Soil Quality Measurement Network

The RMQS (Réseau de mesures de la qualité des sols) is a national long-term soil monitoring programme that began in 2000. It is funded by the Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Sol (Gis Sol) and coordinated by INRAE Val-de-Loire's Info&Sols unit. This programme places soils and soil protection at the heart of current challenges in terms of health and the environment, biodiversity and climate change.

The RMQS in brief 

The RMQS is a network of 2,240 sites sampled and analysed every 15 years, evenly distributed every 16 km across mainland and overseas France. In mainland France, this represents around 180 sites sampled, described and analysed each year by 12 regional partners. These samples are then repeated at the same locations during each sampling campaign, in order to measure changes in the properties of agricultural soils, grasslands, forests and natural environments. 

The 1st campaign (RMQS1) took place from 2000 to 2009. The 2nd campaign (RMQS2), currently underway, began in 2016 and will continue until 2027.

A wide range of parameters measured

Soil quality assessment and monitoring is based on analysis of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil collected, combined with knowledge of the history of occupation and management practices at each site. A wide range of parameters are therefore measured, such as density, carbon content, pH, useful water reservoir, concentrations of contaminants in the soil and biodiversity measurements.
The 1st RMQS campaign, focusing on soil contamination, mapped levels of 9 trace metals (TMEs): cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, molybdenum, nickel, lead, thallium and zinc. Thanks to the samples archived by CEES, the analysis of the samples continued during the inter-campaign with the measurement of other mineral contaminants (As, Hg) and organic contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, dioxins and furans). The data from the 1st campaign also enabled a precise re-evaluation of soil carbon stocks and an assessment of soil bacterial and fungal diversity and its determinants. 

During this 2nd campaign, these parameters are being repeated in order to measure changes in the soil between two campaigns. New parameters have been added to better assess soil sensitivity to climate change: useful reserves, particulate organic matter and deep carbon stocks. 
A number of recent feasibility studies have shown the benefits of using the RMQS to monitor pesticide residues and soil biodiversity.

Accessible samples and data

After analysis, RMQS samples are archived by the European Conservatory of Soil Samples (CEES). They can be made available for other projects. The RMQS1 analysis data is freely available online at the Gis Sol data warehouse (https://entrepot.recherche.data.gouv.fr/dataverse/gissol).

Scientific output

To date, more than 230 scientific or technical publications using RMQS samples and/or data have been published. There have also been reports for public policy purposes.

Team in charge of coordinating the programme

Chahinez Ahmed-Belkacem, Communications Officer 
Déborah Chavrit, coordination support officer 
Louann Girard, in charge of monitoring data collected by partners
Claudy Jolivet, Project Manager 
Catherine Pasquier, in charge of site geolocation
Céline Ratié, in charge of the European Soil Samples Conservatory 

Contact 

Equipe-RMQS@inrae.fr​​​​​​​