Kerstin Berglund

I have a master’s degree in agronomy with a soil/plant focus. I defended my thesis in 1996 at SLU in soil science (hydrotechnics) with the thesis "Cultivated Organic Soils in Sweden: Properties and Amelioration" and in 2009 became an associate professor in soil science with a hydrotechnical focus.

My main research areas are soil physical properties, soil conservation and improvement, and sustainable management of cultivated organic soils.

The goal of my research is to develop methods to maintain and improve the physical status of cultivated soils so that air, water and nutrient management are optimized, and the long-term production capacity of the soils is maintained while minimizing negative environmental impacts. The focus of the research is

Soil structure improvement measures: We study the effect of various calcium products on structure of the soil, the crop and the possibilities of reducing negative impacts on the environment in both the short and long term.

Soil health: We have developed a soil structure index, which is a method for assessing the physical status of soils and the impact of the cultivation system on soil structure by evaluating and weighing together how different grower-dependent factors affect the soil structure and the physical properties of the soil. Within the project, we have developed a "Field Soil Structure Test" which is several simple field tests that together provide a description of the structural condition of the soil. In collaboration with the Swedish Board of Agriculture, we have now developed a soil care app "How healthy is my soil?" using the soil structure test as a basis. 

Cultivated organic soils: Research into sustainable management of cultivated organic soils, with a focus on limiting greenhouse gas emissions, quantifying the contribution of cultivated peatlands to the carbon balance, studying the relationship between soil properties and greenhouse gas emissions to model the effects of land use, studying the effect of different cultivation measures on soil, crops and greenhouse gas emissions.

Our work is based on an interaction between basic and applied research and is carried out in close collaboration with the agricultural industry and relevant authorities. The results are published both internationally and nationally in scientific articles, reports and in the agricultural press.

I have many years of experience teaching soil science at SLU for prospective agronomists, landscape architects and civil engineers. I have supervised degree theses at bachelor's and master's level and been the main supervisor for several doctoral students in soil science at SLU.

As an associate professor, I have completed SLU's higher education pedagogy courses. From 1996 to 2008, I was Director of Postgraduate Studies at the department (then Soil Science).

Berglund, Ö. & Berglund, K. Jordan, S. Norberg, L. 2019. Carbon capture efficiency, yield, nutrient uptake and trafficability of different grass species on a cultivated peat soil. Catena Vol. 173: 175-182 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2018.10.007 

Mustamo, P., Ronkanen, A-K., Berglund, Ö., Berglund, K. & Kløve, B. 2019.Thermal conductivity of unfrozen and partially frozen managed peat soils. Soil & Tillage Research Vol. 191: 245-255 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.02.017 

Aviles, D., Berglund, K., Wesström, K. & Joel, A. 2019. Effect of liming products on soil detachment resistance, measured with a cohesive strength meter. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil & Plant Science. Open access:  https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2019.1668475 

Buschmann, C., Berglund, K., Berglund, Ö., Lærke, P. L., Mander, U., Maddison, M., Myllys, M., Osterburg, B., Röder, N. & van den Akker, J. 2020. Perspectives on agriculturally used drained peat soils: Comparison of the socioeconomic and ecological business environments of six European regions. Land Use Policy Vol. 90 (Available online 08 November 2019). Open Access.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104181 

Okpara, U.T., Fleskens, L., Stringer, L. C., Hessel, R., Bachmann, F., Daliakopoulos, I.,  Berglund, K., Velazquez, F.J.B., Dal Ferro, N., Keizer, J., Kohnova, S., Lemann, T., Quinn, C., Schwilch, G., Siebielec, G., Skaalsveen, K., Tibbett, M. & Zoumides, C. 2020. Helping stakeholders select and apply appraisal tools to mitigate soil threats: Researchers’ experiences from across Europe. Journal of Environmental Management 257 (Available online 27 December 2019) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.110005

Bölscher, T., Koestel, K., Etana, A., Ulén, B., Berglund, K. & Larsbo, M. 2021. Changes in pore networks and readily dispersible soil following structure liming of clay soils. Geoderma Volume 390, 114948. Open Access. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.114948 

Norberg, L., Hellman, M., Berglund, K., Hallin, S. & Berglund, Ö. 2021. Methane and Nitrous Oxide Production from Agricultural Peat Soils in Relation to Drainage Level and Abiotic and Biotic Factors. Front. Environ. Sci. 9:631112. Open Access.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.631112 

Blomquist, J. E., & Berglund, K. 2021. Timing and conditions modify the effect of structure liming on clay soil. Agricultural and Food Science, 30(3), 96–107. Open access https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.103422 

Blomquist, J. E., Englund, J-E. & Berglund, K. 2022. Soil characteristics and tillage can predict the effect of ‘structure lime’ on soil aggregate stability. Soil Research. 60(4), 373–384. Open access. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR21022 

Gunnarsson, A., Blomquist, J., Persson, L., Olsson, Å., Hamnér, K., Berglund, K. 2022. Liming alkaline clay soils: effects on soil structure, nutrients, barley growth and yield. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B — Soil & Plant Science 72(1), 803-817. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2022.2089590  

