IUSS Alert 236 (June 2025)

State of the art

The IUSS Divisions, Commissions and Working Groups Chairs can now share their publications on the IUSS Alert. Every month, send your publications to the Secretariat and they will be published here. Please do so by the 15 of every month to make sure your articles will be published in the monthly current issue. Let’s keep our community posted on the progress of Soil Sciences.

Highlighted IUSS publications

By Division 4

Commission 4.3 Soils and land use Change

Land use change and forest management effects on soil carbon stocks in the Northeast U.S.

Advancing the science and practice of soil carbon management requires scientific progress at intermediate scales. This research conducted the fifth in a series of ecoregional assessments of the effects of land use change and forest management on soil carbon stocks, this time addressing the Northeast U.S. This research used synthesis approaches including (1) meta-analysis of published literature, (2) soil survey and (3) national forest inventory databases to examine overall effects and underlying drivers of deforestation, reforestation, and forest harvesting on soil carbon stocks. The three complementary data sources allowed direction, magnitude, and uncertainty in trends to be quantified.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13021-024-00251-7

Using Cs-137 measurements and RUSLE model to explore the effect of land use changes on soil erosion and deposition rates in a mid-sized catchment in southern Italy

The combination of a dating technique provided by 137Cs measurements on a floodplain area with estimates of soil loss derived from a distributed approach based on RUSLE proved to be very effective to evaluate the effect of land use change on soil loss and to provide important information on the impact of reforestation on soil erosion in this representative catchment. This strategy can be considered very useful to predict rates of soil erosion/deposition rates over large areas not covered by direct observations and should be seen as a useful tool to inform planners about the development of effective erosion and sediment control strategies in these areas.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2023.11.004

Global soil water erosion responses to climate and land use changes

Soil water erosion presents a significant challenge to the sustainable productivity of agriculture, making the precise prediction of its future patterns essential for ensuring global food security. However, there is a notable scarcity of global-scale explorations of soil water erosion and its anticipated future changes. This study proposes a method for calculating the C-factor using the fraction of land use/land cover change (LULCC) scenario data.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2024.108043

Influence of land management on soil organic matter pools, plant traits and enzymatic activity in mountain grasslands

Often shaped over centuries by traditional agricultural activities, mountain grasslands are integral to both ecological function and local livelihood. This study demonstrates that even low-intensity grazing can affect the soil-plant system in extensively managed mountain grasslands, highlighting the need for management strategies that balance productivity with long-term soil health and climate mitigation goals.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125846

Past President
IUSS Past President introduced the 2025-2034 Decade of Soil Sciences for Sustainable Development of IUSS at the General Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership at FAO.

IUSS Participation at the Thirteenth Global Soil Partnership (GSP) Plenary Assembly
The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) participated in the Thirteenth Plenary Assembly of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP), held at the FAO headquarters in Rome and online, from 3 to 5 July 2025. The IUSS was represented by Past President Edoardo A.C. Costantini and Secretary Irene Fabbri.
Past President Costantini gave a presentation during the Partners Day entitled “The IUSS Decade of Soil Sciences for Sustainable Development – Healthy Soils for Humanity.” He highlighted the achievements of the 2015–2024 Decade of Soil Sciences, culminating in the Centennial Congress celebration. He also introduced the new Decade of Soil Sciences (2025–2034), which aims to prioritize the production, dissemination, and use of actionable scientific knowledge and promote solutions to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Key objectives of the decade are:
1. Promoting actionable research on soils to guide policy, agricultural practices, and land management for sustainability.
2. Supporting interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration to develop holistic solutions by fostering partnerships with other disciplines, including social, cultural, and artistic research on soils.
3. Enhancing public awareness and education by broadening science communication and dissemination.
4. Engaging the public through citizen science, collaborative knowledge production, and initiatives aimed at increasing soil literacy.
Some milestones:
• World Soil of the Year 2025: Gleysol of the Carpathian Basin, Hungary
• 23rd World Congress of Soil Sciences, June 2026, Nanjing, China
The presentation is available at: FAO GSP Partners Day 2025.
During the GSP Assembly, the Past President proposed to combine the 13th Conference of SUITMA (Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas), a commission of the IUSS, with an upcoming GSP online conference on urban soils. The proposal was endorsed by the General Assembly.

