*CA-CoP* *CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE*
*for sustainable production intensification*
Dear Subscribers,
I am forwarding herewith the IUSS Alert 126 (December 2015) for your kind
information. This issue has some items that are relevant to the work of
CA-CoP.
Apologies for any cross-postings.
*Amir Kassam *
*Moderator*
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: www.fao.org/ag/ca
-----Original Message-----
From: The International Union of Soil Sciences - IUSS <
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Sent: Tue, 22 Dec 2015 20:58
Subject: IUSS Alert 126 (December 2015)
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IUSS page <http://iuss.boku.ac.at/index.php?article_id=569>IUSS Alert 126
(December 2015)
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IUSS Message on account of the International Year of Soils
In December 2013 the United Nations Organisation designated 2015 the
‘International Year of Soils’ – the culmination of an initiative started
back in 2002 by the International Union Soil Sciences (IUSS). His Majesty
King Bumibhol of Thailand gave the initiative his support and, in April
2012, his government submitted an official proposal for an International
Day of the Soil to the FAO Council for their support at the UN General
Assembly in New York.
In December 2013, the United Nations not only inaugurated World Soil Day,
but declared 2015 the International Year of Soils.
This declaration will help increase worldwide public awareness of the
highly sensitive topic of soils and their very specific properties – but
also their irreversible vulnerability to mismanagement – and can help
improve our handling of soils in the future.
By 2050, the global population is projected to exceed 9 billion people.
While the population rapidly increases, the available surface area of soil
in which the food is grown to feed them diminishes at a rate of 300 square
kilometres each day.
Soils are the most complex biomaterials on the planet. They are,
effectively, self-regulating biological factories. Soils are 3-dimensional
bodies on the earth’s surface with liquid, gaseous and solid components.
They contain both organic and inorganic materials, including living
organisms in great number and diversity. These soils must be used carefully
and in accordance with their resilience and elasticity, in order to ensure
the long-term maintenance of their key properties and processes – and thus
to meet the demands of a growing world population.
At present, the vulnerability of soils to global change and anthropogenic
impact is unprecedented. Severe degradation, including widespread
contamination, compaction, accelerated erosion, severe depletion of carbon
and nutrients, rapid urbanisation and frequent hazards all threaten
sustainable food production, adequate water supply, global ecosystem
services and the essential quality of human life.
Soil carbon sequestration, soil restoration, the conservation of
biodiversity and other important soil functions are important for
sustainable land and soil use. Through land misuse and soil mismanagement,
soils have been severely and increasingly degraded and some irretrievably
lost. Soil degradation constitutes the most insidious and underestimated
challenge of the 21st century, a challenge it is essential we meet and
conquer.
The United Nations’ decision to inaugurate 2015 as International Year of
Soils is an important step in raising public awareness. But public concern
alone is not sufficient to protect soils and ensure their sustainable use.
Every country around the world needs to take and to maintain action.
During 2015, a number of activities were organised by national soil science
societies in Cuba, Nigeria, Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Honduras, Japan,
Poland, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, Uruguay and
Venezuela, to name just a few. Regional soil science societies such as ESAFS,
the GSW in Berlin, the Soil Governance conference in Brasilia,
participation in fairs like Green week in Berlin, the IFOAM meeting in
Amsterdam and numerous IUSS conferences like in Texas, Goettingen or the
SUSTAIN conference in Kiel all underline the enthusiastic engagement of
soil scientists worldwide to help improve the visibility of soils and to
explain their properties and functions, but also their vulnerability.
We are profoundly grateful for all your activities. Please continue during
the period following the end of 2015. The International decade of Soils
shall be the next challenge which will also bring us straight into the
centennial anniversary of IUSS which will be celebrated in 2024 in Italy.
We must remain at the forefront of the scientific agenda, on the agenda of
policy makers and in public consciousness.
As a topic, soil must be accorded the importance it deserves.
