Human and Socioeconomic Consequences of Desertification. Rubio, J.L and Andreu, V. (Coords.). 2009, 276 p, 46 illus., 44 in color. Softcover, ISBN: 978-84-92777-42-6. As a result of human activities and climate change the processes of desertification are progressing. Around 40% of the earth surface is threatened by risk of desertification, including wide areas of Mediterranean. Desertification, at the latest consequences represents the dismantling of all biospheric potential of the affected zone and its conversion into a barren and unproductive territory. Te effects of soil degradation not only menace the land agricultural potential of providing food and biomass but also its implies the alteration of the hydrological cycle, drastic decrease in biodiversity, development of feedback mechanisms affecting important climatic parameters, and in addition, the increase of the catastrophic consequences of hazards such as forest fires, landslides and floods. All these processes give rise to important human and socio-economic implications. However, the social perception of this problem is limited and, generally, its intricate mechanisms and processes are not visualized as something worrying at the level of perception of, for example, the tendency to global warming. Contributing to a greater information and scientific and social implication in the fight against desertification, in this book are analyzed processes and factors, biophysical and socio-economic consequences, scientific and technological responses, and proposals of integrative, participatory and implicated initiatives to avoid and reverse the tendency of the desertification menace. E-mail: serpubli@ulpgc.es.
Les principaux sols du monde. Voyage travers lpiderme vivant de la plante Terre. Mathieu, Clement. 2009, 233 p., 388 illus. in colour. 42 fig., in French. Hardcover, ISBN: 978-2-7430-1196-3. Increasing food production to meet the requirements of 9 billion people in 2050 commands to better adjust soil use to soil properties. This book by Clement Mathieu not only describes the many soil types encountered on planet Earth, but, more importantly, gives the rational of their distribution. It is thus a key document to better tailor soil use. The reader feels that he can understand the reasons for soil spatial variability in each particular ecosystem. What makes the book fascinating is the 388 colour photographs, mainly from soil profiles, that allow the reader to visualize the different soil types described in the text. Clement Mathieu travelled extensively the world during his career, so he knows by himself what he is talking about. The last chapter of the book gives a good overview of the many dangers threatening the soil in a very comprehensive way. Throughout the book the author refers to both the old French classification (CPCS) and the WRB.
Manual of Methods for Soil and Land Evaluation. Edoardo A.C. Costantini (Editor). CRA-Centro di ricerca per l’agrobiologia e la pedologia, Florence, Italy ISBN 978-1-57808-571-2. 2009. 600 pages. US$119.95
The goal of the manual is to supply an operational tool for pedologists, agronomists, environmentalists, and all of the other specialists who carry out land evaluation for agriculture and forestry or, more generally, stakeholders and policy makers who make decisions at the local level based on the knowledge of the nature of soil. Discussion of the topics is not only technical and operational, but also in-depth and didactic; therefore, the text may also be used as a valid complement for students majoring in subjects that involve soil use, management and conservation. The literature offers a wide choice of possible soil and land evaluation methods, while knowledge of the relationships existing between the physical characteristics of lands, particularly those of soils, and the requirements of specific uses is limited.
Micronutrient Handbook – from research to practical application. by Dr HLS Tandon. 2009. ISBN: 81-85116-60-1. Pages 212 +x. Fertiliser Development and Consultation Organisation,204-204A Bhanot Corner, 1-2 Pamposh Enclave,New Delhi 110 048 (India),E.mail: fdco@airtelmail.in, fdco@vsnl.net, Price Price:US$ 60 (inclusive of airmail delivery).
The book provides latest researched based practical information on the eight micronutrients, namely boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and zinc.Over the years, there has been a virtual explosion in the published literature on micronutrients. Much of the technical information has been processed and presented by the author from practical use point of view. This handbook is divided into 12 chapters supported by over 40 tables, 10 diagrams, a list of about 200 references. The various chapters cover the role of micronutrients and their deficiency/toxicity symptoms; micronutrients in soils:micronutrients in plants; micronutrient uptake and removal by crops; micronutrient fertilizers; the multi-micronutrient scenario: crop-wise practical recommendations; guidelines for efficient management micronutrients and a self-test by which a reader can judge his/her knowledge of micronutrients. The author has estimated the current annual micronutrient uptake (not removal) by crops in India to be 180,000 tonnes. Out of this, the share of iron is 68%, manganese 13%, zinc 8.5%, boron 7.5%, copper 2.1% and molybdenum 0.04%.This micronutrient handbook will be of direct interest and use to all those who are interested in balanced fertilizer use in general and micronutrients in particular.
Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater. K.R. Reddy & C. Cameselle. Wiley, October 2009. Hardcover, 732 pages. ISBN: 978-0-470-38343-8. Electrochemical technologies are emerging as important approaches for effective and efficient pollution remediation, both on their own and in concert with other remediation techniques. Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater provides a systematic and clear explanation of fundamentals, field applications, as well as opportunities and challenges in developing and implementing electrochemical remediation technologies. Written by leading authorities in their various areas, the text summarizes the latest research and offers case studies that illustrate equipment, installation, and methods employed in real-world remediations. Divided into nine sections, the coverage includes: Introduction and fundamental principles, Remediation of heavy metals and other inorganic pollutants, Remediation of organic pollutants, Remediation of mixed contaminants, Electrokinetic barriers, Integrated (coupled) technologies, Mathematical modeling, Economic and regulatory considerations, Field applications and performance assessment. Unique as a comprehensive reference on the subject, Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater will serve as a valuable resource to all environmental engineers, scientists, regulators, and policymakers.