The Dan Yaalon Young Scientist medal

Submit you nomination for the Dan Yaalon Young Scientist Medal within September 7, 2025.
For more information on the criteria and procedure visit
https://www.iuss.org/awards-medals-and-prizes/the-dan-yaalon-young-scientist-medal/

VLADIMIR FRIDLAND SOIL GEOGRAPHY MEDAL

The Vladimir Markovich Fridland Medal was introduced by IUSS Commission 1.2. – Soil Geography to commemorate Prof. Vladimir M. Fridland for his distinguished contribution to soil geography. This IUSS medal is awarded for outstanding and sustained contribution in the discipline of geography and cartography of soils.
Professor Vladimir M. Fridland is well known among soil scientists and geographers in the world for his contribution to several spheres in soil genesis, geography and soil mapping, part of which is his theory of soil cover pattern.
The awardees must demonstrate an outstanding and sustained performance in the discipline of geography and cartography of soils. All areas of soil geography including research, teaching and its application to environmental, agricultural and technogenic problems are considered relevant. The medal is not invested posthumously.
PERIODICITY OF NOMINATION: the Vladimir M. Fridland Soi Geography Medal is currently awarded every four years and presented at the World Congress of Soil Science of the IUSS.
NOMINATION PROCEDURE: the call for the nominations is publicized during the year before the date of the award, via the Commission Business Meetings and/or IUSS Alerts.

News from the IUSS

Decade of Soil Sciences for Sustainable Development 2025-2034
The new decade of soil sciences for sustainable development has begun, read the manifesto and download the logo here: https://www.iuss.org/international-decade-of-soils/

2025 IUSS World Soil of the Year

The “Gleysol – Hydromorphic soil supporting forest growth in the steppe region from the Carpathian Basin”, has been officially named the World Soil of the Year 2025. This soil was proposed by the Hungarian Soil Science Society. It highlights the significance of these unique soils that have a large global coverage, occurring in nearly all climates.
The represented World Soil of the Year soil profile is located on Püspökladány Experimental Station and Arboretum University of Sopron Forest Research Institute (SOE-ERTI). The soil is part of a unique cultural landscape dominated by grasslands and salt effected pastures in the Hungarian Plain. It is located within the Hortobágy National Park, which is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (Man and the Biosphere Program – MAB) and recognized UNESCO World heritage site.
Gleysols are soils that are affected in various areas in the world by land use and management and the indirect and direct effects of climate change. Salinization of groundwater, decreasing groundwater levels and alternation of sediment influx are common.
The election of the ‘Gleysol – hydromorphic soil from the steppe region in the Carpathian Basin’ as the World Soil of the Year 2025, comes amid growing global concerns about soil health and environmental change. Protecting and sustainably managing these hydromorphic soils is essential for mitigating floods, preserving water quality, and ensuring sustainable forest ecosystems in steppe terrains.
Various activities are planned throughout the year to celebrate this achievement, including educational programs, community workshops, and conservation initiatives aimed at promoting awareness of Gleysols’ ecological significance.

More information on the World Soil of the Year – the Gleysol from the Carpatian Plain can found here:
https://www.iuss.org/world-soil-of-the-year/

World Soil of the Year elections
In recognition of the success of various national programs, the IUSS WSY program has been implemented to enhance soil literacy across numerous countries and on a global scale. It is expected that this will aid in compiling a registry of soil heritage, to recognize the inherent natural and cultural values of soils, thereby helping to open doors for soil science to integrate with environmental protection activities and projects.

News from national and regional soil science societies 2025

AFES – Association Française pour l’Étude des Sols

WSD 2025

Date: July 7th – 11st, 2025
Location: Geneva, Swiss

2025 Soil Study Days: A Meeting Place for Francophone Researchers and Professionals. The 17th edition of the Soil Study Days (JES 2025) will take place in Geneva from July 7 to 11, 2025, welcoming researchers and professionals working in the field of soil science. JES 2025 is organized by the Geneva School of Landscape, Engineering, and Architecture (HEPIA) and the French Association for Soil Studies, in close collaboration with the Swiss Soil Science Society.
Main Theme
The central theme for this edition is: “Soils, Functions, and Transition”.
In light of current events related to soils from bio-physical, legal, and socio-political perspectives, this edition aims to focus on the role of soils and their functions in our daily lives, as well as methods for evaluating, monitoring, and sustainably managing soils in a transitioning society.
Scope
In addition to the main theme, as is customary for JES, contributions on:
• General soil knowledge,
• Soils in warm regions, and
• Proposals that extend beyond the initial theme, are also welcomed and encouraged.

2025 will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, fostering connections among the French-speaking soil science community and beyond.

