IUSS News
IUSS Presidential Elections 2020 – status
The election of the next President of the IUSS is due this year. Nominations for two candidates were received, who fulfill the nomination criteria. The IUSS Council shall vote on these two candidates involving the national members until 30 September. The nomination documentation of the candidates is made available on the IUSS website.
Read more: https://www.iuss.org/about-the-iuss/iuss-presidential-election/
IUSS Bulletin 136
Due to unforeseen circumstances editing of IUSS Bulletin 136 has been delayed and we hope to publish it by the end of August. The IUSS Secretariat apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
Pedometron Newsletter No. 45
The latest issue of Pedometron is available. This issue contains the regular items for you to enjoy, including the Pedometrics Comic, Poetry and Pedomathemagica, ‘What’s new in R’ and several conference reports. An important contribution in this issue is the ‘Pedometricians Digital Mind—Mindfulness & Pedometrics’ written by Sabine Grunwald. Not only is this an interesting and creative read, it may actually help you to find some peace of mind in these stressful days.
Read more: http://pedometrics.org/issue-45-of-pedometron/
Newsletter of Commission 1.6
The June issue of the Paleopedology Newsletter is now available on the IUSS website. Among others, it contains information on the new setting for the INQUA Paleopedology Groups, an article on Paleosols of the Old Red Continent by Susan Marriott & Paul Wright, and a contribution on Paleosols in Tibet: A window into geological and anthropogenic past (written by Fei Yang) and a tribute to Alain Ruellan.
Read more: https://www.iuss.org/newsroom/newsletters/paleopedology-newsletters-commission-16/
Tenets of Regenerative Agriculture in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Quarterly Viewpoint from the desk of Rattan Lal, Past President, International Union of Soil Sciences
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the traditional food production and supply chains and aggravated the global problem of food and nutritional insecurity. The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is an important cause for a paradigm shift and reemphasizes the need to focus on strengthening of local food production systems and enhancing their resilience against any future disruptions caused by political or natural perturbations. The global disruption in all aspects of the food supply chain has also enhanced the importance of using the practices of regenerative agriculture (RA), or the soil-centric approach to innovative farming. Therefore, basic tenets must be adhered to for enhancing the adoption and adaptation of RA under site-specific conditions to mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assessing Soil Health | Free Soil Science Society of America Webinar Series
This soil health focused webinar series integrates economics, measurement tools, measurement assessment, and modeling to educate, motivate, and equip Certified Crop Advisers, consultants, and agricultural retailers to engage in soil health management systems. A Soil Science Society of America webinar series produced in partnership with The Soil Health Institute and sponsored by The Walton Family Foundation. FREE to all registrants.
Read more: https://www.soils.org/education/online-courses
[From: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Science Policy Report: 22 July 2020]
Dr. José Luís Colocho (1954 – 2020)
The Latin-American Soil Science Society (SLCS) communicates the loss of one of its national Presidents. On June 27, Dr. José Luís Colocho, President of the Salvadorian Association of Soil Science passed away because of the terrible pandemic that is plaguing our world today.
With his departure, the SLCS not only loses a pedologist but a friend who is a very dear part of our community. May Dr. José Lúis Colocho Ortega rest in peace.
Biography
José Luis Colocho Ortega (1954 – 2020), born in El Salvador was an Agricultural Engineer (ENA – 1976), specialized in Bovinuculture (UFP – 1980), Master on Plant Physiology (UFLA – 1983) and Soil Fertility (UFV – 1987), and D.Sc. in Plant Nutrition (UFV – 1990). For more than 20 years he spearheaded the Soil Science Society of El Salvador, aiming to build up and strengthen the Salvadorian Soil Science.
He was an acting member and collaborator of the Latin-American Soil Science Society and a regular attendant at the Brazilian and Latin-American Congresses of Soil Science. Professionally he distinguished himself as a prolific scientist, businessman, and consultant for the Latin American Coffee Community. He was honored by his peers in El Salvador in the year 2010 as the Agronomist of the Year. José Luis´ impact on the Latin Soil Science community is based on his cordial and friendly personality, provoking enthusiasm for soil science in many students and colleagues. We lost not only an outstanding scientist, but a loving father, friend and colleague who had always a true smile from the heart. We will miss him in so many ways.
