Project: Characterisation and AI-based mapping of acid sulfate soils in southern Sweden
Acid sulfate soils, which both cause acidification and release metals, will be studied and mapped in southern Sweden where knowledge about these soils is insufficient
Project information
Project title
Characterisation and AI-based mapping of acid sulfate soils in southern Sweden – tools for improved environmental risk assessment in a changing climate
Project manager
Mats Åström
Other project members
Liubov Kononova, Linnaeus University
Gustav Sohlenius, Geological Survey of Sweden
Elin Norström, Geological Survey of Sweden
Anneli Ågren, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Karl Adler, Geological Survey of Sweden
Participating organisations
Linnaeus University, Geological Survey of Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Funder
Formas 2024
Timetable
2025 - 2029
Subject
Environmental science (Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences)
Linnaeus University Centre (Lnuc)
Linnaeus University Centre for the Environment (CENWIN)
Knowledge environment
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Water
More about the project
Acid sulfate soil is highly acidic and also releases toxic metals such as aluminum, manganese, cadmium, and nickel. This can cause severe acidification, metal contamination in watercourses, pollution of sediments, and problems in construction and infrastructure projects. In the coastal areas of northern Sweden and in western Finland, these soils are well known and mapped.
In southern Sweden, however, knowledge about acid sulfate soils is very limited. Nevertheless, several recently discovered environmental problems in this region have been shown to be caused by acid sulfate soils, demonstrating that this soil type is an important but previously overlooked environmental risk here as well. There is therefore an urgent need to identify and understand their distribution and characteristics in southern Sweden, i.e., in the hemiboreal zone.
This project aims to fill this knowledge gap by mapping acid sulfate soils in southern Sweden using advanced AI‑based machine learning and by analyzing their chemical, physical, and mineralogical properties. The result will be the first map of acid sulfate soils in the region and an improved basis for assessing their environmental impact in southern Sweden.
The project is carried out by Linnaeus University, the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. In addition to scientific publications, the results will be published on SGU’s website in the form of open maps and guidance. They will also be presented to authorities, municipalities, landowners, and other stakeholders interested in soil and environmental issues related to acid sulfate soils.
The project is part of the research in the Linnaeus University Centre for the Environment (CENWIN) and in Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Water.