British Society of Soil Science (BSSS)
“Soil Matters” Podcast

Episode 3 of the Soil Matters podcast is out now and available to listen on BSSS website
https://soils.org.uk/soilmatters/#episode3

British Society of Soil Science (BSSS)
Inaugural Soil Judging Event

Date: July 8th -10th, 2025
Location: Nottinghamshire, England
We are excited to announce that our inaugural Soil Judging Competition, taking place on 8-10 July in Nottinghamshire, is open for bookings. This event will be a jam packed three days. The first two days will consist of classroom workshop training and in-field soil pit practicals, with professional soil scientists as your ‘coach’. The final day will be a friendly ‘competition’ where you will put your training into practice by describing two soil pits within a time limit.
Places are open to all interested parties although priority will be given to Early Career Professionals. Grant funding is also available for this event.
Read more: BSSS Set To Hold Inaugural Soil Judging Competition – British Society of Soil Science

Czech Society of Soil Science (CSSS)
“Pedologické dny 2025” conference (on the topic of Anthropogenically influenced soils)
Date: September 17th -19th, 2025
Location: Most, Czech Republic
Conference of the Czech Society of Soil Science and Societas pedologica slovaca organized, with the support of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, and Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation.
The topic of the conference is anthropogenic impacts on the soil environment, which can cause both positive and negative changes in soil properties and can affect soil quality and health or its ability to provide ecosystem services. Due to the location of the conference in an area that has long been significantly impacted by open-pit mining of brown coal and its combustion, the first two thematic areas are more specifically focused on the issues of the impacts of mining on the landscape and soils, as well as on the specifics of newly forming soils in reclaimed landfill areas. However, contributions from any part of the broad spectrum of impacts of human activity on agricultural and forest soils are welcome.
Read more: https://pedologie.czu.cz/akce/dny2025_eng.html

British Society of Soil Science (BSSS)

Resilient Soils for a Sustainable Future – Annual Conference and Early Careers Conference BSSS

Date:
Biennial Early Careers Conference: December 1st –2nd, 2025
Annual Conference: December 3rd -5th, 2025
Location: Manchester, England

Call for Abstracts – British Society of Soil Science Annual Conference
The British Society of Soil Science is currently accepting oral and poster abstracts for both their Annual Conference and Early Careers Conference in December. The abstract review panel is accepting abstracts in one of five topics linked to the conference theme, Resilient Soils for a Sustainable Future:
1. Soils for People [Covering all aspects of Soil Health, Soil Functions, Indicators, Metrics, Ecosystem Service Delivery, Soil Biodiversity, and Sustainable Soils in Different Land Uses.]
2. Soils for Climate [Covering aspects such as Net Zero, Carbon Sequestration, Peatlands, Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fluxes]
3. Soils for Water [Covering aspects such as Nutrient and Water management, Soil Erosion, and Nutrient and Water Use Efficiency.]
4. Advances for Soils [Covering aspects such as Sensors and Instrumentation, New techniques, AI and data, Modelling, and Decision support tools.]
5. Soils for Life [Soil, social sciences and culture, Interdisciplinary work, Stakeholder engagement, Participatory research and citizen science, and Art and culture.]

Canadian Society of Soil Science

Soils For Our Future – A Gathering of Global to Local Perspectives

Date: July 20th-25th, 2025
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

The SOILS FOR OUR FUTURE 2025 brings together three conference events: 5th Global Soil Security Conference, Canadian Society of Soil Science Annual Meeting, and International Union of Soil Sciences Division 1 – Soils in Space and Time Meeting. Hosted by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada and the Manitoba Soil Science Society. With over 700 researchers, industry members, leaders of farmer organizations, graduate students and other attendees, SOILS FOR OUR FUTURE 2025 provides a global perspective to today’s research to sustain our future. Spanning five days, the conference provides attendees of the events to meet in plenary/technical sessions with their individual organizations and for all to come together in keynote sessions, tradeshow, posters, workshops and field tours.
The Organizing Committee of the Soils For Our Future (SFOF) 2025 International Joint Meeting of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS), the International Union of Soil Sciences – Division 1 – Soils in Space and Time (IUSS Div 1), and the 5th Global Soil Security (GSS) Conference, hosted by the Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) and the Manitoba Soil Science Society (MSSS), announces that Early Registration is now open.
Further information can be obtained from the website (soilsforourfuture.ca) or by email (soils2025@mbsoils.ca )

SISS – Società Italiana della Scienza del Suolo

International “Antonio Berlese” Summer School (ABSS) Soil Fauna: Applied Ecology and Systematics – First edition

Date: September 1st-5th, 2025
Location: experimental farm Fagna in Scarperia e San Piero (Florence), Italy

Key Info (ABS fourth Circular)
Duration: 5 days
Lessons: 17 hours
Practical activities: 14 hours
Guided Study: 17 hours
Target: Undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students, Researchers and Professionals
Available places: 24 (12 free tent places)
ECTS: 3

Course Objectives:
– Explore soil biodiversity and ecology of soil fauna
– Study taxonomy and conservation practices
– Gain practical experience in sampling, extraction, identification and elaboration
– Collaborate with international experts

