Information for and from the global soil science community

IUSS at LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site. LinkedIn had more than 65 million registered users, spanning more than 200 countries. The site is available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. The purpose of the site is to allow registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in their profession. The people in the list are called Connections. Users can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a connection. This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways: A contact network is built up consisting of their direct connections, and the connections of each of their connections. It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one's contact network. Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates. Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them. Users can post their own photos and view photos of others to aid in identification. The IUSS has LinkedIn group where Discussion, Jobs, New etc can be posted. More info www.linkedin.com or click here

Soil Interfaces in a Changing World

International Symposium on Interactions of Soil Minerals with Organic Components and Microorganisms. Division 2.5 :Soil chemical, physical and biological interfacial reactions

Montpellier, France 26th June - 1st July 2011. Topics will include:

changing climate and effects on biogeochemical cycles and microbial activity in soils
changing demands on soil for agricultural production and decreased pollution
emerging pollutants, including nanoparticles, pathogens, new pesticides and
pharmaceutical products and genetically modified plants
advanced analytical and research tools for the study of soil interfaces

Registration fees will be low and all-inclusive, with special rates for students and low cost accommodation available.  There will not be parallel sessions, and generous periods will be allotted to poster presentations and discussions.

http://www1.montpellier.inra.fr/ISMOM2011/

Have a virtual poster

The Soil Science Society of America is pleased to announce the introduction of Virtual Posters which will be part of the Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 2010 SSSA International Annual Meeting in Long Beach, California. The site is going to open May 4, 2010 for virtual poster submissions. The web address is www.acsmeetings.org  The charge per virtual poster is $55 USD. This is an excellent way for IUSS members to showcase their work to more than 2800 attendees at the meetings in Long Beach. A Virtual Poster is an electronic submission of a poster presentation in PDF format. It is presented live via Internet video or chat. Virtual Posters are the ideal way to participate in this prestigious international conference when visa issues, travel restrictions, or lack of funding prevent you from attending the meetings in person. A Virtual Poster is included in the official count of presentations made at the meetings. This is a great alternative if you cannot attend the SSSA International Meeting in person. For more information go to www.acsmeetings.org and click on the poster/oral button. Please note that this opportunity is available only to anyone residing in and a citizen of a country outside of the United States, Canada, or Mexico.

Vacancy: Full professor in pedology

The Faculty of Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) searches a person to fill the position of Full Professor in the Laboratory of Pedology. Teaching includes basic courses of Soil and Earth Sciences at graduate and post-graduate levels. The candidate should have a PhD in Soil Science and have publications in peer-reviewed journals. Good knowledge of Spanish and English is essential. The candidate should prove his/her knowledge in pedology and familiarity with other branches of soil science. Interested persons are invited to communicate with Dr. Norma Garcia Calderon by e-mail or , attaching a brief CV.

New Publications

Roadmap for Terrestrial Carbon Science: Research Needs for Carbon Management in Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Uses.  In April 2010, the Terrestrial Carbon Group released the Roadmap for Terrestrial Carbon Science: Research Needs for Carbon Management in Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Uses. This work represents a partnership among the Terrestrial Carbon Group, the UN-REDD agencies, the World Bank, and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) institutions to identify scientific and technical advancements needed to accelerate avoided emissions and sequestration of terrestrial carbon. The full report is available at: www.terrestrialcarbon.org

Synchrotron-based Techniques in Soils and Sediments, 34Synchrotron-based Techniques in Soils and Sediments, Development in Soil Science 34, Edited By Balwant Singh, Markus Grafe. Elsevier, Amsterdam. 2010 ISBN-13: 978-0-444-53261-9. Over the past 20 years, synchrotron-based research applications have provided important insight into the geochemical cycling of ions and the chemical and crystallographic properties of minerals in soils and sediments. Of particular significance is the understanding of local coordination environments with the use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The high flux and brightness of the X-ray beams have allowed researchers to work at environmentally relevant concentrations. The use of focusing mirrors and apertures which allow for mapping and trace particle surfaces, microbes, roots, channels and elements at the micron and at a nano-meter scale in 2 and 3D have also been a great enhancement to science. This book provides the most up-to-date information on synchrotron-based research applications in the field of soil, sediment and earth sciences. Invited authors provide chapters on a wide range of research topics including multiphase flow and transport processes (physical aspects), rhizosphere and microbial life (biological aspects), and dynamics of C, N, S, P and heavy metals and metalloids (chemical aspects). In addition, perspectives on the impact of synchrotron based applications, particularly X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and the role of synchrotron applications in remediation, regulatory, and decision making processes are considered.

Keys to soil taxonomy, 11th edition. By Soil Survey Staff. USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC. The 11th edition of Soil Taxonomy is now available. For decades, NRCS has worked with soil scientists from around the world to increase awareness and expand knowledge concerning the importance of soil and its impact on all aspects of life. The 'Keys' have been translated into Spanish. Soil scientists and other professionals from Latino America, the United States, and other countries will benefit from this effort for years to come. While soils differ globally, the ability to apply a system that is universally understood and accepted is a goal shared by many soil scientists. As the world struggles with global warming and other environmental challenges, having a universally accepted method that can be applied when addressing soil problems will contribute to successful outcomes. To download the 11th edition click here; the Spanish version (2006) of the 10th edition is available here.

www.iuss.org

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