*Prof. Prof. h.c. Dr. Dr. h.c. Rainer Horn (President), Prof. Dr. Rattan
Lal (President elect), Prof. Dr. Jae Yang (Past President)*
________________________________________________________________________________
Publication of IUSS Bulletin 127
The latest IUSS Bulletin with detailed reports of IUSS Divisions,
Commissions and Working Groups, an account of the numerous activities
undertaken during the International Year of Soils 2015 to raise awareness
on soils and their importance for humankind, as well as other information
from the world of soil science will be published on the IUSS website very
soon.
Read more <http://www.iuss.org/index.php?article_id=76>
________________________________________________________________________________
Call for applications for the Pons Medal for distinguished service to acid
sulfate soil science and practice
The Acid Sulfate Soil Commission of the International Union of Soil
Sciences is inviting applications for the Pons Medal which will be
presented at the 8th International Acid Sulfate Soils Conference in
Maryland USA in late July 2016. Named after Leen Pons, who was a leading
figure in early acid sulfate soil science, and in the organisation of
international acid sulfate soil conferences, the Pons Medal will be awarded
for recognition of distinguished service to acid sulfate soil science and
practice.
Further information on the Pons Medal and on the instructions for making a
nomination can be accessed by emailing the Chair of the Acid Sulfate Soil
Commission, Professor Leigh Sullivan. Nominations need to be received by
the Chair by the 17th April 2016.
Contact Professor Leigh Sullivan <[log in to unmask]>
________________________________________________________________________________
Soil Science Has Lost One of Its Giants: Nyle C Brady (1920-2015)
The IUSS Secretariat was sad to learn that our distinguished colleague Nyle
C Brady passed away on 24 November 2015 at the age of 95.
Dr. Brady was a global leader in soil science, in agriculture, and in
humanity. He worked at Cornell University for over 20 years in several
capacities including Assistant Dean of the College of Agriculture. During
this period, he was elected President of both the American Society of
Agronomy and of the Soil Science Society of America. He is also widely
known as co-author of the classic soil science textbook The Nature and
Properties of Soil.
Known for his active interest in international development and for his
administrative skills, he was called in 1973 to the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines. During his eight years as
Director General at IRRI he pioneered numerous major advances that would
have significant impacts in soil science in rice production.
Dr. Brady then returned to work for another 10 years under the direction of
the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. He was a fierce champion
of international scientific cooperation to promote sustainable resource use
and agricultural development.
His death is a tremendous loss for soil science.
________________________________________________________________________________
Celebration of the 2015 International Year of Soils – Achievements and
Future Challenges
IAEA/Vienna International Centre, Austria, December 7, 2015.
The IUSS together with the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in
Food and Agriculture organized this conference in Vienna to celebrate the
International Year of Soils (IYS) together with the World Soil Day (WSD).
Speakers from regional soil science societies (Africa, East and Southeast
Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America), the IUSS Council, the
chairs and vice-chairs of the IUSS Divisions, Commissions and Working
Groups as well as several high level representatives from FAO, IAEA and
partners were invited to discuss the achievements of the IYS and the future
challenges in soil science as well as opportunities for international
cooperation.
In the course of this highly successful event, which attracted more than
120 participants from all over the world, a draft version of the Vienna
Soil Declaration “Soil matters for humans and ecosystems” was adopted and
the International Decade of Soils (2015-2024) proclaimed by Rainer Horn,
IUSS President.
The end of the International Decade of Soils coincides with the centennial
anniversary of the International Union of Soil Sciences.
Read more <http://www.iuss.org/index.php?article_id=26>
________________________________________________________________________________
World Soil Day celebrated in Iran
The International Year of Soils (IYS) and World Soil Day (WSD) were
celebrated at the National Salinity Research Center (NSRC).
Honouring December 5th (World Soil Day) and Global Soil Week a roundtable
meeting was held at NSRC Headquarters, Yazd, Iran.
At this meeting which was held on Sunday December 6th 2015 the NSRC
Director, Dr. Dehghani stated the importance of soil quality attributes in
maintaining the crops yield and providing sustainability for the
agricultural sector.