More information:
abs_school@scienzadelsuolo.org

European Confederation of Soil Science Societies

VII INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE ECSSS
VII EUROSOIL 2025 & X Congreso Ibérico de la Ciencia del Suelo

Date: September 8th – 12th, 2025
Location: Seville, Spain

EUROSOIL is the official meeting of the European Confederation of Soil Science Societies (ECSSS). It is held every four years and is one of Europe’s most important Soil Sciences events. It provides an excellent opportunity for knowledge transfer among the Soil Sciences community. Over 2000 participants are expected to attend the event and present their findings through oral and poster presentations encompassing all scientific aspects of Soil Science. The event will also feature workshops, and an exhibition of products and services aimed at raising awareness in society, facilitating the exchange of ideas and information, and creating business opportunities offering a platform for researchers, scholars and professionals to exchange knowledge, insights, and innovations. Additionally, during this edition of EUROSOIL, the Iberian Congress of Soil Sciences (CICS) will also be held along with the 1st European Soil Judging Contest in Alicante, one week before the event in Seville.

Registration:
https://www.eurosoil2025.eu/eurosoil2025/call-abstracts/guidelines

Abstracts Submission:
https://www.eurosoil2025.eu/eurosoil2025/registration/registration-fees

Deadline:
15 July 2025: Last minute submission (only posters)
8 September 2025: EUROSOIL 2025 starts

e-mail: eurosoil@viajeseci.es

German Soil Science

Rendzina – Soil of the Year 2025 in Germany

For 20 years now, the “Soil of the Year” has been selected by the board “Soil of the Year”, composed of members of the German Soil Science Society (DBG), the Federal Soil Association (BVB), and the Engineering Association for Contaminated Site Management and Land Recycling (ITVA). Each year, the selected soil is officially presented on World Soil Day, December 5, during a ceremony in the capital Berlin. The initiative is also strongly supported by the German Environment Agency (UBA).
The goal of the campaign is to raise public awareness of soils as vital natural resources. Through posters, flyers, brochures, websites, and exhibitions, it aims to engage a broad audience. Over the course of the year, a variety of events—including excursions and exhibitions—are organized by institutions at both regional and local level.
Over the past two decades, the focus of the campaign has shifted from a purely taxonomic presentation of specific soil types to a broader ecological perspective. It now highlights different land use systems and their interactions with soil. In 2023, the focus was on arable soils, emphasizing the importance of healthy food production. In 2024, forest soils were selected as “Soil of the Year”, drawing attention to carbon sequestration and water-related ecosystem services.
The Soil of the Year 2025 is the Rendzina—a shallow, humus-rich soil type that forms on limestone, dolomite, or gypsum bedrock, roughly corresponding to Rendzic Leptosols according to WRB. This year’s patron is Dr. Till Backhaus, Minister for Climate Protection, Agriculture, Rural Areas, and the Environment of the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Accordingly, special attention is being given to Rendzinas formed on Cretaceous limestone in the Baltic Sea region.
At the official presentation in Berlin, Dr. Backhaus highlighted that Rendzinas are more than just productive land for agriculture or forestry. They also serve as “habitats, geology you can touch, and a valuable part of our natural and cultural heritage.”
To explore these aspects further, a multi-day expert excursion will take place at the end of May, including a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Jasmund beech forest with its iconic chalk cliffs on the island of Rügen. The tour is being organized by the State Office for Environment, Nature Conservation and Geology of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania together with the German and Danish Soil Science Societies. On the Danish island of Møn, the participants will also have the opportunity of cross-border comparisons of Rendzina sites.

Read more: https://www.dbges.de/en/soil-of-the-year and visit the Soil of the Year page and the UBA Soil of the Year page

German Soil Science
Prof. Dr. Wulf Amelung receives Philippe Duchaufour Medal 2025
At this year’s General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), Prof. Dr. Wulf Amelung, a long-standing member of the German Soil Science Society (DBG) and former DBG Vice President, has been awarded the prestigious Philippe Duchaufour Medal, the highest award of EGU in Soil System Science, in recognition of his outstanding scientific contributions to the field.
Wulf Amelung is head of the group General Soil Science and Soil Ecology at the University of Bonn and of the unit Agrosphere of the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences at the Forschungszentrum Jülich. His research focuses on nutrient cycles, soil functions, and innovative analytical approaches in soil ecology.