Soil Ecology and Management. By J K Whalen, McGill University, Canada, L Sampedro, Centro de Investigacion Forestal de Lourizon Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain December 2009. Paperback, 304 Pages. 9781845935634. $37.50 $55.00.
Soil Ecology and Management describes the organisms inhabiting the soil, their functions and interactions and the dimensions of human impact on the activity of soil organisms and soil ecological function. Chapters discuss basic soil characteristics and biogeochemical cycling, key soil flora and fauna as well as community-level dynamics (soil food webs). Unlike other soil biology and ecology textbooks, this text also conveys a better understanding of how human activities impact upon soil ecology in a section on ecosystem management and its effects on soil biota. The authors provide a unique perspective on the utility of soil organisms by exploring the biodiversity of soil food webs, how they are impacted by human activities and intervention and their management.
Notes from the Ground: Science, Soil, and Society in the American Countryside. Benjamin R. Cohen. Yale University Press, 2009 – Technology & Engineering. 272 pages.
Notes from the Ground examines the cultural conditions that brought agriculture and science together in nineteenth-century America. Integrating the history of science, environmental history, and science studies, the book shows how and why agrarian Americans yeoman farmers, gentleman planters, politicians, and policy makers alike accepted, resisted, and shaped scientific ways of knowing the land. By detailing the changing perceptions of soil treatment, Benjamin Cohen shows that the credibility of new soil practices grew not from the arrival of professional chemists, but out of an existing ideology of work, knowledge, and citizenship.
World Soil Erosion and Conservation. Series: Cambridge Studies in Applied Ecology and Resource Management. Edited by David Pimentel. Cambridge University Press, 2009 Paperback. ISBN-13: 9780521104715.
Land degradation from soil erosion has been considered by many to be a problem of significant proportion, affecting some 30-50% of the earth’s land surface. At the time of the first publication of this book in 1993, estimates indicated that 10-15 million hectares of land were being lost each year through erosion and salinisation from irrigation and that at such a rate of loss, topsoil reserves on most sloping lands would be depleted within two hundred years. Since humankind’s dependency on the land for food is almost total, soil erosion represents a real threat to the security of our food supply. The need for the immediate conservation of the world’s soil resources is therefore clear. As part of the response to this need, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Commission on Ecology convened a special working group to consider the problem of world soil erosion and to propose practical solutions for soil conservation. This important book presents the outcome of their work.
Regolith Science. Edited by Scott, Keith; Pain, Colin. Springer, jointly published with CSIRO, Australia. 2009, 462 pp. Hardcover. ISBN: 978-1-4020-8859-9.
This comprehensive reference on the fundamentals of regolith science describes how regolith is developed from parental rocks and emphasises the importance of chemical, physical, water and biological processes in regolith formation. It provides details for mapping regolith landforms, as well as objective information on applications in mineral exploration and natural resource management. Regolith Science also provides a concise history of weathering through time in Australia. It includes previously unpublished information on elemental abundances in regolith materials along with detailed information on soil degradation processes such as in acid sulfate soils. Written by experts in the field, Regolith Science summarises research carried out over a 13 year period within the Cooperative Research Council for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration. This book will be a valuable resource for scientists and graduate/postgraduate students in geology, geography and soil science, and for professionals in the exploration industry and natural resources management.
Handbook of Agricultural Geophysics. Edited by Barry Allred, Jeffrey J. Daniels, Mohammad Reza Ehsani. ISBN: 9780849337284.
Focuses on the use of near-surface geophysics for agricultural applications. Describes three common near-surface geophysical methods that can be employed for agricultural purposes. Provides detailed examples and case histories of agricultural applications for these geophysical methods. Presents theoretical insight on soil electrical conductivity measurement. Includes geophysical methods not typically used for agriculture currently but with possible future applications. Precision farming, site infrastructure assessment, hydrologic monitoring, and environmental investigations these are just a few current and potential uses of near-surface geophysical methods in agriculture. Responding to the growing demand for this technology, the Handbook of Agricultural Geophysics supplies a clear, concise overview of near-surface geophysical methods that can be used in agriculture and provides detailed descriptions of situations in which these techniques have been employed. Click here for more details.
Claves para la Taxonomia de Suelos, Docima Edicion. (PDF; Spanish translation; 3.6 MB)
For decades, NRCS has worked with soil scientists from around the world to increase awareness and expand knowledge concerning the importance of soil and its impact on all aspects of life. By translating the ‘Keys’ into Spanish, many soil scientists and other professionals from Latino America, the United States, and other countries will benefit from this effort for years to come. According to NRCS leadership, it will expand the horizons of U.S. Soil Taxonomy by having professionals in all parts of the world applying and interpreting the system in a more uniform and consistent way. While soils differ globally, the ability to apply a system that is universally understood and accepted is a goal shared by many soil scientists. The translation of the ‘Keys’ into Spanish was the initiative of Luis Hernandez, Arkansas State Soil Scientist. In addition to the PDF file listed above, the publication is available on a CD and can be requested by contacting the National Soil Survey Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. A limited number of hard copies will be printed.
