IUSS Alert 201 (March 2022)

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IUSS News

WCSS 2022 News

Attend the World Congress

It is now only four months until the World Congress of Soil Science takes place at the SEC in Glasgow. Taking place from 31 July – 5 August, the Congress themed Crossing Boundaries, Changing Society will see upwards of 2,500 international soil scientists, practitioners, and policy makers attend. Over 400 oral presentations split by theme, and 1,000 posters and accompanying media are expected with a dedicated policy programme inviting views and debate on the hot topics of real-world applications in soil science. Accompanying the scientific and policy programmes will be a diverse selection of industry exhibitors, soil tours, fringe events, training, a gala dinner and an arts and culture programme, Our Living Soil.

Soil Judging Training Days

Opportunities to access high-quality education and training in soil science are rare, which is why BSSS has opened the training days of the WCSS22 Soil Judging Competition to individual booking! Running on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 July at the University of Stirling, the training covers a range of subjects in the morning, before practical demonstrations and field trips in the afternoon. For more information, and to book, visit our website.

Book now: https://britishsocietyofsoilscience.wildapricot.org/event-4732970

Join the WCSS 2022 As A Sponsor

The World Congress is an ideal opportunity to promote your brand to 2,500 expected international participants. We have a range of opportunities available including hosting satellite symposia, sponsoring activities such as the online event portal and gala dinner, or hosting a stand at the event. Contact wcss2022@speak.co.uk for further information.

Become a sponsor: https://22wcss.org/about-us/exhibition/

[News on WCSS22 are from The British Society of Soil Science Newsletter, 10 March 2022]

Recipients of the IUSS Awards 2022

The IUSS is proud to announce the awardees of the prestigious IUSS Awards in 2022 and congratulates them on their great scientific achievements:

Professor Emeritus Nicola Senesi is the recipient of the 2022 IUSS Dokuchaev Award for his outstanding contributions and achievements in basic soil science research. Prof. Senesi’s distinguished career spanned more than half a century (1967-2021) and focused on the instrumental role of soil systems for both agricultural production and environmental protection. He has successfully applied several novel and advanced chemical, physico-chemical and biochemical methods and spectroscopic techniques to investigate the molecular structures and chemical functionalities soil organic matter, especially humic fractions isolated from a wide variety of soils, organic amendments and waters. He used the same approaches to study from a novel perspective the interactions of pesticides with and the complexation of micronutrient/micropollutant trace metals to humic substances.

The intense and wide research activity and the scientific stature of Prof. Senesi is reflected in his impressive scientific publication record and citations including ranking in the top 1% of scientists in the Stanford University World Ranking of Scientists. Prof. Senesi was also a visionary educator.

Prof. Senesi served in multiple roles in national and international scientific organizations and in the organization of several international and national conferences and symposia. He was an active member in ISSS/IUSS, serving as Chair of Commission II-Soil Chemistry of ISSS and then as Chair of Division II-Soil Properties and Processes of IUSS.

Professor Yong-Guan Zhu is the recipient of the 2022 IUSS Von Liebig Award for his achievements in applied soil science research. Dr. Zhu has made outstanding contributions in the field of soil-plant-microbe interactions, particularly in relation to the biogeochemistry of metals (arsenic), emerging chemicals (antibiotics), and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus).

Dr. Zhu’s research has led to detailed understanding of the effects of arsenic on the global food supply and was the first to characterize the risk of food arsenic to the health of the Chinese population. In addition to arsenic, he has made substantial contributions to the mitigation of risks associated with soil polluted with radionuclides, pioneered the characterization of the environmental antimicrobial resistome (AMR) and developed the field of coupled biogeochemical processes. One of his most enduring contributions is his leadership in promoting multidisciplinary study in applied soil science in China.

Dr. Zhu has also provided leadership to his profession by serving as Vice President of the Chinese Society of Soil Science, Chinese Ecological Society, and the International Society of Trace Element Biogeochemistry; Vice Division Chair of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and Vice President of the International Union of Radioecology.