The situation of soil science researchers in Iran in comparison with the
world was presented in advance by Eng. Hasheminejhad.
________________________________________________________________________________
Celebration of the International Year of Soils in Georgia: Olympiad for
school children “Earth is our home”
Since the UN had declared 20105 the International Year of Soils, the
Mikheil Sabashvili Institute of Soil Science, Agro chemistry and
Melioration of the Agricultural University of Georgia together with the
Georgian Soil Scientists Society and the Association of Professional
Chemists held the Republican Olympiad for schoolchildren “Earth is our
Home” on the 6th of November 2015.
The goal of the Olympiad was to increase publicity of natural sciences
(especially soil science), to promote agricultural disciplines and
understanding of their role, to increase acknowledgement of the need to
care for a safe environment and ecology.
The competition was held in two rounds. 95 pupils took part in the
competition, of which 27 were selected by the jury for the next round. The
final round of the competition was held at the Agricultural University, in
which 15 pupils took part. From preliminarily prepared issues the
contestants selected three on a lottery basis.
The following issues were selected:
- Morphological signs of soil
- Soil erosion and Degradation
- Soils of East Georgia – a brief description
The task was fulfilled in two academic hours. The jury assessed the
works and pupils were awarded I, II, III degree certificates. Their
teachers were awarded certificates of gratitude. The Republican Olympiad
for Schoolchildren will be held annually.
*Submitted by Prof. Dr. Tengiz F. Urushadze, Director of the Mikheil
Sabashvili Institute of Soil Science, Agrichemistry and Melioration,
Agricultural University of Georgia*
________________________________________________________________________________
IYS event at the University of Delaware: DENIN event to boost appreciation
for soil, an overlooked resource
The Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) hosted an event in celebration
of the International Year of Soils on Monday, Dec. 7, in the Trabant
University Center. The University of Delaware community was invited to stop
by DENIN’s booth near the food court to play soil-related trivia, enter the
“Pay Dirt” raffle, pot a plant to take home, and sample the special “DENIN
Dirt” ice cream flavor concocted by the UDairy Creamery.
Read more <http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2016/dec/denin-soil-120215.html>
________________________________________________________________________________
Soil Health Institute launched to benefit soil
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, in partnership with the Farm
Foundation, announced the launch of the Soil Health Institute, a
private-public partnership that works directly with farmers, researchers,
academia, legislators, government regulators, industry, and environmental
groups to improve soil health. The Institute will focus on five specific
areas: research, standards and measurement, economics,
education/communication and public policy.
Read more
<http://www.agriculture.com/crops/cover-crops/soil-champions-launch-new-soil-health_568-ar51430>
________________________________________________________________________________
Large scale soil restoration for climate change adaptation, mitigation and
food security – what’s in it for smallholder farmers?
Hosts: Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Institute for
Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI)
In recent years, land restoration has gained increased attention in the
international climate regime because of its potential role in mitigating
climate change. Moreover, there is increasing recognition of the adaptation
needs in global agriculture. Many of the pledged Intended Nationally
Determined Contributions (INDCs) reflect this recognition.
Read more
<http://www.landscapes.org/glf-2015/agenda-item/2015-glf-day-2-sunday-6-december-2/6-parallel-discussion-forums/soil-carbon-sequestration-between-mitigation-and-adaptation-finance-whats-in-it-for-smallholder-food-security/>
________________________________________________________________________________
Soil data may improve assessments of wildfire risk
Wildfire is known to have a dramatic impact on soil, but do soil conditions
also affect wildfire?
A new study says yes, and the finding could lead to better predictions of
wildfire danger. The open access paper, which appears in the
November–December 2015 issue of Soil Science Society of America Journal,
addressed a simple but understudied question, says Oklahoma State
University (OSU) soil scientist and lead author, Erik Krueger: Is soil
moisture related to wildfire?
When the scientists crunched the numbers, they found that 91% of Oklahoma’s
largest fires during the growing season broke out only when soil moisture
dropped below levels that cause plants severe stress.