Tropical Resource Management Papers. Free access to over 90 PDFs (1990-2008) of the Tropical Resource Management Papers.
The main objective of this series of papers is to allow a wider distribution than the circuit of international scientific journals for the results of research on (sub)tropical resource management. The series is written by researchers and graduate students working within the framework of Wageningen research projects. Since the start in 1992, the focus of TRMP broadened from Sahel countries to the whole of Africa and to the whole of developing countries in the tropics. Since 2008 digital versions of more than 90 books are available. However, in some countries access to internet is often slow and scarce and for this reason its will be possible, upon request, to receive hard copies of the TRMP books. Click here for more information or e-mail Leo.Stroosnijder@wur.nl
Microbiological Methods For Assessing Soil Quality. Edited by J. Bloem, Alterra, Wageningen, The Netherlands; D.W. Hopkins, University of Stirling, UK; A. Benedetti, Instituto Sperimentale per la Nutrizione delle Piante, Rome, Italy.
With growing concern about the protection of soil quality and biodiversity many countries have established regional and national programmes to monitor soil quality. This book reviews the theory and practice of a range of the various microbiological methods used within these programmes. The first section gives an overview of approaches to monitoring, evaluating and managing soil quality. The second section provides a practical handbook with detailed descriptions of the methods. The methods are described in chapters on soil microbial biomass and numbers, soil microbial activity, soil microbial diversity and community composition, and plant-microbe interactions and soil quality. Finally, a census is given of the main methods used in over 30 European microbiological laboratories.
Hormones and Pharmaceuticals Generated by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Transport in Water and Soil, by Shore, Laurence S.; Pruden, Amy (Eds.) Springer, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-387-92833-3. This book examines how hormones, antibiotics and pharmaceuticals generated from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) of cattle, poultry, swine and aquaculture are transported in water and soil. Little is known of the environmental fate of the tons of physiologically active steroid hormones released each year. In their own regard, in the last 20 years considerable attention has been given to a wide variety of natural and anthropomorphic agents known as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Until the contribution of steroid hormones to the environment are better defined, it will be difficult to quantify the exact impact of EDCs. While some advances in the understanding of the fate of these compounds in water has been made, little is known about the processes that govern their transport in soil or how they eventually reach groundwater. As this book discusses extensively, it is somewhat of a mystery how steroids, with their lipophilic nature, strong binding to humic acids and extensive metabolism by soil bacteria, can be transported through even a few centimeters of soil, let alone 20 to 40 meters to the groundwater. With respect to antibiotics, the emphasis is on their fate and transport in the environment and on the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Impacts on soil ecology, including the impact of antibiotics on the metabolism of other active agents, is also discussed.
Laboratory and Field Testing of Unsaturated Soils, by Tarantino, Alessandro; Romero, Enrique; Cui, Yu-Jun (Eds.) Springer, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-4020-8818-6.
This collection focuses on recent advances in laboratory and field testing of unsaturated soils. Leading researchers from fourteen countries to represent global research in the area of experimental unsaturated soil mechanics have been invited to contribute to this book. Twelve reports are presented dealing with measurement and control of suction and water content, mechanical, hydraulic, and geo-environmental testing, microstructure investigation, and applications of unsaturated soil monitoring to engineering behaviour of geo-structures. The main motivation behind this book is the rapid growth of experimental unsaturated soil mechanics over the last couple of decades. Several innovative laboratory and field techniques have been introduced in mechanical, hydraulic, and geo-environmental testing. However, this information is widely dispersed in journals and conference proceedings and researchers and engineers beginning to work in the field of unsaturated soil mechanics may find it difficult to identify suitable equipment and instrumentation for research or professional purposes.
Amazonian Dark Earths: Wim Sombroeks Vision, edited by W.I. Woods, W.G. Teixeira, J. Lehmann, C. Steiner, A. WinklerPrins, and L. Rebellato. Springer, 2009. IBSN 978-1-4020-9030-1.
Amazonian soils are almost universally thought of as extremely forbidding. However, it is now clear that complex societies with large, sedentary populations were present for over a millennium before European contact. Associated with these are tracts of anomalously fertile, dark soils termed terra preta or black earths. These soils are presently an important agricultural resource within Amazonia and provide a model for developing long-term future sustainability of food production in tropical environments. The late Dutch soil scientist, Wim Sombroek (1934-2003) was instrumental in bringing the significance of these soils to the attention of the world over four decades ago. A free association of international scholars termed the Terra Preta Nova Group came together in 2001 and has been very productive, including this volume. Its introductory comments and 28 chapters written by 73 authors relate the latest findings in landscape history, indigenous practices, soil development, soil chemistry, anthropology, and archaeology, and the implications of those to modern social and land stewardship issues.
