IUSS Alert 151 (January 2018)

21st World Congress of Soil Science – extension of submission deadline

The 21st World Congress of Soil Science (21WCSS) will take place in Rio de Janeiro, August 12 – 17, 2018. Dedicated to the theme “Soil Science: Beyond food and fuel”, it will review the key role of soil science in answering some of the topical key questions regarding future food and water security, environmental protection and climate change mitigation. So far, there are around 2,800 registered participants.

Abstract submission was extended until January 31, 2018. The rule is that each participant can submit only one abstract. There is no limit for the number of co-authors. Abstracts from invited speakers (Conferences, Interdivisional symposia) do not need approval and will be requested in time. The invited speakers can submit one regular abstract to one of the divisional symposia.

Other important dates:

Abstract acceptance after March 15, 2018
Early registration ends March 31, 2018
Regular registration until May 12, 2018

Read more: https://tropicsu.org/

Ewart A. FitzPatrick (1926 -2018)

Dr. Ewart A. FitzPatrick has been internationally recognised for his great contributions to soil science, especially genesis, classification and micropedology. Throughout over 50 years of his scientific activity he published a large number of original papers and widely known textbooks on soil science, from which several were re-edited in English and translated in Spanish. His creative textbooks have greatly contributed to the possibilities that soil micromorphology can offer. Also his case studies, dealing with rock weathering, glacial and periglacial features in soils, soil morphology, as well as soil classification and genesis, brought important original contributions. Very recently he prepared brilliant tutorial CD-ROMS: “Interactive Soils” (1999), “Horizon Identification” (2003), “Soil Microscopy and Micromorphology” (2005).

Dr. FitzPatrick made great effort to provide with better understanding of phenomena occurring in the soil. He organised several international courses on soil micromorphology (Scotland, Argentina, UK, Italy) and he widely disseminated thorough knowledge on soil micromorphology by numerous seminars and lectures organised in 19 countries. The impact of Dr. E.A. FitzPatrick on soil research, teaching and service was based on his cordial and decent personality, always provoked enthusiasm for soil science in many students and colleagues. His achievements were awarded by the Silver Medal of the British Society of Soil Science, in 1996 by the Kubiëna Medal of the International Soil Science Society, and in 2006 the Philippe Duchaufour Medal (EGU), for his new and original insights in soil genesis, classification and micromorphology, which have had a great impact on the development of soil science.

By Prof. Rosa M. Poch

Herman Mücher (1935-2017)

We regret to inform you that Dr. Herman Mücher passed away on Saturday December 30th, in Valkenburg (The Netherlands). Herman Mücher was born on March 13th, 1935 in Heerlen (The Netherlands). From 1957 till 1967 he studied Physical Geography and Soil Science at the University of Amsterdam, where he also got his PhD degree in 1986. From 1964 till his retirement in 1997, he was respectively research assistant and senior lecturer at the same university. In addition to many short stays abroad, such as at the CSIRO in Australia, he worked at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogjakarta (Indonesia) (1976-1977) and at the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning in Nagpur (India) (1982-1984).

His main study topics were process micromorphology, palaeopedology and experimental geomorphology, all based on micromorphological research. He was author of more than 60 papers mainly in international journals and books, and participated in many international congresses, often as invited speaker. For his important contributions the micromorphology he was awarded in 2006 the Kubiëna Award of the IUSS. Herman Mücher was not only an excellent scientist, but moreover in the first place a warm and social person.

By Prof. Georges Stoops

General News

International Science Council

The new merged organization – the International Science Council – will be launched at a founding General Assembly in Paris, France from 3 to 5 July 2018. Science magazine published the editorial “Blurring disciplinary boundaries” by Gordon McBean, and Alberto Martinelli on the new International Science Council website. Following the decision to merge in October 2017 at the Joint Meetings in Taipei, members of ISSC and ICSU will be asked to vote in an electronic General Assembly to finalize the legal implementation of the ICSU-ISSC Merger Agreement. This electronic General Assembly will be held 11-16 May 2018.

[Source: IUGG Electronic Journal Volume 18 Number 1 (1 January 2018)]

LUCAS Soil, the largest expandable soil dataset for Europe

LUCAS Soil represents the largest harmonized open-access dataset of topsoil properties available for the European Union. It was developed as an expandable resource, with the possibility to add new properties and sampling locations during successive sampling campaigns. Approximately 45,000 soil samples have been collected from two time-periods, 2009–2012 and 2015.

Data are available to the scientific community and decision makers, thus contributing to both research and the development of the land-focused policy agenda. A recent review describes the past LUCAS assessment, the current ongoing one (LUCAS 2015) and the proposed modules for the 2018 LUCAS topsoil survey. Finally, you can find information and statistics on how the LUCAS has been used to develop additional pan-European datasets and which are the main users:

The Global Soil Organic Carbon Map (GSOCmap)

The Global Soil Partnership (GSP) and the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS) launched a global endeavor to develop the Global Soil Organic Carbon map (GSOCmap) using a country-driven approach as part of the Global Soil Information System (GLOSIS). GSP provided technical support and on-the-job training to most countries to produce national SOC maps according to standardized specifications. The Global Soil Organic Carbon map V1.0 is an important stepping stone to better know the current Soil Organic Carbon stock stored beneath our feet and soils’ potential for further sequestration. The data are also available as Geotiff.