Read more
<https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/story/2015/nov/mon/soil-data-may-improve-assessments-of-wildfire-risk>
________________________________________________________________________________
On World Soil Day, scientists warn of underground extinction risks
It’s time for ecologists and conservation biologists to dig deeper into
dirt—in order to better understand the threats facing soil creatures that
are key to healthy ecosystems and our food supply, and that might offer a
rich source of potential antibiotics.
That call to expand studies of oft-neglected underground biodiversity is
included in a new collection of papers timed to highlight World Soil Day,
which was celebrated on Dec. 4. “Despite marked progress over the last few
decades, currently soil ecology still lags far behind aboveground ecology,
and our knowledge of the world belowground is comparatively limited,” soil
ecologist Stavros Veresoglou of the Free University of Berlin.
Read more
<http://news.sciencemag.org/environment/2015/12/world-soil-day-scientists-warn-underground-extinction-risks>
________________________________________________________________________________
Puzzling polar desert carbon probed in Canadian study
On Ellesmere Island high in the Canadian Arctic sits the Dome: a rocky,
polar desert mountain that Steven Siciliano thought would make a great
reference site for studies of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from soil.
To the University of Saskatchewan soil scientist, the Dome’s sparse
vegetation signaled a dearth of soil organic matter and microbial activity.
And because of this, he hypothesized, GHG emissions would also be
negligible compared with those in Arctic soils blanketed by mosses and
willows. However, he was wrong.
Read more
<https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/story/2015/nov/thu/puzzling-polar-desert-carbon-probed-in-canadian-study>
________________________________________________________________________________
Study suggests eroded sediments could be phosphorus sink rather than source
For decades, phosphorus pollution has contributed to unwanted algae blooms
in many lakes—including Vermont’s Lake Champlain.
A raft of recent research has pointed a finger at eroding streambanks,
suggesting their washed-out soils are a major source of this phosphorus
flow. But a new study in the Journal of Environmental Quality complicates
that picture, raising questions about whether streambank erosion is in fact
a culprit in Lake Champlain’s phosphorus problems. The new research shows
that while eroding streambanks may increase the total amount of phosphorus
that ends up in the lake, some of these soils may also decrease the amount
of phosphorus available to algae.
Read more
<https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/story/2015/nov/fri/research-suggests-streambank-erosion-may-be-sink-rather-than-source-of-phosphorus>
________________________________________________________________________________
Free access article collection on World Soil Day celebrations from
Taylor&Francis
To celebrate World Soil Day 2015, Taylor&Francis have put together a free
access article collection from various relevant journals and the public can
view and download this set of articles for free.
Link to this campaign
<http://explore.tandfonline.com/content/est/world-soil-day-2015>
________________________________________________________________________________
Global Soil Partnership – latest Newsletter
The Global Soil Partnership has published its latest Newsletter, in which
FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva is quoted for saying at the
opening of the International Year of Soils twelve months ago, “healthy
soils are critical for global food production, but we are not paying enough
attention to this important silent ally”.
Giving this “silent ally” a voice became one of the main goals of the IYS
global campaign. Other issues are inter alia the closure of the
International Year of Soils, the launch of the Status of the World’s Soil
Resources report, the establishment of the International Network of Soil
Information Institutions and the release of the Revised World Soil Charter.
Read more <http://www.fao.org/nr/water/gsp_newsletter/8.html>
________________________________________________________________________________
Launch of the report: Status of the World's Soil Resources
The Status of the World’s Soil Resources produced by FAO’s
Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils has been launched during the
World Soil Day celebration and closure ceremony of the International Year
of Soils.
Read more
<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/c6814873-efc3-41db-b7d3-2081a10ede50/>
________________________________________________________________________________
Soils are the Foundation for Vegetation which is cultivated or managed for
feed, fibre, fuel and medicinal products
Healthy soils are crucial for ensuring the continued growth of natural and
managed vegetation, providing feed, fibre, fuel, medicinal products and
other ecosystem services such as climate regulation and oxygen production.