Blomquist, J., Englund, J-E. & Berglund, K. 2022. Site characteristics determine the duration of structure liming effects on clay soil. Agricultural and Food Science, 31. 136-148. https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.115313 

Blomquist, J., Englund, J-E., Sjöberg, C., Kårhammer, J., Svensson, S-E., Pettersson, E., Keller, T. & Berglund, K. 2023. Structure liming reduces draught requirement on clay soil. Soil & Tillage Research 231 (2023) 105703, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2023.105703 

Olsson Nyström, Å., Blomquist, J., Persson, L., Gunnarsson, A., Berglund, K. 2023. Long-term effects of liming on crop yield, plant diseases, soil structure and risk of phosphorus leaching. Agricultural and Food Science, 31. 139-153.  https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.130983 

Blomquist, J., Berglund, K., Knutsson, J., Hansson, F. & Wadmark, L. 2018. Sprid strukturkalken tidigt. Arvensis 02/2018, p. 32-34.

Blomquist, J. & Berglund, K. 2019. Högre utväxling av strukturkalk vid lägre pH. Arvensis 08/2019, p. 33-35.

Blomquist, J. & Berglund, K.2020. Kalkning stärker jorden. Svensk Frötidning, nr 1, p. 25-27. http://www.svenskraps.se/kunskap/pdf/02150.pdf 

Blomquist, J., Hedlund, K. & Berglund, K. 2021. Många mikrober ger tålig jord. Arvensis,- nr 2, p. 22-24.

Blomquist, J. Berglund, K. & Olsson Nyström, Å. 2022. Sockerbetor gynnas av kalkning – men lagom är bäst. Betodlaren, 3, s. 57-60.

Blomquist, J. & Berglund, K. 2023. Struktur av kalk - inte bara med strukturkalk. Arvensis 07/2023, p. 16-18.

Berglund, K. 2023. ”Hur mår min jord?” - en markvårdsapp för lantbruket. Artikel publicerad i:  Salaojituksen Perinneyhdistys. 2023. Jussi Saavalainen 90. Redaktörer: Pertti Vakkilainen & Seppo Rusila. Helsinki, Granö tryckeri, 128 s.

Blomquist, J. & Berglund, K. 2024. Strukturkalkning i nytt ljus. Jordbiten 3/2024, p. 18-19.

Blomquist, J. & Berglund, K. 2024. Mjöl blev bäst i test. Arvensis 4-5/2024, p. 37-39.

Berglund, K., Berglund, Ö. & Gustafson Bjuréus, A. 2002. Markstrukturindex – ett sätt att be­döma jordarnas fysikaliska status och odlingssystemets inverkan på mark­strukturen (Soil Structure Index – a method to evaluate the physical status of the soil and the effect of the farming system on soil structure). Sveriges Lantbruks­universitet, Uppsa­la. Avd f lantbrukets hydroteknik. Avdelningsmeddelande. 02:4. 132 p. https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/4872/

Berglund, K. & Gustafson Bjuréus, A. 2008. ”Markstrukturtest i fält”. Beskrivning och instruktioner. Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet, Uppsa­la. Inst f markvetenskap. Avd f hydroteknik. Rapport 8. 48 p. https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/3375/ 

Hjerpe, K., Eriksson, H., Kanth, M., Boström, B., Berglund, K., Berglund, Ö. Lundblad, M., Kasimir, Å., Klemedtsson, L., Eksvärd, J., Lindgren, A. & Svensson, E. 2014. Utsläpp av växthusgaser från torvmark. Jordbruksverket, Rapport 2014:24. 68 s.

http://www2.jordbruksverket.se/download/18.64f2616c14acd372c5c4391c/1420810674894/ra14_24.pdf 

van den Akker, J.J.H., Berglund, K. & Berglund, Ö. 2016. Decline in soil organic matter in peat soils. P. 39-54. In: Soil threats in Europe. Status, methods, drivers and effects on ecosystem services. Eds: Stolte, J., Tesfai, M., Øygarden, L., Kværnø, S., Keizer, K., Verheijen, F., Panagos, P., Ballabio, C. & Hessel, R. JRC technical Reports, EUR 27607 EN; doi:10.2788/488054 (print); doi:10.2788/828742 (online).

 http://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/content/soil-threats-europe-status-methods-drivers-and-effects-ecosystem-services

Berglund, K. & Berglund, Ö.(eds.). 2017. Proceedings of the International Conference on Climate Smart Agriculture on Organic Soils, 23rd – 24th of November 2017, Uppsala, Sweden. Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för mark och miljö, Hydroteknik, Rapport 17, 56 s. https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/14739/ 

Aronsson H, Berglund K, Djodjic F, Etana A, Geranmayeh P, Johnsson H, Wesström I. 2019. Effekter av åtgärder mot fosforförluster från jordbruksmark och åtgärdsutrymme. Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för mark och miljö, Ekohydrologi 160, 69 s. https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/16322/ 

Kyllmar, K., Fölster, J., Aronsson, H., Berglund, K., Djodjic, F., Etana, A., Geranmayeh, P. & Wesström, I. 2020. Åtgärder i jordbruket mot övergödning - förslag till system för uppföljning av effekt. Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet. Ekohydrologi 167, 88 s. https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/26359/