German Soil Science

DBG 2025 – Annual Meeting of the German Association of Soil Science in Tubingen

Date: September 13th – 18th, 2025
Location: University of Tübingen, Germany

Under the central theme #HealthySoilsClimateProtection, the event offers a platform for interdisciplinary exchange on current topics in soil science. Held every two years, this conference is one of the most important soil science events in the German-speaking world, regularly attracting 600-800 participants. It includes keynote lectures, thematic sessions, commission meetings, and one- to two-day field excursions, providing space for discussion of new findings, methods, and challenges.
The conference program covers the full spectrum of soil science – including soil physics and hydrology, soil chemistry, biology and ecology, soil fertility and plant nutrition, soil genesis, taxonomy and information, soil protection and technology, soil mineralogy and soils in education and society. In more than 50 sessions, the DBG commissions and working groups will address urgent questions such as “How is climate change affecting our soils?”, “What role does soil biodiversity play in ecosystem services?” and “What innovative methods are available for recording, modeling, and assessing soil processes?”
The program will be complemented by a wide range of field excursions across the South-German Cuesta Landscape, from the Black Forest to the Swabian Alb and beyond. In addition, laboratory work and field measurement techniques will be demonstrated.
The DBG Conference is a well-established platform for exchange among researchers, practitioners, and early-career scientists. With its long research tradition and diverse academic environment, the University of Tübingen offers the perfect setting for the 2025 conference. Everyone interested is warmly invited to attend.

Soil Science Australia
Symposium for the Use of Organic Soil Amendments (SUOSA)
Date: September 16th – 18th, 2025
Location: Coolangatta QLD

Call for abstracts open now Photo M. Hampton The Symposium for the Use of Organic Soil Amendments (SUOSA) will take place on the Southern Gold Coast from 16 to 18 September 2025, bringing together experts from agriculture, environmental sciences, economics, and policy to discuss the benefits, challenges, and future directions for the use of organic soil amendments in agricultural and horticultural production systems. This multi-disciplinary event will explore the agronomic, environmental, societal, regulatory and policy dimensions of using both solid and liquid organic amendments, which include raw or processed animal manures, agricultural residues, food and fibre processing residues, and urban organic residues, and where processing can include composting, pyrolysing, drying, digesting, insect farming, pelletising, granulating, value adding, etc. Discussions will address nutrient management, soil health, carbon sequestration, circular economy, regulatory frameworks, and farmer benefits and adoption. With contributions from leading researchers, government policymakers, industry experts, and producers, SUOSA 2025 aims to foster collaboration and inform real-world strategies for sustainable soil management and farming systems.
Read more: https://www.crown-compost.com.au/

Serbian Society of Soil Science

The Soil Re-Union: Science for Healthy Soils
4th International and 16th National Congress of the Serbian Society of Soil Science

Date: October 20th – 23rd, 2025
Location: Vrdnik, Fruške Terme, Serbia

The Congress will bring together scientists, institutions, and stakeholders from the Western Balkans, Europe, Eurasia, and beyond, uniting disciplines, geographical regions, and generations around the mission of soil regeneration and sustainable land management. The Congress will provide a great opportunity for discussions and presentations on the latest advancements in soil science.
The Congress will feature:
– Inspiring keynotes, panel discussions, and project-to-project networking,
– A special platform for showcasing ongoing projects,
– A vibrant EXPO area for institutions and initiatives aligned with soil science,
And a rich cultural and social program reflecting the spirit of Fruška Gora.

Call for Abstracts
The Book of Abstracts of peer-reviewed contributions will be published, assigned a library number, and indexed.
Participants who are interested in publishing a full paper will have the opportunity to submit their manuscripts for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Soil and Plant of the Serbian Soil Science Society after the Congress.
Additionally, an e-edition of the Compendium of presentations and e-posters from the Congress will be available for participants who wish to include their work in PDF format.
The Journal “Zemljište i Biljka – Soil and Plant – Почва и Растение” is the official three lingual (Serbian-English-Russian) journal of the Soil Science Society of Serbia (SDPZ) published since 1952. Since 2014, both printed and electronic versions of the journal have been published twice a year. ISSN 0514-6658; eISSN 2560-4279

Important dates: Notification of abstract acceptance: within one month after submission.
The mid registration payment deadline: by August 15th, 2025
Abstract submission deadline: September 1st, 2025
Final Congress program: by mid-September 2025
Read more: https://sdpz.rs/congress/
Venue: www.frusketerme.com

Austrian Soil Science Society

International Symposium 2025
Molecular modelling in soil science – achievements and perspectives
Centre Européen de Calcul Atomique et Moléculaire (CECAM-AT)

Date: September 24th-26th, 2025
Location: BOKU University, Vienna, Austria

It is undeniable the major role of soils in ecosystem functions at very different spatial and temporal scales (local and global) from microscopic to macroscopic phenomena. In view of the great demand for information regarding best practices for soil use and management, as well as remediation, new methods traditionally used in other areas have come into play to provide a better understanding of important soil processes and functions. With the arrival of powerful and more efficient computers, molecular modeling has become an important tool, offering insights into scales unattainable experimentally, being able to simulate complex molecular systems. The application of such methods in soil science has proven success to understand the interactions within soil at microscopic level, key to determine the fate of pollutants.
This symposium represents an opportunity to bring together scientists of high prestige in different areas of molecular modeling applied to soil science to discuss the state-of-the-art, promote meaningful discussions and contrast in-depth points of view to determine future perspectives and challenges regarding molecular modeling applied to soil science. Furthermore, the symposium presents an opportunity to foster cooperation and dissemination of knowledge on methods for the simulation of representative soil models, according to today’s needs as well as the prediction of physicochemical properties.