Addressing soil degradation in EU agriculture: relevant processes, practices and policies, JRC, 2009. This report presents the findings of a stock-taking of the current situation with respect to soil degradation processes, soil-friendly farming practices and relevant policy measures within an EU-wide perspective. This overview includes the results of the survey on the national/regional implementation of EU policies and national policies, a classification of the described soil degradation processes, soil conservation practices and policy measures, and finally the outcome of the Stakeholder Workshop which took place in 2008. The report can be freely downloaded here.
A new report Review of existing information on the interrelations between soil and climate change, made public by the European Commission, underlines the crucial role that soils can play in mitigating climate change. Europe’s soils are an enormous carbon reservoir, containing around 75 billion tonnes, and poor management can have serious consequences: a failure to protect Europe’s remaining peat bogs, for example, would release the same amount of carbon as an additional 40 million cars on Europe’s roads. The report is a synthesis of the best available information on the links between soil and climate change and underlines the need to sequester carbon in soils. The technique is cost competitive and immediately available, requires no new or unproven technologies, and has a mitigation potential comparable to that of any other sector of the economy. The report and key messages can be freely downloaded here.
Biochar for Environmental Management, Edited by J. Lehmann and S. Joseph. Earthscan, 2009. ISBN 9781844076581. Biochar is the carbon-rich product when biomass (such as wood, manure or crop residues) is heated in a closed container with little or no available air. It can be used to improve agriculture and the environment in several ways, and its stability in soil and superior nutrient-retention properties make it an ideal soil amendment to increase crop yields. In addition to this, biochar sequestration, in combination with sustainable biomass production, can be carbon-negative and therefore used to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with major implications for mitigation of climate change. Biochar production can also be combined with bioenergy production through the use of the gases that are given off in the pyrolysis process. This book is the first to synthesize the expanding research literature on this topic. The book’s interdisciplinary approach, which covers engineering, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, economics and policy, is a vital tool at this stage of biochar technology development. This comprehensive overview of current knowledge will be of interest to advanced students, researchers and professionals in a wide range of disciplines.
Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect, 2nd edition, edited by Rattan Lal and Ronald F. Follett. Soil Science Society of America, 2009. ISBN: 978-089118-850-6. The concept of the Greenhouse Effect is more than a century old, but today the observed and predicted climate changes attributed to anthropogenic increases in atmospheric CO2 more urgently beg the question, what can be done? The second edition of Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect is essential reading for understanding the processes, properties, and practices affecting the soil carbon pool and its dynamics. New themes addressed are urban soils, minesoils, biochemically recalcitrant compounds, carbonaceous materials, belowground carbon storage by woody plants, and peat soils. The geographic focus of the book is North America, with important chapters from Canada and Mexico. Thematically, the second edition encompasses data from modeling, lab analyses, plot studies, landscape assessment, and regional evaluation of soil carbon pools and fluxes.
Arsenic pollution: A global synthesis. P. Ravenscroft, H. Brammer and K. Richards. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford (UK), Malden MA (USA). 2009 xxviii + 588 p. ISBN 978-1-4051-8602-5 (hardcover); 978-1-4051-8601-8 (softcover). $65/US$129.95 (hardcover), $34.99/US$69.95 (softcover)
Arsenic Pollution compiles and summarises the most up-to-date research on the distribution and causes of arsenic pollution in nature, its impact on health and agriculture, and the encouraging research that offers hope in mitigating this unfolding health crisis. Seamlessly integrating geochemistry, hydrology, soil science and agriculture, it offers the first truly global and interdisciplinary account of natural arsenic pollution. The book provides information on the geographical distribution of arsenic contamination of groundwater, the geochemical causes of high arsenic concentrations in aquifers, the factors influencing soil and plant uptake of arsenic, and the health implications of prolonged arsenic ingestion via drinking water and food (especially rice). Options are highlighted for developing alternative water sources, methods for arsenic testing and removal, and mitigation of arsenic impacts on sustainable agriculture. Comprehensive and illuminating, the book offers informed and challenging insights into an emerging problem with untold human consequences.
A Handbook of Soil Terminology, Correlation and Classification, edited By Pavel Krasilnikov, Juan-Jose Ibanez Marti, Richard Arnold, Serghei Shoba. Hardback September 2009. 352 pages. ISBN 9781844076833.
Soil classification and terminology are fundamental issues for the clear understanding and communication of the subject. However, while there are many national soil classification systems, these do not directly correlate with each other. This leads to confusion and great difficulty in undertaking comparative scientific research that draws on more than one system and in making sense of international scientific papers using a system that is unfamiliar to the reader. This book aims to clarify this position by describing and comparing different systems and evaluating them in the context of the World Reference Base (WRB) for Soil Resources. The latter was set up to resolve these problems by creating an international “umbrella” system for soil correlation. All soil scientists should then classify soils using the WRB as well as their national systems. The book is a definitive and essential reference work for all students studying soils as part of life, earth or environmental sciences, as well as professional soil scientists.
The Fertilizer Encyclopedia, by Vasant Gowariker, V. N. Krishnamurthy, Sudha Gowariker, Manik Dhanorkar, Kalyani Paranjape, Norman Borlaug (Prologue by). ISBN: 978-0-470-41034-9 Hardcover, 880 pages. February 2009.
