INAR RI Agriculture

Cutting-edge research and long-term measurements

The INAR RI Agriculture project has received nearly 1.4 million euros for a period of three years in funding from the Academy of Finland. With these funds, a top-level research network will be set up in Finland to study the effects of climate and air quality on northern agricultural lands. The network includes seven high-level measurement stations for long-term and continuous measurements of greenhouse gases and nitrogen emissions on mineral lands. In addition, it includes mobile, targeted measuring stations for peatlands and an isotope laboratory focusing on state-of-the-art process research.

Measuring stations in several locations

SMEAR-Agri Viikki is located in the fields of the University of Helsinki’s Viikki research farm. The station measures the exchange of greenhouse gases and reactive compounds from grass cultivation between the grass and the atmosphere. SMEAR-Agri Haltiala is located in northern Helsinki in the fields of the Haltiala livestock farm in the city of Helsinki, where grain is grown using regenerative farming methods.

From the measuring stations of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the Qvidja measuring station is located on the Qvidja farm in Parainen, in a grass field on mineral soil where soil is fertilized with organic fertilizers. The Finnish Meteorological Institute’s Ruukki measuring station in Siikajoki has been established on drained peatland, which is currently grass-covered.

The three measuring stations of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) in grass cultivation are located in Maaninga. Of these, the Anttila station has been established on mineral soil, and both Särkisuo and Pappilansuo are peatlands, where, among other things, the effect of groundwater level height on peat decomposition and greenhouse gas emissions is studied.

In addition, the project includes an isotope laboratory focusing on top-level process research and offering analysis services, located at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio.

The INAR RI Agriculture project provides significant information on greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon sequestration capacity in northern agricultural lands. The project will also guide climate policy decisions. In addition to the University of Helsinki, the University of Eastern Finland, Natural Resources Institute Finland, and the Finnish Meteorological Institute are involved.