Lucrezia Caon Seventh session of the GSP Plenary Assembly | 5 - 7 June 2019 | FAO HQ, Rome, Italy

1. Global Soil Laboratory
Network (GLOSOLAN)
Ms. Lucrezia Caon
GLOSOLAN Coordinator
GSP Secretariat

2. Pillar 5 is at the basis of Pillar 4 and all
other GSP Pillars using soil information
Pillar 4
Pillar 5

3. June 2017 | 5th GSP Plenary Assembly
Endorsement of the Implementation Plan for Pillar 5
Included the establishment of Regional and a
Global Soil Laboratory Network
November 2017 | Launch of the Global
Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN)

4. Why GLOSOLAN?
Currently there are several limitations to global
assessment:
(i) some data simply do not exist for all places on Earth
(ii) while specific data may be widely available, it is
often collected and reported using different methods,
diverse standards, and/or using incompatible scales.

5. P
Laboratory(confidential code)
pH
Laboratory(confidential code)
Example provided by SEALNET 2.0 (ring test, South-East Asia)
Soil laboratories are the first source of data
Why GLOSOLAN?

6. ? ?

7. Technology …

8. Technology IS NOT the only thing
that matters…

9. Technology is not the only thing that
matters…
Staff qualification and regular training

10. Technology is not the only thing that
matters…
Maintenance of laboratory equipment and facilities

11. Technology is not the only thing that
matters…
Quality control/Quality assurance…internal and external
proficiency testing

12. Technology is not the only thing that
matters…
Good Laboratory Practices

13. …without forget about…SAFETY

14. Many (if not all) of these aspects are
already taken care at the international
level but …
- They missed of a global,
comprehensive harmonization
- They are not accessible for free

15. GLOSOLAN’s objectives…
• To strengthen the performance of laboratories
through use of standardized methods and
protocols
• To harmonize soil analysis methods so that soil
information would be comparable and
interpretable across laboratories, countries and
regions
• [ASPIRATION] To provide a certification
for technical competencies in laboratory
analysis.

16. Areas of work
CAPACITY BUILDING & LABORATORY
EMPOWERMENT
(including safety and waste disposal)
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES PROFICIENCY TESTING
CERTIFICATIONACCREDITATION
INTERPRETATION OF LABORATORY
RESULTS
PROVISION OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO
LAND USERS
HARMONIZATION OF DATABASES (TRANSFER FUNCTIONS)

17. The potential of GLOSOLAN is
tremendous
Reporting on international
commitments (e.g. SDGs)
Support decision making at
field and policy levels
Improve the connection
between soil chemistry,
physics and biology
Contribute to the
establishment of the Global
Soil Information System
(GLOSIS)
Contribute to the
development of international
standards and indicators Contribute to and improve
soil classification and
description
Identify research needs

18. The potential of GLOSOLAN is
tremendous
Expand the opportunities for
technical and scientific
cooperation
Contribute to the
development of harmonized
methods for land assessment
and monitoring
Assist companies
manufacturing laboratory
equipment in improving their
products
Strengthen the capability of
extension services
Increase investments

19. What is the role of these National Reference Laboratories?
To promote harmonization at the national level. How?
How does GLOSOLAN work?
Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN)
Regional Soil Laboratory
Networks (RESOLANs)
National Reference Laboratories, which were appointed by the
national focal point of each GSP member country

20. • Transfer information on GLOSOLAN to other labs in their country
• Transfer the knowledge acquired through GLOSOLAN activities to other
labs in their country
How does GLOSOLAN work?
Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN)
Regional Soil Laboratory
Networks (RESOLANs)
National Reference Laboratories, which were appointed by the
national focal point of each GSP member country

21. How does GLOSOLAN work?
Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN)
Regional Soil Laboratory
Networks (RESOLANs)
National Reference Laboratories, which were appointed by the
national focal point of each GSP member country
Promote the establishment of National Soil Laboratory Networks

23. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2018

24. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
November 2018 | 2nd GLOSOLAN meeting
- Review of GLOSOLAN
purpose, objectives, impacts
and indicators for its
performance’s assessment
- Development of the
GLOSOLAN work plan for the
year 2019 (2019-2028 for
Standard Operating
Procedures development)

25. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Establishment of the GLOSOLAN
Technical Working Group

26. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Identification of trainers,
advisors and regional partners
We do not want to duplicate efforts, we are
looking for cooperation with partners that
share our objectives and vision

27. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Revision of the GSP Soil Data Policy
For your kind
attention

28. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Standard Operating Procedures

29. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Standard Operating Procedures
SOPs (on average 3 per year) 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
sample pre-treatment
inorganic C (CaCO3 equivalent)
OC Walkley-Black
OC dry combustion
moisture content
electrical conductivity (saturated paste + 1
depending on countries’ survey inputs)
pH in water, CaCl2 and KCl
texture and coarse fraction (pipette method
and hydrometer)
bulk density
total nitrogen Kjeldahl
total nitrogen combustion
available P Olsen and Bray I/II
available P Mehlich III and ammonium
lactate
CEC and exchangeable cations by
ammonium acetate
CEC and exchangeable cations by chloride
plus survey in the regions

30. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Standard Operating Procedures

31. Best Practice Manual
Structure and content
Manual 1: Site characterization, sampling and sample pre-treatment
Manual 2: Soil chemical analysis
Manual 3: Soil physical analysis
Manual 4: Soil biological analysis
Manual 5: Data quality, management and validation
Manual 6: Harmonization and correlation factors
Manual 7: Data processing: soil functions, classification and statistics
Manual 8: Soil contaminants
Manual 9: Standards or maximum allowed levels of nutrients – interpretation and recommendations
Manual 10: Security in the laboratory
Manual 11: Good Laboratory Practices

32. Manual 1: Site characterization, sampling and sample pre-treatment
Volume 1.1 How to collect a soil sample for soil nutrient assessment: site selection and sampling
Information on equipment, sample transport and storage, and moisture conditions should be included. The writing of
Volume 1.1 was assigned to Pillar 4.
Volume 1.2 Generic characterization of sites and samples
The writing of Volume 1.2 was assigned to Pillar 4.
Volume 1.3 Soil sample pre-treatment
Manual 2: Soil chemical analysis
SOPs developed by GLOSOLAN will be presented in here. For each method, information on its relevance/use, principle of
measurement, apparatus, reagents, procedure, calculations, report and reference should be provided.
Volume 2.1 Organic carbon
Volume 2.2 pH
Volume 2.3 Available phosphorous
Volume 2.4 Available potassium
Volume 2.5 Total nitrogen
Volume 2.6 Exchangeable cations and CEC
Volume 2.7 …
Best Practice Manual
Structure and content

33. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Proficiency Test: reference material
- Basic guidelines for producing
a sample for proficiency
testing (under approval)

34. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Proficiency Test: reference material
- General guidelines for the
preparation of reference
material
- Form for potential sample
providers in GLOSOLAN to
complete (under approval)

35. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Proficiency Test: reference material
- General guidelines for the preparation of
reference material (under approval)
- Form for potential sample providers in
GLOSOLAN to complete (under approval)
- Training manual for the preparation of
reference material (under development)

36. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | First Global Proficiency Test
- 100 laboratories from all around the world involved
- Results to be presented at the 3rd GLOSOLAN meeting
(28-30 October 2019)
Main obstacle: INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE
OF SAMPLES (CUSTOMS PROCEDURES)

37. 2019 | Global Proficiency Test
For your kind
attention
In order to facilitate the free exchange of soil samples for
research purposes under GLOSOLAN …Resolution to be brought
to the attention of the FAO Council

38. 2019 | Global Proficiency Test
In order to facilitate the free exchange of soil samples for
research purposes under GLOSOLAN …Open Access online
Database on customs and laboratory import procedures (under
development)

39. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Regional Soil Laboratory
Networks

40. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Regional Soil Laboratory
Networks
Official establishment of RESOLAN-Pacific under
the Australasian Soil and Plant Analysis Council
(ASPAC)

41. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Harmonization of databases -
Development of transfer functions
1. Harmonization of data obtained using different GLOSOLAN SOPs
PROPOSAL ENDORSED (Leader: Richard Ferguson, USDA, USA)
Soil parameter to harmonize at first: soil organic carbon (Walkley-Black and
the dry combustion methods)
2. Harmonization of data obtained using GLOSOLAN SOPs and ISO standards
PROPOSAL ABOLISHED as it is not needed

42. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Harmonization of databases -
Development of transfer functions
3. Harmonization of data obtained using national methods and GLOSOLAN SOPs
PROPOSAL ENDORSED (Leader: Louise Ander, BGS UK)
Survey those laboratories that cannot use GLOSOLAN SOPs. Eventually organize
trainings on the development of transfer functions.
4. Harmonization of historical databases – DISCUSSION POST-PONED
Waiting for results from point 1. It is going to be very difficult.

43. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | GLOSOLAN Terminology
(under development)

44. What did GLOSOLAN
achieve so far?
2019 | Spectroscopy (ongoing)
- Establishment of a dedicated working group lead by
ICRAF, USDA and ISRIC/Wageningen University
- ISRIC will ensure the connection with GLOSIS
- Proposal:
- Review of the working group to ensure all relevant
experts and institutions are involved
- Organization of an inception meeting and
development of a detailed work plan

45. Thanks for your
attention