Fertilizers are key for meeting the world’s demands for food, fiber, and fuel. Featuring nearly 4,500 terms of interest to all scientists and researchers dealing with fertilizers, The Fertilizer Encyclopedia compiles a wealth of information on the chemical composition of fertilizers, and includes information on everything from manufacturing and applications to economical and environmental considerations. It covers behavior in soil, chemical and physical characteristics, physiological role in plant growth and soil fertility, and more. This is the definitive, up-to-date reference on fertilizers.
Understanding Vineyard Soils, by Robert White. Oxford University Press. Hardback, 240 pages, ISBN 13: 9780195311259.
Understanding Vineyard Soils explains to a wide audience how soils form and why they are so variable. Robert White describes essential chemical and physical processes involving nutrients, water, oxygen and carbon dioxide, moderated by the activities of soil organisms, and proposes remedies to alleviate adverse conditions such as soil acidity, compaction, poor drainage and salinity. The pros and cons of organic viticulture are discussed, as are the possible impacts of climate change. The author explains how sustainable wine production requires grape growers and winemakers to take care of the soil and minimize the impact of their activities on the environment. This book is a practical guide for viticulturists and for the lay reader who is seeking general information about soils, but who may also wish to pursue in more depth the influence of different soil types on vine performance and wine character. Understanding Vineyard Soils will discuss new developments, especially in precision viticulture and organic viticulture. The introduction will address new technologies (near and remote sensing, digital soil mapping) as well as traditional soil classification.
Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook, Third Edition, by the National Committee on Soil and Terrain. 2009. Australian. CSIRO Publishing. 264 pp.
The Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook has been widely used throughout Australia, providing one reference set of definitions for the characterisation of landform, vegetation, land surface, soil and substrate. The book advocates that a comprehensive suite of land and soil attributes be recorded in a uniform manner. This approach is more useful than the allocation of land or soil to preconceived types or classes. The third edition includes revised chapters on location and vegetation as well as some new landform elements. These updates have been guided by the National Committee on Soil and Terrain, a steering committee comprising representatives from key federal, state and territory land resource assessment agencies.
Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in a Sustainable Rice-Wheat Cropping System, by Mahajan, Anil, Gupta, R.D. Springer, 2009. 268 p., Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-9874-1.
India’s rice and wheat crops are in crisis a dangerous situation for a nation where 75 per cent of the population depends on agriculture for a living. Today’s falling or static yields in these two key crops have been the result of the intensification of agriculture from the 1960s on. That so-called Green Revolution, which depended heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, saw crop production keep pace with population growth until the end of the last millennium. Today, however, the sector is suffering from depleted soils and reduced ground water levels. Past excesses have even left the current generation of farmers with health hazards. The authors of this volume, experts in agriculture and agronomy in the subcontinent, say a new approach is needed. India’s population will rise from today’s 1.18 billion people to as many as 1.5 billion by 2020, with 25 per cent more mouths to feed. Not only that, but agriculture’s pre-eminent place in the country’s economy, where it is 18 per cent of total GDP and the biggest single export sector, make any problem in the industry one of national importance.
Guidelines of the soil survey and data informatization methods (Linee guida dei metodi di rilevamento e informatizzazione dei dati pedologici) In Italian, with extended English abstract, Edoardo A. C. Costantini editor. CRA-ABP.Paperback, 280 p., CD-Rom, ISBN 9788890352102.
Soil knowledge is an essential element for the environment protection and for agricultural and soil use planning. The guidelines of the methods for soil investigation and data informatization is the reference text for Italy, supported and created under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry Policies. It collects the experiences of several national and regional research and academic Institutes on soil survey at different scales and makes reference to the European and International standards. The book is freely distributed on request to: CRA-ABP Piazza D’Azeglio30 Firenze 50121 Italy (adding 3.95 euros in stamps).
Hormones and Pharmaceuticals Generated by Concentrated Animal Feeding OperationsHormones and Pharmaceuticals Generated by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Transport in Water and Soil. By Shore, Laurence S.; Pruden, Amy (Eds.) Springer, 2009, X, 138 p. 23 illus., Hardcover. ISBN: 978-0-387-92833-3.
This book examines how hormones, antibiotics and pharmaceuticals generated from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) of cattle, poultry, swine and aquaculture are transported in water and soil. Little is known of the environmental fate of the tons of physiologically active steroid hormones released each year. In the last 20 years considerable attention has been given to a wide variety of natural and anthropomorphic agents known as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). While some advances in the understanding of the fate of these compounds in water has been made, little is known about the processes that govern their transport in soil or how they eventually reach groundwater. It is somewhat of a mystery how steroids, with their lipophilic nature, strong binding to humic acids and extensive metabolism by soil bacteria, can be transported through even a few centimeters of soil, let alone 20 to 40 meters to the groundwater. With respect to antibiotics, the emphasis is on their fate and transport in the environment and on the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Impacts on soil ecology, including the impact of antibiotics on the metabolism of other active agents, is also discussed. Similarly, the acaricides and insecticides used in animal husbandry are widely used and their environmental pathways have been studied and have significant impacts on soil and dung ecology. Active compounds with potential environmental impacts, such as growth promoters generated from CAFOs, are described.