Registration deadline: July 18, 2025
Read more: https://www.cecam.org/workshop-details/1393

SUITMA13 International Conference

Date: October 5th – 9th, 2025
Location: Pisa, Italy

The Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET) of the National Research Council (CNR) on behalf of the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS), is pleased to invite colleagues from all around the world to participate in the SUITMA (Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas) 13th international conference, which will be held in Pisa, Italy, from the 5 -9 October 2025, at the CNR (Italian National Research Council) in Pisa.
The conference will focus on “SUITMA from a One Health Perspective”. Soil is a key component of the water and nutrient cycle, and a major contributor to global carbon sequestration. Soil also provides habitats for nearly all land plants, as well as a large proportion of terrestrial fauna. Despite its global importance, it is estimated that one third of global soil is degraded. In anthropized areas, soils undergo many forms of disturbance: manipulation, compaction, and pollution which impact their quality. However, even degraded soils have the potential to alleviate environmental problems and play a vital role in supporting vegetation. Degraded soils of urban areas and other anthropogenic lands merit scientific and professional attention in order to enhance their ecosystem services and to support nature- based solutions, to tackle the urgent challenges of climate change, and for the health of all organisms and ecosystems.

News from national and regional soil science societies
2026

Field International Workshop on Paleopedology “Deciphering the ancient anthropic landscape transformation in the southern Maya lowlands in Mexico”

Date: February 19th – 25th, 2026
Location: Palenque, Mexico

The objective of the workshop is to show different landscapes occupied by the ancient Mayas, from the northern alluvial plain of the Usumacinta River, where people mainly developed small and rural towns, to the highlands at Sierra de Chiapas, where monumental and well-organized cities were constructed. The workshop will consist of two-day conferences and five days of field excursions. During the first two days of the workshop, oral and poster presentations will be conducted.

Soil Science Society of China (SSSC)
The 23rd World Congress of Soil Science – Call for Parallel Session Topics
Date: 7th -12th June, 2026
Location: Nanjing, China
The World Congress of Soil Science is the most authoritative and influential international conference in the field, sponsored by the International Union of Soil Sciences. It is a major event for scientific and technological professionals in soil science and related disciplines worldwide to engage in academic exchange. Held every four years, the conference covers a wide range of topics and serves as a platform for exchange and collaboration among soil scientists from around the globe.
The WCSS2026 theme, ‘Soil and the Shared Future for Mankind’, focuses on the importance of soil for our future, with a variety of arrangements including poster exhibition, young researcher forum and soil judging contest. Tours will also be organized for participants to visit typical soils in combination with unique landscapes and cultural diversification as China is a vast country with rich soil resources.
With a global population that is projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, our current and future food security hinges on our ability to increase yields and food quality using the soils that we already have available today. We are responsible for the soils that provide us with food, water and air, and we need to take action today to ensure that we have healthy soils for a sustainable and food secure future. Our understanding of the importance is developing rapidly and WCSS2026 provides a platform for us to discover the solutions to soil issues and an opportunity to connect all who work with and have interests in soils.
Important dates and deadlines:
July, 2025: Abstract submission open
November 07th, 2025: Deadline for abstract submission
February 07th, 2026: Notification of abstract acceptance
March 07th, 2026: Deadline for early registration; Deadline for regular registration; Cancellation and refund
Read more: https://www.23wcss.org.cn/

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops
2025

17th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology – BAGECO 2025 – Bacteria drive our planet’s health
(in conjunction with the 11th Theodor Escherich Symposium)

Date: July 1st – 4th, 2025
Location: Graz, University Library Graz, Austria

Main topics of the symposium are:
• Defining pathogens from an ecological perspective
• Anthropocene and biogeochemical cycles
• Soil microbiome and One Health
• The human microbiome in health and disease
• Food-gut microbiome axis
• Microbiome engineering for sustainable agriculture
• Microbial production systems and artificial intelligence Submit your abstract until
The scientific programme will be published on the conference website in spring 2025.