Soils and vegetation have a reciprocal relationship. Fertile soil
encourages plant growth by providing plants with nutrients, acting as a
water holding tank, and serving as the substrate to which plants anchor
their roots. In return, vegetation, tree cover and forests prevent soil
degradation and desertification by stabilizing the soil, maintaining water
and nutrient cycling, and reducing water and wind erosion.
As global economic growth and demographic shifts increase the demand for
vegetation, animal feed and vegetation by products such as wood, soils are
put under tremendous pressure and their risk of degradation increases
greatly. Managing vegetation sustainably—whether in forests, pastures or
grasslands—will boost its benefits, including timber, fodder and food, in a
way meets society’s needs while conserving and maintaining the soil for the
benefit of present and future generations.
Also available in: Italian, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese
(Simplified)
Read more
<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/dd7761ba-8255-46a7-8bca-7dca1cbe6092/>
________________________________________________________________________________
4 per 1000 - Soil Carbon to Mitigate Climate Change
In this article Andrea Koch, Alex McBratney and Budiman Minasny investigate
the viability of a call by the French Government in the lead up to COP21 to
increase carbon in the global soil stock by 4 percent per annum, based on
Australia’s world leading regulatory approach to carbon farming.
Read more
<http://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/24/11/2015/4-1000-soil-carbon-mitigate-climate-change>
________________________________________________________________________________
Tough action on carbon offers a bright future - Nicholas Stern argues the
economic benefits of tackling emissions
In an article published on 27 November 2015 in the Financial Times the
author put forward that regarding land use, we not only had to stop
deforestation, but had to move to reforestation and rehabilitation of our
soils, thereby removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
He furthermore suggests that the UN climate change summit in Paris should
be a turning point for the low-carbon transition of world’s economy.
*Source: FT, Section Managing Climate Change, November 27, 2015*
________________________________________________________________________________
Iowa’s Climate-Change Wisdom
In this NY Times article the author, Jeff Biggers, describes energy related
initiatives in Iowa pointing out the important role of soils in climate
change mitigation.
Read more
<http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/21/opinion/iowas-climate-change-wisdom.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share>
*Source: NY Times, November 20, 2015*
________________________________________________________________________________
Agricultural policy: Govern our soils
Luca Montanarella published an article in NATURE with the title
“Agricultural policy: Govern our soils”. In this article, he calls for a
voluntary international agreement to protect soil from erosion and
degradation through a reinvigorated Global Soil Partnership (GSP).
The GSP is the best current option for driving forward various
recommendations, despite its shortcomings. The partnership needs to
motivate all invested parties to develop commitments to specific actions.
These should enshrine soil management in legislation tailored to each
country’s needs. The GSP needs to prove that it can be more than just a
talking shop, and can generate political will and raise funding.
The FAO has suggested an initial budget of $64 million over five years for
the GSP, mainly to help to develop a Global Soil Information System and to
promote training and capacity building in developing countries.
Read more
<http://www.nature.com/news/agricultural-policy-govern-our-soils-1.18854>
________________________________________________________________________________
The Dirt on Dirt: 5 Things You Should Know About Soil
World Soil Day: why our life depends on it.
We walk on it every day. Get it under our fingernails. Track it into the
house. But do we really appreciate the vital role soil plays—not just in
the environment, but in human health?
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is giving soil its
due. Friday, December 5, is World Soil Day, and 2015, the FAO has declared,
will be the International Year of Soils.
“The minerals, the nutrients that make up our muscles and bones almost
entirely come from soil,” says Jerry Glover, a National Geographic Emerging
Explorer and agroecologist at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“This is, of course, very critical because we’re supposed to be increasing
agricultural production to feed and nourish some of the ten billion people,
but it’s at the same time that our soils are the thinnest and most nutrient
depleted.”
Here are five things you should know about soil.