Soil Science. Edited By A.E. Hartemink, A.B. McBratney and R.E. White. Earthscan Reference Collections 2009. 1667 pages. ISBN 9781844076468.
This four-volume set, edited by leading experts in soil science, brings together in one collection a series of papers that have been fundamental to the development of soil science as a defined discipline. Some of the papers were first published many years ago, but they remain classics in their fields and retain their relevance to the understanding of current issues. The papers have been selected with the assistance of an eminent international editorial board. The set includes a general introduction and each volume is introduced by a new overview essay, placing the selected papers in context. The range of subject matter is considerable, including traditional subjects such as soil genesis, physics and mineralogy, applied disciplines such as soils and hydrology, land degradation and plant nutrition, as well as more contemporary topics such as soil pollution, land use and environmental change. Overall, the set provides students and teachers, confronted with thousands of journal articles, book chapters and grey literature stretching back over nearly a century, with a ready-made selection of and commentary on the most important key writings in soil science. It will be an essential reference for libraries concerned with earth sciences, environmental studies, agriculture and forestry.
Soil and CultureSoil and Culture. By Landa, Edward R.; Feller, Christian (Eds.). Springer, 2009, Approx. 500 p., Hardcover. ISBN: 978-90-481-2959-1.
Soil has been called the final frontier of environmental research. The critical role of soil in biogeochemical processes is tied to its properties and place/porous, structured, and spatially variable, it serves as a conduit, buffer, and transformer of water, solutes and gases. Yet what is complex, life-giving, and sacred to some, is ordinary, even ugly, to others. This is the enigma that is soil. Soil and Culture explores the perception of soil in ancient, traditional, and modern societies. It looks at the visual arts (painting, textiles, sculpture, architecture, film, comics and stamps), prose & poetry, religion, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, wine production, health & diet, and disease & warfare. Soil and Culture explores high culture and popular culture from the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch to the films of Steve McQueen. It looks at ancient societies and contemporary artists. Contributors from a variety of disciplines delve into the mind of Carl Jung and the bellies of soil eaters, and explore Chinese paintings, African mud cloths, Mayan rituals, Japanese films, French comic strips, and Russian poetry. This is a non traditional volume which will serve the soil science community well while also reaching a broader earth science community such as geologists and geographers, as well as in the arts and social science communities.
Soils, Society & Global Change. EU JRC, 2009.
This book highlights how our ability to manage soils plays an important role in global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity reduction, food and water security, and economic and social progress. It explores policy and legal challenges, knowledge management issues, and the crucial role of soil in the successful implementation of the global environmental conventions. The book concludes with the Programme for Action which includes a number of proactive recommendations on how global policies can be improved to protect soil as a resource.
Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater. By: Krishna R. Reddy, Claudio Cameselle. ISBN: 978-0-470-38343-8. Wiley, 2009.
Electrochemical technologies are emerging as important approaches for effective and efficient pollution remediation, both on their own and in concert with other remediation techniques. Electrochemical Remediation Technologies for Polluted Soils, Sediments and Groundwater provides a systematic and clear explanation of fundamentals, field applications, as well as opportunities and challenges in developing and implementing electrochemical remediation technologies. Written by leading authorities in their various areas, the text summarizes the latest research and offers case studies that illustrate equipment, installation, and methods employed in real-world remediations. Divided into nine sections, the coverage includes: Introduction and fundamental principles; Remediation of heavy metals and other inorganic pollutants; Remediation of organic pollutants; Remediation of mixed contaminants; Electrokinetic barriers; Integrated (coupled) technologies; Mathematical modeling; Economic and regulatory considerations; Field applications and performance assessment.
Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics for Sedimentary and Residual Soils. By: Laurence D. Wesley. ISBN: 978-0-470-37626-3. Wiley, 2009.
Despite its prevalence in under-developed parts of the United States and most tropical and sub-tropical countries, residual soil is often characterized as a mere extension of conventional soil mechanics in many textbooks. Now, with the rapid growth of construction in these regions, it is essential to gain a fuller understanding of residual soils and their properties one that’s based on an integrated approach to the study of residual and sedimentary soils. One text puts this understanding well within reach: Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics for Sedimentary and Residual Soils. The first resource to provide equal treatment of both residual and sedimentary soils and their unique engineering properties, this skill-building guide offers: A concise introduction to basic soil mechanics, stress-strain behavior, testing, and design; In-depth coverage that spans the full scope of soil engineering, from bearing capacity and foundation design to the stability of slopes; A focus on concepts and principles rather than methods, helping you avoid idealized versions of soil behavior and maintain a design approach that is consistent with real soils of the natural world; An abundance of worked problems throughout, demonstrating in some cases that conventional design techniques applicable to sedimentary soils are not valid for residual soils; Numerous end-of-chapter exercises supported by an online solutions manual.
Water Scarcity, Land Degradation and Desertification in the Mediterranean Region.Environmental and Security Aspects. Proceedings of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series . Rubio, J.L.; Safriel, U.; Daussa, R.; Blum, W.E.H.; Pedrazzini, F. (Eds.). Springer 2009. ISBN: 978-90-481-2525.