Aapresid is distinguished as Soil Conservation Champion by FAO

This award is to acknowledge institutions’ trajectory and achievements in its role as “soil guardians”. The GLINKA World Soil Prize is granted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations- FAO whose slogan is “The care of the planet begins with the ground”. The President of the Argentine No till Farmers Association (Aapresid), Mr. Pedro Vigneau, participated in the World Soil Day ceremony held on December 5th in Rome.

“This recognition is to the Argentine farmers whose agriculture is 91% based on No Till”, said the President of Aapresid in his speech. “This positions the No Till system agriculture as a referent in soil conservation, so this sustainability diploma turns us into natural resources protectors who provide more opportunities for interaction, dialogue and joint work”, said Santiago Nocelli Pac, Manager of Aapresid Prospective Program, and added: “They do not reward us only for producing more, but for producing and conserving”.

Aapresid was born thirty years ago due to the interest of a group of farmers who worried about the soil erosion. They decided to build collaborative solutions by adopting the technology of conservation agriculture (No till or Zero Tillage) adapting their local machinery for that purpose, sharing experiences and researching with a strong spirit of disruption and innovation to carry out its mission of sustainability.

The Glinka World Soil Prize aims to maintain the momentum generated by the International Year of Soils in 2015. The name of the award is derived from Konstantin Glinka (1867-1927) who was a prominent Russian soil scientist. He was credited for contributing to understand the principles of the geographic distribution of the soil resources and for his extensive exploration activities, mapping and evaluation of vast areas of Siberia, the Far East and Central Asia, as well as for his important studies in mineralogy, chemistry and paleopedology.

[Source: Note from Aapresid by January 10, 2018]

The Surprising Life Inside Frozen Soil

In many places across the U.S., winter soil is blanketed with frost and snow—a seemingly lifeless environment. Although the warmth of spring is still months away, beneath the surface is a different story. Matthew Wallenstein, associate professor of ecosystems science and sustainability at Colorado State University, says there is a wealth of activity as microbes exchange nutrients with soil and root systems even in frozen soils. He’s joined by Colleen Iversen, ecosystem ecologist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to discuss the life that’s teeming in some of the world’s frostiest soils in the Arctic tundra.

First global atlas of the bacteria living in your dirt

What lives in your dirt? University of Colorado Boulder researchers are one step closer to finding out after compiling the first global atlas of soil bacterial communities and identifying a group of around 500 key species that are both common and abundant worldwide. The new study, which appears today in the journal Science, narrows down the immense diversity of soil-dwelling bacteria to a “most wanted” list that will guide future research into the study and manipulation of microorganisms that affect nutrient cycling, soil fertility and other important ecological functions.

13 Soil Scientists to Watch

Soil performs a variety of vital functions, including supporting plant and animal life and filtering contaminants from water and the air. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) asserts that “soils need to be recognized and valued not only for their productive capacities but also for their contribution to the maintenance of key ecosystem services.” Soil not only serves as the basis for food, feed, fuel, and fiber production, but is also central for the provision of clean water, nutrient cycling, and storing carbon.

Soils — New Open Access Journal

Soils (ISSN 2411-5126) is an international scientific open access journal on Soils published quarterly online by MDPI. The first issue has been released in December 2017.

Open Access – free for readers, free publication for well-prepared manuscripts submitted in 2018.
Rapid publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision provided to authors approximately 20 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 4.8 days (median values for papers published in this journal in 2017).

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops

2018

Ag Biotech Summit 2018: Soil Health

20-21 February 2018, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, North Carolina, USA. The 2018 Ag Biotech Summit will focus on the importance of Soil Health, highlighting challenges being faced and the responsibility needed to provide a sustainable future. This event will showcase today’s emerging trends and innovative technologies that are fostering and promoting soil health. Session topics will include soil health and its impacts on plant production, animal and human health, sustainability and land management as well as sustainable economic impacts from physical and biological combinations.

GSOP18 – Global Symposium on Soil Pollution

2 – 4 May 2018. FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy
Deadline for abstract submission: February 15, 2018

10th International symposium on plant-soil interactions at low pH 2018 (10th PSILPH2018)

June 25-29, 2018, Palm Garden Hotel, IOI Resort City, Putrajaya, Malaysia

The Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia in association with Malaysia Society of Soil Science (MSSS), Department of Agriculture of Malaysia and Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), will be organizing the 10th International Symposium on Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH (10th PSILPH). In line with the symposium theme “Achieving Sustainable Food Production on Acid Soils, the 10th PSILPH aims to gather researchers, scientists, experts and academicians in the field of soil science, plant physiology and others to share and discuss the latest research findings and thoughts on current status of agriculture production and practices; thus, ensuring food security and environmental sustainability.

Extended abstract submission deadline: 28 February 2018

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