[Biography by Luís Carlos Colocho Utarte]
Don Francisco Silva Mojica (1926 – 2020)
With deep regret the Latin-American Soil Science Society communicates the death of Don Francisco Silva Mojica, who was a founding member of the SLCS, our first General Secretary, and distinguished Honorary Member. He was also a founding member of the Colombian Soil Science Society and its President from 1969 to 1970, editor of the scientific journal Suelos Ecuatoriales from 1955 to 2000 and from 1995 to 2004 General Secretary of the Latin-American Soil Science Society (SLCS).
During his tenure as the head of the General Secretariat of the SLCS, he distinguished himself by his constant commitment and persevering will to form a strong Latin-American Soil Science Society committed to Soil Science, and always working in close and respectful collaboration with the International Union of Soil Sciences.
In 2016 the Latin-American Soil Science Society awarded him with the “Distinction to a Whole Life dedicated to Soil Science” and in 2019 he was awarded as its Honorary Member.
Rest in peace Don Francisco Silva Mojica.
[By Laura Bertha Reyes Sánchez, IUSS President-Elect]
General News
Glinka World Soil Prize 2020
Nominations for the Glinka World Soil Prize 2020 are officially open. The prize consists of a USD 15,000 check and a medal. The nomination is open to individuals or organizations that are dynamic change-makers dedicated to solving soil degradation at all levels. If you think you are an eligible candidate, propose your nomination to the GSP country focal point or the closest GSP partner (see list: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/partners/en/).
Submit the nomination form by 30 September 2020 to GSP-Secretariat@fao.org.
Read more: http://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/glinka-world-soil-prize/en/
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
King Bhumibol WSD Award 2020
If you have organized an outstanding WSD event for the 2019 campaign ‘Stop soil erosion, Save our future’, don’t miss the chance to win the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award, edition 2020. The award consists of a medal, a USD 15 000 check and a trip to Thailand. All participants from last year’s campaign can apply.
The call for application should be submitted by 30 September 2020 to GSP Secretariat together with an informative dossier containing proof of success.
Read more: http://www.fao.org/world-soil-day/world-soil-day-award/en
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
The 8th GSP Plenary Assembly, a digital success
The Plenary was held from 3 to 5 June 2020 in a virtual format on the Zoom platform. All official documents were made available online together with the condensed agenda and presentations.
Read more: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/about/plenary-assembly/eight-session-2020/en/
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
Towards the GSSmap
To support the sustainable management of Salt-Affected Soils (SAS), the FAO-GSP is coordinating the development of the Global Soil Salinity Map (GSSmap). This follows a country-driven approach whereby countries will be able to generate their national soil salinity maps. A very intense capacity development programme involved experts from Near East and North Africa, Eurasia, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific.
Read more: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/highlights/detail/en/c/1269946/
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
Contribute to SoiLEX
The GSP is currently developing an innovative tool – SoiLEX – to raise awareness on soil legislation and facilitate the search for national legal instruments and the exchange of experiences in soil governance among countries.
Support the creation of the online platform by answering the SoiLEX questionnaire and join the new Working Group on soil legislation, now!
Read more: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/highlights/detail/en/c/1274929/
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
GLOSOLAN breakthrough
Institutions and experts from around the world are joining efforts thanks to the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) in using spectroscopy technology to support decision-making on soil protection, improve agricultural productivity, reverse land degradation, improve soil assessment, and increase international collaboration.
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
Progress on soil import legislation
The SIMPLE database – a new FAO tool – has just been launched to promote and facilitate the execution of international inter-laboratory comparisons while simplifying the shipment of soil samples between countries for research purposes. It is the result of a global effort led by GLOSOLAN.
Read more: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/highlights/detail/en/c/1295934/
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
Video on soil biodiversity
Discover how soil biodiversity is a key provider of ecosystem services and one of the main nature-based solutions to face all the current global challenges.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbdsHOnd_gw
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
WSD post-campaign
World Soil Day (WSD) 2019 ‘Stop soil erosion, Save our future’ was celebrated in 100 countries with over 560 events. Media coverage reached 653 million. BBC, Al Jazeera, the New York Times covered the theme “Stop soil erosion, Save our future”.
On Twitter #WorldSoilDay reached 400 million users.