This book is the outcome of an international workshop promoted and organised by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and by the Science for Peace and Security Programme of NATO. Its focus is the emerging issue of environment and security aspects in terms of water scarcity, land degradation and desertification in the Mediterranean Region. This region has been identified as one of the most vulnerable areas with respect to environmental security threats. Conversely, due to its climatic and topographic features, the cross-boundary dimension of the Mediterranean Basin, and its mix of cultural, political and economic diversity, the region also represents an area that poses the potential for social and political instability. The Euro-Mediterranean Region is affected by frequent severe environmental events, such as forest fires, floods and landslides, droughts, torrential rains, heat waves and water scarcity. The Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean undergo even more harsh environmental impacts affecting the availability of water resources and the soil quality & productivity. These environmental conditions contribute to the development of negative processes, like social marginalization, conflicts and migrations.
Holistic approach to biodiversity and bioindication in soil. By Cenci, R.M. and Jones , R.J.A. (Eds). Office for the Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009.
To study and investigate soil biodiversity is a difficult task because of the complex interactions that exist in soil and the need for considerable expertise to undertake the necessary investigations. The factors that influence biodiversity are diverse: some are natural, for example soil acidity, water retention, temperature and organic matter content, others are anthropogenic, for example human population pressure. This report summarises the results of the multidisciplinary BIO-BIO study of biodiversity.
Soil Biochemistry. By Konrad Haider & Andreas Schaffer. Science Publishers, 1009. ISBN 978-1-57808-579-8; 132 pages.
Soils play a central role in the conversion of organic matter and element fluxes because of the large number of microorganisms present in the soil. In this book the more important processes that are driven by microbiological activity are discussed.
It will be of interest to students of chemistry, biology, ecology, soil science and related areas. Researchers from these fields will profit from extended literature surveys in each chapter comprising important findings from early as well as the most recent investigations. Contents: 1. Soil and Soil Life; 2. Aerobic and Anaerobic Degradation of Monomer and Polymer Plant Constituents by Soil Microorganisms; 3. Humus and Humification; 4. Turnover of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulfur in Soils and Sediments; 5. Composting and Fermentation of Organic Materials; 6. Trace Gases in Soil; 7. Heavy Metals as Pollutants: Toxicity, Environmental Aspects, Resistance and Biotechnological Aspects.
Towards a Soil Information System with quantified accuracy. Three approaches for stochastic simulation of soil maps. D.J. Brus & G.B.M. Heuvelink, WOT Natuur & Milieu. ISBN: ISSN 1871-028X. Soil maps are usually constructed such that these provide the best estimate of the spatial distribution of the soil. However, the estimates contained in the soil map are typically based on limited knowledge and limited information. To acknowledge that soil maps are not free of errors, the uncertainty in the estimates may be represented with probability distributions. This report uses (geo)statistical methods to derive maps of soil type and soil properties from soil observations and explanatory information. A principal property of these methods is that these do not only produce a map but also quantify the associated uncertainty. Also, rather than storing maps, the new prototype Soil Information System stores geostatistical models and their input data, such that a map can be made upon request with the latest information available. Quantified uncertainty is needed, among others, to analyze how uncertainty propagates through process models that use soil maps as input. Methods are illustrated with examples from the Netherlands. Freely downloadable here: http://library.wur.nl/way/bestanden/clc/1866662.pdf.
Nitrogen Fixation in Crop Production, by David W. Emerich and Hari B. Krishnan (Eds). Hardcover, 422 pages, 2009; ASA, CSSA, SSSA. Agron. Monogr. 52. ISBN: 978-0-89118-170-5.
The only book of its kind to present the science, application, and politics of the use of nitrogen-fixing crop plants across the globe in various environments, Nitrogen Fixation in Crop Production is a problem-solving look forward to the next Green Revolution. Nitrogen fixation can help provide a growing population with a nutritious, environmentally friendly, sustainable food supply. From new “omics” approaches to the role of nitrogen fixation in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, from farming strategies in nonindustrialized nations to nitrogen fixation in the global economy, scientists will find the key issues and expanding research areas, and how they contribute to the next wave of advancements related to agriculture and the environment.
The Role of Fertilizer in Integrated Plant Nutrient Management, by Mark Alley and Bernard Vanlauwe, IFA Paris, 2009.
This booklet is written for farmers, students, researchers, extension personnel, agribusiness representatives and policy makers to provide an overview of the concepts of Integrated Plant Nutrient Management (IPNM) and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM). Integrated Plant Nutrient Management focuses on efficiently utilizing all available sources of essential nutrients for crops. Integrated Soil Fertility Management provides a framework for managing soil fertility to sustain and improving soil quality and production capacity. The combination of these concepts provides a holistic view of providing plant nutrients and maintaining and/or enhancing soil productivity. Specific aspects of IPNM and ISFM are discussed, as well as the use of nutrient budgets for assessing nutrient use on a farm, watershed, regional or national basis. It is hoped that this booklet will lead to more efficient use of plant nutrients for increasing food production and sustaining and increasing soil productivity in an environmentally sensitive manner. You can download it at: www.fertilizer.org or order hardcopies from the IFA Secretariat sending an e-mail to publications@fertilizer.org.
Soil: Earth’s living skin (Dossiers d’Agropolis International n-8), by Benoit Jaillard (INRA) and Roland Poss (IRD), 52 pp. 2009 (in French and English).