Dr. Umakant Mishra of the Sandia National Laboratories is the recipient of the 2022 IUSS Jeju Award for his outstanding accomplishments as an early-career soil scientist. Dr. Mishra’s research on terrestrial carbon cycle science has received both national and international recognition. His research has compared the ability of classical spatial statistical analysis with machine learning. He showed that the soil organic carbon prediction accuracy was improved by combining the results from the machine learning analysis approaches. Dr. Mishra has also conducted research on land use change, life cycle analysis, and greenhouse gas emissions in many environments.

In his professional career, Dr. Mishra provided leadership to different committees of various scientific societies/agencies in the U.S. and globally. Scientific contributions of Dr. Mishra received an outstanding associate editor award from the Agronomy Journal in 2014 and the distinguished research award from the Regional and Global Modeling program of U.S. Department of Energy in 2020.

Dr. Mishra’s interdisciplinary research experience, collaborative initiatives with national and international investigators, track record of generating funding, contributions to the scientific literature, and service to scientific societies make him a most deserving recipient of the IUSS Jeju Award.

Results of Election of IUSS officers 2022-2026

Every four years elections of the officers for Divisions and Commissions take place. All officers except the appointed Vice-Chairs of the Divisions can be re-elected for one further term. The election of IUSS officers for 2022-2026 started in September 2021. In total 104 candidates from 26 different countries were nominated, valid votes from 39 national soil science societies (IUSS Full members) were received until January 28, 2022.

Let us congratulate all elected IUSS officers (see list for download below). We are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration.

The term of the elected officers will start at the end of the WCSS 2022, on Aug. 5, 2022.

Download the election results: https://www.iuss.org/media/iuss_officers_election_2021_results.pdf

James Patrick Quirk (1924 – 2022)

Jim Quirk was a Reader in Soil Science at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute from 1956-1962. He then became the Foundation Professor of Soil Science and Head of the Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition at the University of Western Australia from 1963 to 1974. In 1974 he returned to the WAITE Agricultural Research Institute, at the University of Adelaide as Director until his retirement in 1991. Jim Quirk was a renowned soil scientist who helped shape soil science in Australia with a very large number of very significant scientific papers and many significant awards, including the Prescott, AIAS, Farrer Memorial and Mueller Medals, as well as receiving the Order of Australia for his contributions. Since 1998 he was an Honorary Member of IUSS.

Soil Science Australia acknowledges Jim’s tireless contribution to soil science and offers its sincere sympathy to Jim’s family and friends. Based on text from Associate Professor Vanessa Wong CPSS, Federal President of Soil Science Australia

Soil videos now available on YouTube

In 2020, the IUSS Working Group WRB made videos on soil description and classification in German, English and Spanish. In the German video, the German system is used. In the English and the Spanish video, we use the FAO Guidelines (2006) for soil description and the WRB (2015) for soil classification. The videos were originally a result of the pandemics, but may be of general interest. They are available on the homepage of the TUM School of Life Sciences.

As of 16 March 2022, they are also available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-dL7jrqhzwoFfKNLTwGXxQ/videos

News from national soil science societies

Malaysian Society of Soil Science

The Malaysian Society of Soil Science (MSSS) in collaboration with the Institute of Biological Sciences (ISB), Universiti Malaya (UM) will organize the 15^th International Conference of the East and Southeast Asia Federation of Soil Science Societies (ESAFS 2022) to be held in, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on August 22-26, 2022. The theme of the conference is ‘Our Soils Our Future’. https://web.facebook.com/esafs2022

Closing Date for Abstract Submission: 28^th April 2022 esafs2022@gmail.com

Highlights from the national soil science societies 2021/2022 (continuation from Alert 200)

The Finnish Society of Soil Sciences

The Finnish Society of Soil Sciences (FSSS) was established 1971 in Finland. From early on, the FSSS has participated actively in international networks, currently being affiliated to IUSS and ECSSS and involved in a national SoilHub of European Joint Programme project. The FSSS promotes global and national research in soil sciences, by organizing for example field excursions and public seminars. Every second year, a two-day scientific seminar is organized, gathering soil scientists with industry, NGO´s, policy makers and students. Bringing together experts from geology, soil physics and chemistry, plant ecology and molecular microbiology is highly appreciated in the Finnish scientific community. Last year our Society celebrated its 50th birthday, and the logo above is new and was published to highlight the birthday.