Read more: https://bageco.org/

Global Conference on Sandy Soils
Shifting Sands to Sustainable Solutions

Date: July 21st-24th, 2025
Location: Perth, Western Australia

This conference will build and strengthen the international network of researchers with expertise on sandy soils. The conference theme “Shifting Sands to Sustainable Solutions” is focused on the challenges of managing and protecting the natural capital of sandy soils in the face of a changing climate.

Read more: www.sandysoils.org

The 10th International Acid Sulfate Soils Conference
Date: Conference – September 15th-17th, 2025
Excursion – September 18th-20th, 2025
Location: Luleå, Sweden

We are delighted to invite you to the 10th edition of the International Acid Sulfate Soils Conference (IASSC), celebrating over three decades of groundbreaking research and collaboration in the field of acid sulfate soils. As the leading interdisciplinary platform for acid sulfate soil research, management, and policy development, the IASSC brings together researchers, industry professionals, environmental managers, and policymakers from around the world to share knowledge and advance the field. Over the course of three days, the conference will feature a rich program of oral and poster presentations, highlighting the latest research and cutting-edge advancements in the field. In addition to the main conference sessions, we are excited to offer pre- and post-conference excursions that will explore the unique landscapes and environmental challenges of northern Sweden and Finland. These excursions will provide valuable insights into the practical applications of acid sulfate soil management in the region, offering a unique opportunity to engage with local experts and experience the environment firsthand.

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to our conference team.
Conference-related questions: sarah.conrad@ltu.se
Excursion-related questions: anton.boman@gtk.fi
Read more: https://event.trippus.net/Home/Index/AEAKgINaZaTdCFzBKUcmTlLR9EZJnOe_7IMVKbLfLB10EZD5nrx0n7RnIkUT7ob0MOVWwsr29RiG/AEAKgIPmAO63b8dcXtm99Oas7FVacW0oEMV8IpPQ2FskOAqru2UClkW25UR7fvWVVZjQPoPNU3_j/eng

The 6th WASWAC World Conference. Resilient Landscapes: Innovations and Traditions in Climate-Adaptive Soil and Water Conservation (RISE-SWC)

Date: September 15th-17th, 2025
Location: Rabat, Morocco

World Association for Soil and Water Conservation (WASWAC), in collaboration with the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), organizes the 6th WASWAC World Conference. The conference will provide an exchange platform for soil and water resources conservation on a global scale, fostering collaboration among scientists, experts, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world. The conference aims to propose actionable solutions that can strengthen global efforts to combat climate change impacts on soil and water systems, support sustainable development, and promote technological and scientific advancements in these critical fields.

Deadlines:
Last date of abstract submission: May 30th, 2025
Intimation of acceptance of abstracts: June 30th, 2025

Second International Forum on Agroecosystem Living Labs

Date: October 15 to 17, 2025
Location: Bordeaux, France

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the Second International Forum on Agroecosystem Living Labs, building on the success of the first Forum held in Montreal in 2023. That event brought together the international community of agroecosystem living labs to reflect on research, implementation, and practical lessons learned from applying this approach around the world.
The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) are once again collaborating to organize this event, which will take place in Bordeaux, France, from October 15 to 17, 2025.
The Forum will feature panel discussions and parallel scientific sessions aimed at establishing leading practices, sharing case study insights, and addressing the challenges faced by the international agroecosystem living lab community. It will also include networking events and field visits, designed to foster dialogue and provide an inspiring space for collaboration and action.
Read more: https://www.inrae.fr/en/events/2025-international-forum-agroecosystem-living-labs

10th edition FESP (Fire Effects on Soil Properties)
Date: November 25th -28th, 2025
Location: UFRO, Pucón Campus, Chile

Organized by the Universidad de la Frontera and La Universidad de los Lagos.

The conference website will be available very soon with all the information.

Read more: For now more information you can write to: fesp10@ufrontera.cl

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops
2026

The 4th Global Soil Biodiversity Conference (GSB 2026)

Date: April 12th -15th, 2026
Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

The Global Soil Biodiversity Conferences organized under the auspices of the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) are now considered to be the premier global conferences dealing with soil biodiversity. The 4th edition of the GSB 2026 will bring together researchers, policy analysts, students, and practicing farmers to discuss soil biodiversity with the goals of informing the public, promoting this information into environmental policy, and overall creating a platform for the current and future sustainability of soils.

Important date:
Deadlines abstracts: July 15th, 2025, 23:59 PDT.

Opportunities

Soil Biology Lab Skills Course for Assessing Soil Functions
Date: September 1st – 5th, 2025
Location: Wageningen University, the Netherlands

The Soil Biology Group of Wageningen University is organising a laboratory skills course to define which measurements of soil biology are relevant for which soil functions. This course will provide the participants with an overview of a range of methods related to the five soil functions and will provide detailed practical training in a subset of measures. The training will be a combination of lectures, laboratory and field sessions (interactive lectures and practical sessions each day). Assessing a range of measurement types, from simple visual assessments in the field, to training in microscope identification techniques for nematodes and earthworms, and functional measures in the lab such as MicroResp. All methods described in the course will be made available to participants as well as advice on how to analyse the data.

