IUSS Alert 107 (May 2014)
IUSS founded in May 1924 – 90 Years !
The International Society of Soil Science (ISSS, now IUSS) was founded in May 1924 and this year we celebrate our 90thAnniversary. Next month there were be special sessions and celebrations on this occasion at the upcoming World Congress of Soil Science. Deadline for registration 8th May!
New IUSS Bulletin 124
In this new IUSS Bulletin the last news on the World Congress of Soil Science in June in Korea, reports from the IUSS officers, information on a new IUSS working Group, Year of the Soils, 5 questions to Christian Feller and Jay Jabro, the favourite soil science books of Daniel Richter, obituaries for Rudi Dudal and Dan Yaalon, reports of meetings and a list of new publications. The Bulletin can be downloaded at www.iuss.org Happy Reading!
Soil Micromorphology Newsletter
The April Soil Micromorphology Newsletter contains several informations and contributions, among them an extensive report on a Russian meeting devoted to the late Nicolas Fedoroff was sent by Marina Verba and Irina Kovda. A very sad news is that Dr Hari Eswaran (USDA) passed away on April the 14th. A "In Memoriam" written by Prof Georges Stoops is included. Also, the 2014 Young Micromorphology Publication Award is announced, the awardee is Dr. Amanda Williams (U. Las Vegas) for an excellent paper on desert crusts. The micromorphology session schedules for several forthcoming meetings is provided: the EGU meeting in Vienna; the World Congress of the IUSS in Jeju (Korea) and the International Workshop on Archaeological Micromorphology (Amersfoort). The preliminary scientific programme of the 2016 Mexico XV Micromorphology Congress, open for discussion, is provided as well. Information about three micromorphology courses (two in Spanish, one in English), meetings and publications is also available.
Conferences and meetings
British Society of Soil Science Annual Meeting 2014. Delving into the dark - emerging techniques, approaches and tools for soils research 3rd and 4th September 2014 Manchester, United Kingdom. We are interested in presentations about the development and application of entirely new approaches as well as the novel application of existing techniques. You may be investigating soil biological, chemical or physical properties, soil processes or soil functioning in its broadest sense. We would like to hear how these techniques, approaches and tools could improve our understanding of soils and how we can use these to tackle the global challenges of more food, water and energy alongside habitat conservation and mounting soil degradation. Abstracts need to be submitted by Monday 19th May 2014. www.soils.org.uk
The 12th French days of soil studies (Journées d’Etude des Sols) will take place in Chambéry (French Alps) from 30th June to 4th July 2014. Call for papers is open till 30th April. Field tours are available on 30th June and 4th July. The official language of the conference is French.
New Publications
GlobalSoilMap: Basis of the Global Spatial Soil Information System. Edited by D. Arrouays, N. McKenzie, J. Hempel, A.R. de Forges, A. McBratney. 2014. CRC Press. ISBN: 978-1-138-00119-0. Hardcover 494 pages. Price $189.95. GlobalSoilMap: Basis of the global spatial soil information system contains contributions that were presented at the 1st GlobalSoilMap conference, held 7-9 October 2013 in Orléans, France. These contributions demonstrate the latest developments in the GlobalSoilMap project and digital soil mapping technology for which the ultimate aim is to produce a high-resolution digital spatial soil information system of selected soil properties and their uncertainties for the entire world. GlobalSoilMap: Basis of the global spatial soil information system aims to stimulate capacity building and new incentives to develop full GlobalSoilMap products in all parts of the world.
Soil Carbon. Edited by A. E. Hartemink, K. McSweeney. Springer. Progress in Soil Science Series. 2014. ISBN: 978-3-319-04083-7. Hardcover 560 pp. Price $179.00. Few topics cut across the soil science discipline wider than research on soil carbon. This book contains 48 chapters that focus on novel and exciting aspects of soil carbon research from all over the world. It includes review papers by global leaders in soil carbon research, and the book ends with a list and discussion of global soil carbon research priorities. Chapters are loosely grouped in four sections: Soil carbon in space and time, Soil carbon properties and processes, Soil use and carbon management, and Soil carbon and the environment. A wide variety of topics is included: soil carbon modeling, measurement, monitoring, microbial dynamics, soil carbon management, and 12 chapters focus on national or regional soil carbon stock assessments. The book provides up-to-date information for researchers interested in soil carbon in relation to climate change, and to researchers that are interested in soil carbon for the maintenance of soil quality and fertility. Papers in this book were presented at the IUSS Global Soil C Conference that was held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
Soil Science. By H. Blume, G.W. Brümmer, R. Horn, E. Kandeler, I. Kögel-Knabner, R. Kretzchmar, P. Schad, K. Stahr, and B. Wilke. March 28th 2015. Springer. ISBN: 978-3-642-30941-0. Hardcover 550 pages. Price $89.95. The soils are fundamental to our existence, delivering water and nutrients to plants that feed us. But they are in many ways in danger and their conservation is therefore a most important focus for science, governments and society as a whole. A team of world recognized researchers have prepared this first English edition based on the 16th European edition. Details on the precursors and the processes of soil development, the physical, biological and chemical properties of soils, Nutrients and Pollutants, the various soil classifications with the main focus on the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB), the most important soils and soil landscapes of the world, Soil Evaluation Techniques, and Basic Principles of Soil Conservation.
The Soils of Bulgaria. By T. Shishkov, and N. Kolev. World Soils Book Series. 2014. Springer. ISBN: 978-94-007-7783-5. Hardcover 228 pages. Price $129.00. The Soils of Bulgaria offers a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of soils and concepts on their magnitude. The purpose of the book is to introduce readers to the soil problematic and ecology in Bulgaria. The volume is divided into 3 parts. The first includes historical facts on soil research in Bulgaria, as well as general conditions and factors of soil formation, while the second applies an original pedological approach. The book’s third part focuses on essential information concerning land use/cover in Bulgaria. Each of the 13 chapters deals more specifically with fundamental chemical and physical soil properties, concepts of soil evolution, old and modern processes, geographic distribution, climatic conditions, topography, parent materials, plant associations, morphology, and the relationship with different classification systems. The interactions between soil status and management are also highlighted. The use of the latest, statistically significant data ensures precise conclusions. The book also includes a large number of charts and new illustrations. The Soils of Bulgaria is crucial reading material for anyone interested in soil management and agriculture in Easter Europe, from students to policy makers and is also of particular interest for researchers in the field