Read more
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141205-world-soil-day-soil-agriculture-environment-ngfood/>
________________________________________________________________________________
Living in the Soil Comic
A snail, a worm and a group of young people are some of the characters who
star in ‘Living in the Soil,’ a comic produced in the context of ‘The
International Year of Soils’ that aims to raise awareness about the most
significant environmental and social issues related to soil and its need
for protection.
Through some 60 sketches, the authors report various aspects of the
characteristics, functions and implications related to the use of this
non-renewable resource. It reflects both the view of humans and the living
organisms that inhabit soil. The comic, which is conceived as an
educational resource, is aimed both at children and the general public and
for students at all educational levels.
Read more <http://www.suelos2015.es/materiales/comic/vivir-en-suelo>
pdf download
<http://www.ciudadciencia.es/doc/files/comic/COMIC%20castellano%20WEB_ok.pdf>
English version of the Comic
<http://www.suelos2015.es/sites/default/files/pdf-materiales/living_in_the_soil.pdf>
*Authors: Mª Pilar Jiménez Aleixandre, Estudio Tangaraño, María Teresa
Barral Silva and Francisco Díaz-Fierros V. (2015). Co-ordination:
Montserrat Díaz-Raviña*
*Report provided by José Luis Rubio, Centro de Investigaciones sobre
Desertificación-CIDE, Valencia, Spain*
________________________________________________________________________________
Film: From potato to planet
Did you know in one teaspoon of soil there are more living things than
there are people in the world?
The Soil Association have worked with Aardman (the people behind Wallace &
Gromit) to produce a short film about the benefits of taking little steps
to protect our soils.
The film has been launched at the World Soils Day, a day aimed to connect
people with soils and raise awareness on their critical importance in our
lives.
Read more <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd871cZzGI4>
Soil Association Website <http://www.soilassociation.org/soilfilm>
________________________________________________________________________________
Operations Director position at ICSU
The International Council for Science (ICSU) is currently recruiting for an
Operations Director position at the ICSU Secretariat in Paris. The closing
date for applications is 3 January 2016.
Read more
<http://www.icsu.org/news-centre/jobs-at-icsu/jobs/vacancy-operations-director>
________________________________________________________________________________
Conferences, Meetings and Workshops
Launch of the first Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas
The International Year of Soils 2015 is coming to an end and it has been an
amazing year of soil-related events. With the release of the first Global
Soil Biodiversity Atlas planned for early in the new year, we propose to
make 2016 the Year of the Atlas! The GSBI (Global Soil Biodiversity
Initiative) will be hosting a launch event in Washington DC on Feb 14,
2016, in combination with a symposium Global Soil Biodiversity: A Common
Ground for Sustainability at the AAAS 2016 Annual Meeting.
Read more <https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2016/webprogram/Session12374.html>
The 12th International Conference of ESSS ‘Development of Water and Soil
Resources: Challenges and Solutions’
2nd announcement, 7-9 March 2016, Ismailia, Egypt. Topics of the
conference: Topic of the Conference: Soil security and global soil crisis
(water-energy-food nexus, water, food and soil security); Global Climate
Changes and Natural Resources (forests, grasslands, crop lands, water
resources, soil resources, bio-diversity ); Emerging issues in soil and
water management (energy conservation and sustainable use; policy and
regulatory options; biofuel and other renewable options); Science and
Technology in Environmental Resource Management (Remote Sensing, GIS and
precision farming; eco-biotechnology and nano-biotechnology); Sustainable
Agriculture (crop production and improvement , soil, plant, and
microorganisms relationships in agro – ecosystems); Global Environmental
Changes and Human Health (biofortification, phytoremediation and
bioremediation). Abstracts deadline (final): 18 February 2016.
Read more <http://www.esss.org.eg/second%20ann%20ofsoil.html>
Spring school on mapping and assessment of soils (9-13 May 2016, ISRIC)
ISRIC – World Soil Information will organise a Spring School on digital
soil mapping, classification and assessment for soil and environmental
scientists, students, soil experts and professionals in natural resources
management. The spring school will take place at the Wageningen Campus in
the Netherlands and will consist of two five-day courses that are run in
parallel.