Discover the highlights of the WSD in video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WCfg7jfpw&feature=youtu.be
Read more: http://www.fao.org/3/ca8233en/ca8233en.pdf
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
Webinar: RECSOIL
The GSP webinar ‘Recarbonization of global soils’ held on 17 June 2020, with 1452 participants from 136 countries, discussed the importance of RECSOIL, as a new tool that supports national and regional greenhouse gas mitigation and carbon sequestration initiatives by incentivizing SSM through tradable carbon credits. The presentations, recording and the report are now available:
Presentations: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/events/detail/en/c/1277609/
Listen to the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4P634TQ9kA&feature=youtu.be
The report can be downloaded here: http://www.fao.org/3/ca9925en/ca9925en.pdf
Read more: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/events/detail/en/c/1277609/
[From: Global Soil Partnership newsletter No 28, 9 July 2020]
Call for Collaboration in Soil Organisms
Raúl Ochoa-Hueso and colleagues recently published a call for collaboration in Soil Organisms called “Ecosystem and biogeochemical coupling in terrestrial ecosystems under global change: A roadmap for synthesis and call for data.” For more information, see their article in Soil Organisms. Please be aware that this is not an RFP, and there is no available funding. This is only a call for data and collaboration, deadline: July 31, 2020
Read more: http://www.soil-organisms.org/index.php/SO/article/view/121
[From: GSBI (Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative ) newsletter, July 2020]
How global changes affect soil microbial biodiversity and function
Biodiversity of plants and animals on the Earth is changing at an unprecedented rate due to a variety of global change factors, such as warming, carbon-dioxide enrichment, altered precipitation, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, nutrient fertilization, land-use change, and their combinations.
Soil microbial communities are surprisingly diverse and abundant. In specific, 1 trillion (1012) microbial species harbor on the Earth, and 1 g soil contains up to 1 billion (109) bacterial cells consisting of tens of thousands of taxa.
[From: GSBI newsletter, July 2020]
Springtails bounce Dr. Adrian Smith into discoveries on Collembola behavior
This past winter I noticed something incredible, actually a bunch of things, right outside my door. The things came crawling out of the ground in my yard. Noticing things crawling out of the ground is part of my job. I’m an entomologist who has specialized in studying ants for the past 15 years. But this was different, these weren’t ants. They weren’t even insects. Covering my back patio, my garbage cans, and the leaf litter were thousands of globular springtails, tiny soil arthropods.
Watch the fascinating video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=38&v=Qu01EUeE5PM&feature=emb_title
[From: GSBI newsletter, July 2020]
Contribute to the Review of the Report for the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment
With reference to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) notification EM/2020/4, the draft scoping report for the transformative change assessment (thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and the determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 vision for biodiversity) is open for external review. The aim of the review is to increase the policy relevance of the scoping report by engaging governments and stakeholders early in the process of defining the policy questions that this assessment will address.
Deadline for contributions: 28 August 2020.
Read more: https://ipbes.net/transformative-change/scoping-document-registration
ISC 2019 Annual Report: Now available online
We are delighted to share the International Science Council’s 2019 Annual Report. In the Council’s first full year of operation we were proud to launch an Action Plan for the coming years, to develop new initiatives and partnerships, and to consolidate existing scientific activities. In line with the Council’s sustainability principles, and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be sending out printed copies of the 2019 Annual Report. Instead, we invite you to browse the Report online, where you will find additional audio-visual content and links to the latest information about the Council’s initiatives. If you have any questions or comments, please contact our Membership Liaison Officer Anne Thieme (Anne.Thieme@council.science).
Read more: https://council.science/annual-report-2019.
Soil offers key to curbing climate change – Efforts to boost carbon capture could offset increases in greenhouse gas emissions
Sarah Singla is a cereal farmer who does not know how to plough. That is a sign not of professional laxness, but of her dedication to the conservation agriculture that her father embraced. Since taking over the 100-hectare family farm in the southern French department of Aveyron a decade ago, Ms Singla has further developed the practices he initiated in 1980.
Conservation agriculture aims to minimise or suppress tillage, ensure that soil always has a cover crop, and use crop rotation to enhance soil fertility.
More work crucial to ensure our soil recovers from bushfires – Australian Academy of Science publishes bushfire expert brief
The Australian Academy of Science has published a bushfire expert brief titled Soil Conditions After Bushfires. The brief is calling for a nationally consistent approach to soil data collection, storage and access to aid recovery from the 2019-20 bushfire season.