Read more: https://www.maapera.fi

STOP SOIL DEGRADATION and the IUSS’s Educative Project to Achieve It

Argentinean Association of Soil Science Society

On the occasion of World Women’s Day, the Argentine Association of Soil Science organized a discussion of “Mujeres-Sueleras (Women in Soil Science)”, which was held on the AACS YouTube channel with the participation of the IUSS President through a video. March, 8 at 6 p. m. Argentinean time.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWnQXve6o4Dv2NnL2FC6t6Q

#MujeresSueleras #MujeresEnCiencia #TheSoilIsLif

Institute of Geology, UNAM

Soil sciences, fertile ground for the development of female scientists in Mexico: Conversation celebrating International Women’s Day.

Spanish Soil Science Society

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, at the Documentation Center for Water and the Environment in Zaragoza, Spain, two experiences were presented for the students: a) the Escape Room “Perfilina” by Carmen Castañeda deñ CSIC and b) the Workshop What is Soil Science? presenting soil experiments for children, which is a workshop coordinated by David Badía (IUCA-Unizar), and Andoni Alfaro, Ana Paula Conte and Alejandra Jiménez as collaborators.

Being Huesca, Spain, a land of cultivation and tillage, David Badía and Carlos Orús investigate the innovative agricultural and tourist techniques as ways of generating knowledge and awareness.

General News

What, where and how do soil animals eat? And why do we need to know?

We all know the early bird catches the worm, but what does the worm catch? What animals that live in soil eat down there is hard to observe but important to know. Studies on what exactly different soil animals feed on, how they are connected by these feeding (trophic) interactions, and how these interactions in turn support the many functions that we expect soils to deliver, have now been compiled and summarized by an international team of experts in a comprehensive review published in the journal Biological Reviews.

[From GSBI Newsletter – March 2022]

New synthesis on achieving global biodiversity goals

GEO BON and bioDISCOVERY produced a synthesis called “Transformative actions on all drivers of biodiversity loss are urgently required to achieve the global goals by 2050.”

The Convention on Biological Diversity created the following list of takeaways:

Action targets are linked to multiple milestones and goals.
Transformative change is essential.
All five main direct drivers of biodiversity loss have substantial impacts on biodiversity.
Act across levels.
Include managed ecosystems.
Act on all dimensions of biodiversity.
Immediate and sustained action to ensure recovery.
Coordinate actions across scales.
Invest in monitoring.

[From GSBI Newsletter – March 2022]

The International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS) Developing Countries Online Resources

IFORS offers a Developing Countries Online Resources page for operational research (OR) workers of all publicly available materials on the topic of OR for development. With this open resources page, IFORS aims to make research and application results better accessible to the many friends in the Developing Countries (DCs). Researchers who are working in the area can share their completed or in-process work, learn from others, and stimulate comments and discussions on the work. Contributions from art and science, communication and education sectors are warmly welcome by our community, which has very little access to emerging documents on arts and sciences, research, design and development.

[From GSBI Newsletter – March 2022]

Glucose-induced priming effects in soils across Europe

This new ESDAC dataset includes a quantification and comparison of glucose-induced priming effects in soils with contrasting land uses and under different crop types. On average, priming effects (PEs) were negative in semi-natural and cropland soils, meaning that microbial communities preferentially switched from soil organic C (SOC) decomposition to glucose mineralization. The data were obtained from samples of LUCAS 2018. In the publication, it was concluded that PEs were driven by soil basal respiration, microbial biomass C, and SOC. Data available.