Information and Registration <http://springschool.isric.org>
EUROSOIL 2016 (17—22 July 2016, Istanbul, Turkey)
Abstract submission had been extended to 6 January 2016. The JRC is
organizing 5 sessions: “Soil Erosion modelling and climate change—policy
scenarios”, “Progresses toward the GlobalSoilMap”, “Distribution of soil
biodiversity and related ecosystem services”, “2nd workshop on the
extension of the European Soil Database in the Mediterranean” and “Soil
awareness activities”.
Read more <http://www.eurosoil2016istanbul.org/themes-and-topics/>
Meeting of the IUSS Commission Soil Classification
1 – 7 December 2016, South Africa
There is a four day tour that starts December 1 in the morning in
Johannesburg and ends December 4 in the evening in Bloemfontein. In
Bloemfontein we will have the meeting from December 5 in the morning
(including a celebration of the World Soil Day) to December 7 in the
evening. Main organizer is Cornie van Huyssteen.
Details will be announced later.
Please note that these data differ from the data, which we provisionally
announced
EGU General Assembly 2016 (EGU2016) – Call for Abstracts
The start of the abstract submission for the EGU General Assembly 2016
(EGU2016), 17–22 Apr 2016, Vienna, Austria was announced recently.
You are cordially invited to browse through the sessions: Read more about
sessions <http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2016/sessionprogramme>
Detailed information on how to submit an abstract can be found at the EGU
Website abstract management
<http://egu2016.eu//abstract_management/how_to_submit_an_abstract.html>
Deadline for the receipt of abstracts is 13 Jan 2016, 13:00 CET.
The JRC is organizing 2 sessions:
*Causes and Consequences of Aeolian Processes and Wind Erosion*
This session will stimulate discussion among researchers working broadly on
wind transport from a range of perspectives.
*National inventories of soil related emissions and removals – looking for
higher Tier approaches*
This session constitutes a possibility for researchers to present novel
approaches and ideas, datasets or modelling works and add to a discussion
that needs to be fostered on the scientific level.
JRC soil erosion developments will be presented in the session *Soil
Erosion, Land Use and Climate Change: mapping, measuring, modelling, and
societal challenges*, the Rainfall Erosivity Database (REDES) in the
session Precipitation: *Measurement, Climatology, Remote Sensing, and
Modeling*.
EGU Website <http://egu2016.eu/>
________________________________________________________________________________
New publications
Update 2015 to the third edition of the WRB 2014
The WRB (World Reference Base) Board has prepared the Update 2015 to the
third edition of the WRB 2014. It provides some corrections and,
especially, some amendments.
WRB site at FAO
<http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/soil-survey/soil-classification/world-reference-base/en/>
pdf download Edition WRB 2014 <http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3794e.pdf>
Visual Soil Evaluation – Realizing Potential Crop Production with Minimum
Environmental Impact
Edited by B C Ball, SRUC, UK, L J Munkholm, Aarhus University, Denmark.
October 2015 / Hardback / 172 Pages / ISBN 9781780644707, Price: €112.50
October 2015 / Paperback / 172 Pages /ISBN 9781780647456, Price: € €49.50
Visual Soil Evaluation (VSE) provides land users and environmental
authorities with the tools to assess soil quality for crop performance.
This book describes the assessment of the various structural conditions of
soil, especially after quality degradation such as compaction, erosion or
organic matter loss. Covering a broad range of land types from abandoned
peats to prime arable land, this useful handbook assesses yield potential
across a range of scales.
It also appraises the use of VSE in determining the potential of different
land types for carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient
leaching, and for diagnosing and rectifying erosion and compaction in soils.
Wetland Soils: Genesis, Hydrology, Landscapes, and Classification, Second
Edition
By Michael J. Vepraskas, Christopher B. Craft.
December 2, 2015 by CRC Press, 508 Pages, 26 Color & 184 B/W illustrations,
ISBN 9781439896983, Price Hardback 84,15 GBP.
