural sector and significant GHG emission reductions from the land use sector.

Project summary

D-TECT will focus on drained grasslands on peat soils, which represent a large GHG emission source of, an estimated, 8-9 million tonnes CO2 equivalent per annum, from an area of 335,000 ha. There is a recognition that this estimate relies upon a number of un-tested assumptions regarding the extent, nutrient status and drainage status (shallow versus deep water table) of these soils which need to be interrogated and, where appropriate, refined. Such refinements, as potentially verified by D-TECT, could mean that emission estimates for these soils would be reduced by millions of tonnes annually, offering an opportunity to drastically improve emission estimates in the sector and provide for more informed and justifiable policy with regard to the management of such soils. D-TECT has identified a team and a range of innovative technological and modelling approaches to solve this national challenge and provide more accurate data within a timely and cost effective manner. D-TECT will select and classify lowland peat soils on grassland across a number of sites, roll out technologies, create on the ground validation and monitoring datasets and conduct a SWOT analysis of these technologies to identify a way forward to produce a national drainage status map for Ireland. D-TECT will provide practical mapping and reporting tools that can facilitate data entry as it becomes available into the national inventory for peat soils.

Project Objectives

The primary objective of D-TECT is to map the drainage status (shallow versus deep water table) of grasslands on peatlands in Ireland and deliver tools to deliver this data broken down as required at different Tiers within the NIR matrix.

In the next 2 years the main objectives will be:

Establish drainage status, nutrient status and land use matrix for peatland grassland soils at case study sites (~200 ha in N. Kerry and Midlands) using different combinations of field, laboratory and technology work in isolation and in combination.
Utilise different aerial and remote technologies in combination with detailed on the ground sensor monitoring (e.g. water table and soil moisture probes); geo-tracked relevant variables, parameters and surrogate surveys to develop high resolution spatial and temporal datasets for computer learning, modelling and mapping initiatives.

Follow the D-TECT project on X

Project Team

Prof Owen Fenton

Project PI and Co-ordinator based at Teagasc, Johnstown Castle

Specialises in nitrogen and phosphorus characterisation and mitigation on agricultural landscapes. This work also investigates soil water management with an emphasis on soil hydrology and hydrogeology. PI of EU Interreg NWE Smart Carbon Farming related project.
owen.fenton@teagasc.ie

Dr Pat Tuohy

Senior Research Officer based at Teagasc, Moorepark

Specialises in peatland hydrology, soil physical characterisation, soil water management. PI of related DAFM RSF 2021R454 REWET project.
Patrick.Tuohy@teagasc.ie

Lilian O'Sullivan

Task 6 Lead based at Teagasc, Johnstown Castle

Specialising in multifunctional soils and land use. Drawing on the preceding tasks, this work will develop a robust framework to record, monitor, present and report on changes to national drainage status and classification.
Lilian.OSullivan@teagasc.ie

Dr Stuart Green

Senior Research Officer based at Teagasc, Ash Town

Dr Stuart Green is Senior Research Officer in the Department of Agribusiness and Spatial Analysis in Teagasc. He has a PhD in Earth Observation and has been the remote sensing specialist in Teagasc for 25 years. His research focus is on the use of EO to support sustainable Agriculture. He has lead projects producing national scale datasets from EO on land cover, land use, habitats and forestry in Ireland.
Stuart.green@teagasc.ie

Réamonn Fealy

Senior Researcher based at the Spatial Analysis Unit, AFBSA, Teagasc Ashtown

Specialises in the application of GIS and spatial analysis to agri-environmental topics, focusing on policy relevant issues. Has led the mapping/GIS elements in a number of large, national soil mapping projects and manages the Irish Soils Information System (SIS).
Reamonn.fealy@teagasc.ie

Asaf Shnel

Research Technician based in Teagasc Moorepark

Main responsibilities include; monitoring and collecting data from various sensors deployed to measure hydrological properties associated with peatland soils, assisting research scientists and PhD students in the deployment of remote sensing technologies to assess soils/landscapes and contribute to the design and planning of fieldwork and sample collection protocols.
asaf.shnel@teagasc.ie

Martin Donoghue

Research Technician based in Teagasc Johnstown Castle

Dr John Connolly

Lead for Trinity College Dublin

Dr. John Connolly is an Assistant Professor in Physical Geography and leads the Trinity Geospatial & Environmental Modelling Group. Specialises in using GIS and Earth Observation to study the terrestrial environment including land use change; landscape carbon dynamics and habitat assessment.

Dr Charmaine Cruz

Postdoctoral Researcher based at Trinity College Dublin

Specialises in using geospatial technologies, such as satellite/airborne optical and LiDAR remote sensing, GIS and Machine Learning, for natural resources management (e.g., habitat distribution mapping, biomass mapping, biodiversity mapping), environment and other climate change-related studies.
ccruz@tcd.ie

Eoin McCarthy

Munster Technological University Lead based at Munster Technological University, Kerry Campus.

Lecturer in Agricultural science. Specialises in crops, soils and development results-based schemes. It also involves peatland restoration in agricultural landscapes.

Muhammad Inam Bari

PhD Student with Munster Technological University

Inam is a PhD student on D-TECT project at Munster Technological University, Kerry Campus. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan. Following his undergraduate studies, Inam pursued a Master's degree in Sustainable Environment and Energy Systems in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. His keen interest in environmental sustainability has led him to join the D-TECT project.
inam.bari@research.ittralee.ie

Dr Eve Daly

University of Galway Lead

Dr Eve Daly, B. Sc. (Hons) Physics and PhD (Geophysics) is a lecturer in Earth and Ocean Science in the School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway. Expertise in Geophysical Remote Sensing with both terrestrial and airborne datasets with applications in water resources and agricultural management.
eve.daly@universityofgalway.ie