The global odyssey of plastic pollution
Scientists who once studied microplastics (plastic debris <5 mm in size) as ocean pollutants have now detected them in soils, biota, and Earth’s atmosphere. To decipher the global fate of microplastics, scientists have begun to ask questions about the “microplastic cycle,” which is akin to global biogeochemical cycles (nitrogen, carbon, and water). For example, what are the sources of microplastics, and how do they transform as they move from one pool (e.g., a beach, inside an organism, or a river bed) to another? And what processes (“fluxes”) transfer microplastics between pools? On page 1257 of this issue, Brahney et al. (1) report high-resolution spatial and temporal data that provide evidence of both global and regional microplastic transport, thus increasing our understanding of the microplastic cycle.
Read more: http://www.sciencemag.org/about/science-licenses-journal-article-reuse
Plutonium and Cesium inventories in European topsoils
The two radionuclides (cesium, plutonium) were released during military nuclear tests, particularly in the 1960s, but cesium also during the Chernobyl accident in 1986. A group of researchers used 160 samples from a European LUCAS topsoil database (2009) from undisturbed soils to develop the Cs and Pu footprint in European soils. The produced maps help to understand the magnitude of the fallout sources, establish a baseline in case of future radionuclide fallout and define a baseline for geomorphological reconstructions of soil redistribution due to soil erosion processes. The dataset includes the Baseline Caesium-137 topsoil (0-20cm), Baseline Plutonium-239+240 topsoil, the Chernobyl-derived 137Cs and Global-derived 137Cs. Details on how this dataset has been developed can be found in the relevant publication.
Read more: https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/themes/plutonium-and-cesium-inventories-european-topsoils
[From ESDAC Newsletter No 122, May-June 2020]
Caring for soil is caring for life
“Caring for Soil is Caring for Life” is the title of the mission proposed by the Soil Health and Food Mission Board. The mission’s goal is to “ensure that 75% of soils are healthy by 2030 and are able to provide essential ecosystem services”, such as the provision of food and other biomass, supporting biodiversity, storing and regulating the flow of water, or mitigating the effects of climate change. The target corresponds to a 100% increase of healthy soils against the current baseline. This interim report sets out the vision and the blueprint to reach this ambition through a combination of research and innovation, training and advice, as well as the demonstration of good practices for soil management using “Living labs” and “Lighthouses”.
[From ESDAC Newsletter No 122, May-June 2020]
Conferences, Meetings and Workshops
The outbreak of the Corona virus is clearly a rapidly evolving situation. The organizers of the meetings listed below are constantly reviewing the situation in the light of global and country-specific advice to inform decisions to minimize the additional risks to attendees, their communities and those living in the meeting’s host country.
The IUSS will also continue to monitor the situation, and advise that prior to attending meetings our members review up to date information from their country’s government, the WHO and from the host country to ensure that everyone’s health and wellbeing remains a priority.
2020
1st International Conference on Sustainable Tropical Land Management (ICSTLM) 2020
16-18 September 2020, Virtual meeting
Theme: “Adapting Land Management to Climate Change and Combating Land Degradation to Increase Resilience of Agricultural System”
Deadline for abstract submission: 3 August 2020
Conference website: https://seminarbbsdlp.id/icstlm/index.php/en/
Flyer: https://seminarbbsdlp.id/icstlm/images/Download/Poster_ICSTLM_2020.pdf
2021
Changes to previously announced conferences, meetings and workshops
WRB Workshop Summer 2021
20-25 June 2021, Toruń, Poland
!Postponed from September 2020!
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/summerwrb/home
Soils Conference 2021 – Soils, investing in our future
27 June – 2 July 2021, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
!Postponed from Nov./Dec. 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic!
Soil Science Australia and New Zealand Society of Soil Science’s joint conference
Website: https://www.soilscienceaustralia.org.au/2021-joint-conference/
Download: media/ssa_nzsss_ppt_conference_slides.pptx
XIVth International symposium and field workshop on paleopedology (ISFWP-XIV) – Paleosols, pedosediments and landscape morphology as archives of environmental changes
8- 18 August 2021, Altai, Russia
!Postponed from August 2020!
Website: http://isfwp.100igras.ru/
Download: media/2_circular_xiv-isfwp-2020.pdf
Global Symposium on Salt-Affected Soils
13-16 September 2021, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
The symposium will be organized by FAO-GSP, ITPS, the Government of Uzbekistan and the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS).