Grounding Carbon Farming course

Date: 13th – 19th September 2025
Location : Dampierre-en-Bray, Normandy, France

Organised by: WIMEK graduate school in collaboration with Soil biology and Environmental policy groups (Wageningen University).

Duration: 5 full days during a week on site on a farm in Normandy, France. Arrival night of the 13th, departure in the morning on the 19th.
As the climate changes, the environment degrades, biodiversity declines and the world population increases, agricultural ecosystems are increasingly looked at, both as culprit and saviours. Agroecosystems and their soils are indeed key to support a multitude of ecosystem services, but their degradation worldwide jeopardises this ability.
Carbon farming is proposed as a solution. One approach – soil carbon sequestration – to solve the climate crisis and revert environmental degradation caused by agriculture while feeding a growing world population.

Soil Training
The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS), recognising the importance of quality and availability of education and training for soil science as a profession, organises the following training courses:
– Introduction to Soil Classification – 16-17 September
– Soils and Catchment Management (Lancaster) – 13-14 October
– Practical Introduction to Soils in Great Britain (Bedfordshire) – 29-30 October
– Introduction to Agricultural Land Classification (TBC) – 12-13 November

Other News

EU Soil Law, (provisional) Agreement between the European Parliament and the Council

The European Soil Monitoring Law takes a step forward. The Council of the Union, which brings together representatives of the Member States, has reached a provisional agreement with representatives of the EU Parliament. This is a shared text of the directive which, in the objectives of the Commission that proposed it, will have to help achieve the goal of restoring continental soils to health by 2050.
The directive will have the task of establishing a framework for soil monitoring, capable of improving resilience and managing the risks of contaminated sites. It will also define the principles of mitigation of soil consumption, with particular attention to sealing and soil removal.
Poland holds the rotating presidency of the Council and Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Polish Minister for Climate and Environment said: “With the agreement reached, we have established the first ever EU framework for soil assessment and monitoring across Europe. It is time to act, as more than 60% of Europe’s soils are unhealthy and their condition is deteriorating. Healthy and resilient soil is crucial to ensuring healthy and nutritious food and cleaner water for future generations.” The agreement also pleases the EU Commission which says: “This is an important step to address the urgent challenges related to soil health that impact all European countries, the resilience of our food chain and the economy in general. The new law will also help strengthen soil resilience to natural disasters, heatwaves and extreme weather events, as well as other critical environmental challenges, such as erosion, contamination and biodiversity loss.”

Russell Review On Artificial Intelligence
The European Journal of Soil Science recently published a highly anticipated Russell Review on ‘Artificial Intelligence in Soil Science‘ written by Alexandre M.J.-C. Wadoux.
The paper was written on invitation, as part of the EJSS 75th anniversary celebrations and provides a fascinating insight into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in soil science.
Read more: EJSS Russell Review explores how AI will transform soil science – British Society of Soil Science

New Books

Agroforestry
Nature Based Solution for Climate Change and Food Security
By Subhabrata Panda; Springer Nature, Singapore; Published: June 2025
This book deals with at a length the impacts of agroforestry on soil health and thereby on sustaining crop and tree productions. Thus, the practice of agroforestry on improving soil health is a two-way process of serving the sustainability of livelihoods and food security.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7
Read more: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7

Pollution of coal mine soils: Global reference concentrations of chemical elements
By Alekseenko A.V., Machevariani M.M., Bech J., Karthe D.; Environmental Earth Sciences, 84, 286 (2025).

This meta-study provides a reference dataset for evaluating soil transformation in coal minescapes. Identification, screening, eligibility check, and extraction of data from articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2022 yielded a comprehensive dataset on the chemical composition of 13,925 soil samples from 55 mined coal fields in 32 countries of Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. These carefully handpicked records allowed the calculation of mean concentrations for 41 chemical elements, alongside total organic carbon and a total of 15 rare-earth elements. The resulting dataset is of both fundamental geochemical and policy-relevant significance. The maximum enrichment of contaminated soils with As, Bi, Hg, Sb, and Se reveals the role of coals as the source of highly coalphile elements. Remediation guidelines can benefit from the dataset, e.g., for arsenic whose world average contents fall below the standards of Canada, Russia, and the USA. Regional soil quality criteria may incorporate these figures to update threshold levels for mining sites. Finally, for the areas of discovered coal reserves, the question “to mine, or not to mine” can be answered with higher certainty owing to the predicted levels of pollutant burden.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-025-12160-0

Communications

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