[From ESDAC Newsletter 139 (March 2022)]

Gully Erosion based on LUCAS

We integrated a soil erosion module in LUCAS 2018 Topsoils survey for the EU and UK. The 2018 LUCAS Topsoil Survey consisted of soil sampling (0–20 cm depth) and erosion observations conducted in 24,759 field survey sites. Gully erosion channels were detected for ca. 1% (211 sites) of the visited sites. The results presented in the publication indicate that LUCAS visual assessment is effective to map permanent gullies, whereas it appears less effective to detect short-lived forms like ephemeral gullies. The dataset includes the points with gully erosion channels and selected pictures.

[From ESDAC Newsletter 139 (March 2022)]

GLOSOLAN and the Proficiency Testing Exercise

GLOSOLAN is conducting Proficiency Testing (PT) throughout 2022. This exercise is crucial for soil analysis and data harmonization. Soil samples are shipped to national referenced labs and results are uploaded directly through a dedicated online platform. GLOSOLAN has also donated equipment to those labs that lack such tools.

[From Global Soil Partnership Newsletter No. 35, March 2022]

Soil Biodiversity for Kids in Kyrgyz

The Magical World of Soil Biodiversity is the collection of the best ten stories for children produced by soil scientists, universities and designers from all around the world in the framework of the WSD 2020 children contest on soil biodiversity. After Russian, a new language version (Kyrgyz) has just been released.

Read more (in Kyrgiz): https://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CB4185KY

Russian version: https://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CB4185RU

English version: https://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CB4185EN

[From Global Soil Partnership Newsletter No. 35, March 2022]

GSOCseq brochure

The GSOCseq (Global Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration) Potential Map allows users to prioritize areas where SSM can be adopted to enhance SOC stocks and improve soil health. The map helps identify the regions, soil types and farming systems with greater potential to increase SOC stocks in order to scale up the fight against climate change.

[From Global Soil Partnership Newsletter No. 35, March 2022]

News from the International Science Council (ISC)

ISC joins Scholars at Risk (SAR) We are delighted to announce our membership of Scholars at Risk (SAR), a network of over 520 higher education institutions in 43 countries working to protect threatened scholars, prevent attacks on higher education and promote academic freedom. Our membership will serve to strengthen the protection and promotion of scientific freedom and responsibility, in accordance with the ISC’s Statute (II.), Article 7 on “The Principle of Freedom and Responsibility in Science” (https://council.science/publications/statutes-and-rules-of-procedure/). By formally joining the SAR network, the ISC can now increase its participation in SAR’s activities and create new opportunities for collaboration with like-minded organizations around the world. More details of these collaborations will be announced in due course. In the meantime, ISC Members are warmly invited to learn more about Scholars at Risk and how to get involved – please contact CFRS Executive Secretary Vivi Stavrou (vivi.stavrou@council.science) or sign up for SAR updates via http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50943/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=9978.

ISC Member, the International Foundation for Science celebrating 50 years In 2022, the IFS (http://www.ifs.se/) reaches a half-century of supporting the research of more than 8000 early career scientists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The theme of their anniversary is “Supporting Early Career Scientists in the Global South for 50 Years and Counting”. The IFS50 celebration is not only about honouring their past but also innovating for the future. Join the IFS in celebrating their 50th anniversary and let them know your views on how can they can have the most impact (please e-mail bahati.orlendo@ifs.se).

[From ISC Update on March 7, 2022]

The Global Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Potential Map (GSOCseq) has been launched!

These maps allow for the estimation of topsoil (0-30 cm) soil organic carbon sequestration potential in agricultural areas under four soil management scenarios: a Business as Usual (BAU) scenario and three Sustainable Soil Management (SSM1, SSM2 and SSM3) scenarios.

The untapped potential of sequestering Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) in agriculturally managed soils as one of the most cost-effective nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation has been widely described in recent years. However, unlocking this potential relies on the establishment of strong mechanisms to monitor, report and verify (MRV) changes in SOC stocks.