The main objective of this dossier is to provide a better understanding and a better knowledge of the competence and of the potential of the several hundreds of scientists involved in soil research and teaching located in southern Francea major European hub of activities in soil science. It also aims at facilitating the contacts for the development of scientific and technical exchanges and cooperations. This dossier was certified by the French committee of the International Year of Planet Earth. Table of content: Soils produce food and clothing for people; Soils regulate inland water flow; Soils regulate biogeochemical nutrient and pollutant cycling; Soils are living environments that harbour multifunctional organisms; Soils maintain an evolutionary record of ecosystems and humankind. Download this brochure here: www.agropolis.org/pdf/Dossiers-Sols-Eng-52p.pdf Contact: Nathalie Villem jeanne, Agropolis International villemejeanne@agropolis.fr
Frontiers in Soil Science Research: Report of a Workshop, by the Steering Committee for Frontiers in Soil Science Research, National Research Council. Paperback, 80 pages, 2009; National Academies Press. ISBN: 978-0-309-13891-8. http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12666.html
Interest in soil science has been renewed with the recognition that biogeochemical processes occurring at the Earth’s surface influence global climate change, land degradation and remediation, soil and water conservation and quality, food sufficiency and safety, and many other issues pertinent to the stewardship of land and water resources. Addressing these challenges will require advances in soil science research that need to be communicated to all stakeholders. In December 2005, the National Academies convened the Frontiers in Soil Science Research Workshop, summarized in this volume, to identify emerging research areas by addressing the interaction of soil science subdisciplines, collaborative research with other disciplines, and the use of new technologies in research.
Manual of Methods for Soil and Land Evaluation. Editor Edoardo A. C. Costantini. Science Publishers, Enfield, 2009. 600 pp. ISBN 978-1-57808-571-2.
The goal of the manual is to supply an operational tool for pedologists, agronomists, environmentalists, and all of the other specialists who carry out land evaluation for agriculture and forestry or, more generally, stakeholders and policy makers who make decisions at the local level based on the knowledge of the nature of soil. Discussion of the topics is not only technical and operational, but also in-depth and didactic; therefore, the text may also be used as a valid complement for students majoring in subjects that involve soil use, management and conservation. The literature offers a wide choice of possible soil and land evaluation methods, while knowledge of the relationships existing between the physical characteristics of lands, particularly those of soils, and the requirements of specific uses is limited.
Chemical Elements in Plants and Soil: Parameters Controlling EssentialityChemical Elements in Plants and Soil: Parameters Controlling Essentiality. By Franzle, Stefan 2009, Approx. 180 p., Hardcover ISBN: 978-90-481-2751-1.
Earlier works on plant essential elements have revealed a series of complicated, counter-intuitive relationships among various chemical elements in different plant species, due to both unlike usage of certain elements in plants and to different carriers effecting resorption and transport. In an attempt to provide a more coherent theory behind plant mineral nutrition, this groundbreaking book adopts a very different approach from the existing literature, presenting an explanation of the essentiality of chemical elements in biological systems and the application of stoichiometric network analysis (SNA) to the biological system of elements. Starting with data from biochemical environmental analysis, and a discussion of the phenomena involved in metal ion partition and autocatalytic behaviour, conditions and criteria controlling the partition of metals into biomass are investigated. Several rules are derived and investigated in terms of their interaction both in comparisons among contemporary organisms and in terms of evolution. This allows the construction, for example of a map which directly traces the biological feature of essentiality to parameters of coordination chemistry.
Plant Nutrition of Greenhouse CropsPlant Nutrition of Greenhouse Crops. By Sonneveld, Cees, Voogt, Wim. 2009, XV, 431 p., Hardcover ISBN: 978-90-481-2531-9.
Greenhouse cultivation is noted for its high uptake of minerals, consistent climatic conditions, exclusion of natural precipitation and control of salt accumulation. Acknowledging that plant nutrition in greenhouse cultivation differs in many essentials from field production, this volume details specific information about testing methods for soils and substrates in a greenhouse environment. It does so while offering a universally applicable analysis. This is based on the composition of the soil and substrate solutions, methods for the interpretation of tissue tests, and crop responses on salinity and water supply in relation to fertilizer application. Fertilizer additions, related to analytical data of soil and substrate samples, are presented for a wide range of vegetable and ornamental crops. The subject is especially apt now as substrate growing offers excellent possibilities for the optimal use of water and nutrients, as well as the potential for sustainable production methods for greenhouse crops.
Fire Effects on Soils and Restoration Strategies Fire Effects on Soils and Restoration Strategies. Edited by: Artemi Cerd and Peter R. Robichaud. 2009 Science Publishers, USA. ISBN 978-1-57808-526-2.
This book has been published a decade after Fire’s Effects on Ecosystems by DeBano, Neary, and Folliott (1998), and builds on their foundation to update knowledge on natural post-fire processes and describe the use and effectiveness of various restoration strategies that may be applied when human intervention is warranted. The chapters in this book, written by leading scientists, have been compiled to provide relevant and accessible information to students, land managers, and policy-makers as well as other scientists.
Updated 18th January 2011