Read more: http://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/events/detail/en/c/1264612/
2020 ASA, CSSA & SSSA Annual Meeting
8-11 November 2020, Virtual meeting
Abstract submission deadline: July 31, 2020
Website: https://www.acsmeetings.org/
2nd joint workshop on digital soil mapping and GlobalSoilMap WGs
14-18 December 2020, Goa, India
Abstract submission is open until September 1, 2020
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/soilmapping2020
New announcements
8th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture
June 21-24, 2021, Zollikofen, Bern, Switzerland
New abstracts can be submitted from now on until January 15th, 2021
The online registration process will re-open on September 1st, 2020
Conference website: https://8wcca.org/
Download 4th announcement: https://www.iuss.org/media/4th_announcement_def.pdf
For the complete list of upcoming events, please see the event calendar on the IUSS website: https://www.iuss.org/meetings-events/
New publications
Soil Proverbs
By Paola Adamo, Gian Franco Capra, Andrea Vacca, Gilmo Vianello. 1st edition published in 2020 by Edizioni dell’Orso, Alessandria (Italy), with the contribution of the Italian Society of Soil Science. 243 Pages, ISSN 2704-9183, ISBN 978-88-3613-032-0, price hardcover 25,00 €
With this book, the Italian Society of Soil Science (SISS) wants to offer to a wide audience, made up of readers who are not necessarily “insiders”, an invaluable collection of soil proverbs enriched by the dialectal cadences of thirteen regions and an autonomous province of Italy. The book contains around 300 proverbs, which preserve and transmit knowledge of the soil and its management that has its roots in daily experience and the reflective capacity of those who preceded us. The translation and explanation in Italian and English are reported for each proverb.
The recovery of the past, in this case of the oral tradition of proverbs, expresses the meaning and the value that the soil had for the generations that preceded us, as well as the very topical awareness of the importance of preserving and enhancing it so that it can also benefit the future generations.
The publication of this volume takes place in continuity with the spirit that has always been the hallmark of the SISS, keen to promote the spread of Soil Science and its applications, and to stimulate active collaboration among its afficionados. Furthermore, the volume is part of the activities and objectives of the International Decade of Soils (2015-2024), proclaimed by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) to raise awareness and promote the vital importance of the soil for human life on planet Earth.
Read more: https://www.ediorso.it/proverbi-del-suolo-soil-proverbs.html/
Sustainable Agriculture – Advances in Technological Interventions
By Ajoy Kumar Singh, Vishwa Bandhu Patel. 1st edition published May 20, 2020 by Apple Academic Press, 560 Pages – 9 Color & 72 B/W Illustrations, ISBN 9780429325830, price hardback GBP 117.60 (will be shipped after September 16), VitalSource eBook Purchase – GBP 117.60; 6 Month Rental – GBP 73.50, 12 Month Rental – GBP 88.20.
This new volume looks at the evolution and challenges of sustainable agriculture, a field that is growing in use and popularity, discussing some of the important ideas, practices, and policies that are essential to an effective sustainable agriculture strategy. The book features 25 chapters written by experts in crop improvement, natural resource management, crop protection, social sciences, and product development. The volume provides a good understanding of the use of sustainable agriculture and the sustainable management of agri-horticultural crops, focusing on eco-friendly approaches, such as the utilization of waste materials. Topics include ecofriendly plant protection measures, climate change and natural resource management, tools to mitigate the effect of extreme weather events, agrochemical research and regulation, soil carbon sequestration, water and nutrient management in agricultural systems, and more.
Managing Soils and Terrestrial Systems
By Brian D. Fath, Sven Erik Jorgensen. 2nd edition published July 5, 2020 by CRC Press, 642 Pages – 182 B/W Illustrations, ISBN 9781138342651, price hardback GBP 100.00, VitalSource eBook Purchase – GBP 35.99; 6 Month Rental – GBP 22.50, 12 Month Rental – GBP 27.00.
Bringing together a wealth of knowledge, Environmental Management Handbook, Second Edition, gives a comprehensive overview of environmental problems, their sources, their assessment, and their solutions. Through in-depth entries and a topical table of contents, readers will quickly find answers to questions about environmental problems and their corresponding management issues. This six-volume set is a reimagining of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, published in 2013, and features insights from more than 400 contributors, all experts in their field.
In this third volume, Managing Soils and Terrestrial Systems, the general concepts and processes of the geosphere with its related soil and terrestrial systems are introduced. It explains how these systems function and provides strategies on how to best manage them. It serves as an excellent resource for finding basic knowledge on the geosphere systems and includes important problems and solutions that environmental managers face today. This book practically demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used in studying environmental management.
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