Call for Papers on Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Use of Land

The demands on our landscapes are increasingly in conflict with each other (e.g. transition to sustainable agriculture versus expansion of urban areas, increasing food production versus demands for biodiversity enhancement and greenhouse gas sequestration, etc.). In addition, we are confronted with increasing number of problems related to soil degradation (erosion, loss of soil fertility and biodiversity, soil compaction, floods, water pollution, etc.). It has been shown that making decisions to meet these needs and solve the problems is extremely complex and difficult task. Similar problems are also evident in the implementation of multiscale land policies at global (e.g. SDGs), European (e.g. CAP), national (e.g. climate change adaptation plans in EU Member States), regional (e.g. implementation of the EU Nitrates Directive) and local (e.g. urban planning) levels. This special issue aims to collect research papers on advanced approaches and methods in land-based geoSpatial Decision Support Systems (S-DSS). The special issue also aims to address the question of whether S-DSS systems have the potential to address the complexity of the above-mentioned problems and make the transition to sustainable use of land and soils.

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops

Due to the Corona pandemic and ensuing travel restrictions many of the events planned for 2020 and 2021 had to be cancelled or postponed. For a current list of upcoming events, please consult the IUSS website: https://www.iuss.org/meetings-events/

2022

ViMi 3 – Third Virtual Micromorphology Meeting

March 31 to April 1, 2022

Virtual

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/vimi2/home

Download the 2^nd circular: https://www.iuss.org/media/vimi_2022_2nd_circular.pdf

Peatlands of Scotland

Supported by Visit Britain and Nature Scot, Zoom into Soil: Peatlands of Scotland will take place on Wednesday 6 April from 12:00 – 1:00pm with Andrew McBride and Dr Rebekka Artz. Please register in advance for this free webinar.

[From The British Society of Soil Science Newsletter, 10 March 2022]

Launch of the Soil Pollution Network (INSOP)

22 April 2022

Virtual, 12:00-13:30 CEST

The International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP) has the overall aim of stopping soil pollution and achieving the global goal of Zero Pollution. It will bring together a wide range of experts to collect, harmonize and disseminate available information on soil pollution and seek solutions to prevent, control and eliminate this hazard while improving soil health.

Join the network: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7N2QVHS

[From Global Soil Partnership Newsletter No. 35, March 2022]

Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meeting (SES)

17-19 May 2022

Venue: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richmond, Washington, USA

Planned as a hybrid event with participation possible both in-person and virtually via Zoom.

Deadline for abstract submissions: March 25, 2022

The meeting will focus on Scaling from elements to ecosystems; Diversity and inclusivity of soil domains and Global community.

[From GSBI Newsletter – March 2022]

Workshop on Soil erosion for Europe – Emerging challenges

20-22 June 2022

Online (Webex)

Call for presentations until May 29, 2022

[From ESDAC Newsletter 139 (March 2022)]

Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition

26-29 July 2022

Virtual, 12:00-15:00 CEST

Abstract submission deadline: 30 April 2022

[From Global Soil Partnership Newsletter No. 35, March 2022]

Intersol 2022 – What Strategy for European Soils in 2030?

5-6 October 2022

Brussels, Belgium

Europe is ringing the end of recreation in terms of soil management: A great start for an ambitious, integrated and sustainable strategy! The six main topics of this event will be: Soil & Climate, Soils and Circular Economy, Zero soil artificialization, Soils and Biodiversity, What practices for sustainable soil management? and Soils and digital management.

Call for papers deadline: April 29, 2022

Conference website: https://www.webs-event.com/en/event/intersoil/appelacom/

SSSA Annual Meeting with ASA & CSSA

‘Communication and public engagement for healthy people and a healthy planet’

Nov. 6-9, 2022

Baltimore, USA

The American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America host a premier international scientific Annual Meeting, Nov. 6-9, 2022 in Baltimore, MD that brings together an international audience from industry, government, and academic institutions including undergrads, grad students, and post-docs who are all working to advance agronomic, crop and soil sciences.

The in-person option of the Annual Meeting provides networking opportunities, innovative scientific oral and posters, technical workshops, and more! A limited virtual option is available, including internationally contributed oral and poster virtual presentations.

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