Wetland Soils: Genesis, Hydrology, Landscapes, and Classification, Second
Edition contains 11 new chapters and additional updates written by new
authors with a broad range of related field and academic experience.
This revised work augments the previous material on wetland functions and
restorations, while maintaining the field-oriented focus of the first book.
The reworked text includes current coverage of hydric soil field
indicators, wetland soils, chemistry of wetland soils, and wetland
hydrology. This book explains how wetland soils are formed, described, and
identified, defines the functions they perform, and serves to assist
decision-making in the field.
Status of the World’s Soil Resources
By FAO, Natural Resources and Environment Dept., December 4, 2015, 650 p.
The SWSR will constitute the reference document on the status of global
soil resources with a strong regional assessment on soil change. The
information is based on peer-reviewed scientific literature, complemented
with expert knowledge and reliable project outputs (mainly FAO ones). It
provides a description and a ranking of ten major soil threats that
endanger ecosystem functions, goods and services globally and in each
region separately. Additionally, it describes direct and indirect pressure
son soils and ways and means to combat soil degradation at all levels.
Soil Science Simplified, 6th Edition
By Neal S. Eash, Thomas J. Sauer, Deb O’Dell, Evah Odoi, Mary C. Bratz
(Illustrator)
December 2015 by Wiley-Blackwell, 272 pages, ISBN: 978-1-118-54069-5, Price
Hardcover EUR 54,70.
Already renowned as a user-friendly beginners’ guide to soil science, Soil
Science Simplified, 6th Edition is an updated version of the beloved
textbook that includes even more thorough applications of soil science to
interdisciplinary fields. It includes the most recent research concerning
uses of soil in municipal, engineering, and other areas, conversion
agriculture covering no-till, hoe-till, and the methodology of cover crops,
crop rotations, N contribution, and worldwide trends in conversion
agriculture. The experienced authors have fully revised and updated the
fundamental chapters on physical, chemical, and biological properties to
create an ideal introductory text.
Soil Ecosystems Services
By Soil Science Society of America, Inc., 2015, in press
Soils provide critical ecosystem services that make life on Earth possible.
Develop an understanding of the essential role of soil in our ecosystem and
its valuation. Soils support human life through agriculture, medicine,
water purification, and raw materials for shelter. Soils regulate climate
through soil carbon cycling. Soils culturally enrich our lives through
landscapes and sense of place. Learn how these ecosystem services and more
are evaluated and economically assessed. Engaging case studies demonstrate
how soil properties and processes provide specific ecosystem functions.
Readers will gain a new appreciation of the provisioning, supporting,
regulating, and cultural services of soil. Discover how soil is essential
to life! This book is being published according to the “Just Published”
model, with more chapters to be published online as they are completed.
Read more
<https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/books/tocs/acsesspublicati/soilecosystemsservices>
Water Dynamics in Plant Production
By W Ehlers, University of Göttingen, Germany, M Goss, University of
Guelph, Canada.
Expected to be published in January 2016, hardback, 344 pages,
9781780643816, price: EUR 54.-; There is a potential discount for IUSS
members.
This new edition of Water Dynamics in Plant Production focuses on the
dynamics of water through the hydrologic cycle and the associated
mechanisms that plants employ to optimize growth and development. It
describes the basic scientific principles of water transport in the
soil-plant atmosphere continuum, and explains the linkage between
transpirational water use and dry matter production.
Paying particular attention to the various agronomic strategies for
adaptation to climate-driven limitations of water resources, the efficiency
of water use in plant production and in achieving an economic yield is
presented in detail. This book offers a multidisciplinary introduction to
the fundamentals and applications of water dynamics in natural and managed
ecosystems.
Including text boxes throughout, as well as online supplementary material,
it provides an essential state of-the-art resource for students and
researchers of soil and plant science, hydrology and agronomy.
Read more <http://www.cabi.org/bookshop/book/9781780643816>
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