IUSS Alert 137 (November 2016)

Contributions to IUSS Bulletin 129

The IUSS Secretariat would like to thank all authors for their timely contributions! For any late deliveries, we would like to extend the deadline until 5 December. Any contributions received after that date will be included in the June 2017 Alert.

New Newsletter of IUSS Commission 1.1. Soil Morphology and Micromorphology

The most recent Newsletter of Commission 1.1. contains a number of interesting articles, from the 2016 Young Micromorphologist Publication Award, information on forthcoming meetings and congresses, research notes and publications to past and future courses and, last but not least, the lyrics to a song dedicated to Calcrete.

Latest issue of Pedometron #39, the Newsletter of Commission 1.5 now available

This newsletter contains interesting articles including Digital Soil Mapping meeting report, GlobalSoilMap, Citizen Science, Soil Science Journals’ Impact factor, Mapping soil carbon in Madagascar, Shannon’s index, and le Clavier sphérique.

Newsletter download: http://www.iuss.org/index.php?article_id=421

CONSOWA 2017 – Request for contributions to Session 2, dedicated to the International Decade of Soils (2015-2024)

During CONSOWA 2017, Discussion Session 2, dedicated to and sponsored by the International Decade of Soils (2015-2024) proclaimed by IUSS, will focus on analysis and setting the challenges and required achievements in the next decade, to prevent and counteract the previewed effects of global changes on soil and water degradation processes, and effects on food and water supply for the increasing World population, on the environmental degradation and on natural disasters.

Potential authors are kindly requested to submit their contributions, namely about two pages each (present situation, and recommendations for the future) with their ideas before 31 January 2017 to Ildefons Pla Sentis at . A draft document, including the different proposals, will be sent for further corrections to all contributors and reproduced to be distributed before the Conference, as a document for discussion. Contributions will be included in the final document to be published as part of the conclusions and recommendations of CONSOWA2017.

ICSU and ISSC to merge into a new international science council

“The world faces great challenges and society increasingly looks towards science to address them. This places demands on all fields of science in all parts of the world. It compels a global response, involving strengthened collaboration within the international scientific community and between it and the world of policy and business, civil society, and the public at large”, the Presidents of the ICSU and the International Social Science Council (ISSC) stated in a joint letter. The ICSU Executive Board and the ISSC Executive Committee therefore decided to consult their members on the possibility of merging the two Councils. Thus, an extraordinary ICSU General Assembly was held in Oslo, Norway, on 24 October 2016 jointly with the ISSC. IUSS was represented by Takashi Kosaki. The decision of the joint Assembly was to approve the merger in principle and to allow the two Councils to develop a strategic and transition plans for setting up a new international science council. Despite a reportedly significant number of ICSU unions being against the merger, 76% of ICSU Members and 87% of ISSC Members voted in favour of a future merger of the two organizations. The final decision on the merger will be taken by the membership of ICSU and ISSC at the ordinary General Assembly of ICSU in October 2017.

Prof. Emil Klimo (1930-2016)

The IUSS Secretariat was sad to learn of the death of Professor Emil Klimo. He headed the Department of Soil Science and Geology at the Faculty of Forestry Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, for many years and since 1970, he was involved in the development of the current Institute of Forest Ecology, where he was deputy head and later on head. He was involved in the implementation of the flagship research projects that focused on biogeochemical cycling and soil processes in spruce ecosystems of lower vegetation zones and floodplain forests.

Prof. Klimo published more than 100 research papers in journals and conference proceedings nationally and abroad, as well as contributing to scientific books on floodplain forests and on spruce culture ecosystems in Europe. In addition to his extensive scientific work, Prof. Klimo was active in the editorial boards of several international journals, in IUBS, IUSS and will forever remain an honorary member of the Czech Soil Science Society.

Wind Erosion Quantitative Assessment

A GIS version of the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) was developed in JRC to model wind erosion at large scale. The RWEQ was developed to i) move a step forward into the large-scale wind erosion modelling, ii) evaluate the soil loss potential due to wind erosion in the arable land of the EU, and iii) provide a tool useful to support field-based observations of wind erosion. The model was designed to predict the daily soil loss potential at a ca. 1 km2 spatial resolution. The average annual soil loss predicted by GIS-RWEQ in the EU arable land totalled 0.53 Mg ha-1 yr-1. Cross-validation shows a high consistency with local measurements reported in literature. The Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) quantitative assessment (2001-2010) is available for download (together with the relevant datasets on Wind-erodible fraction) and Index of Land Susceptibility to wind erosion).

Sampling depth confounds soil acidification outcomes

Low soil pH can affect herbicide persistence, decrease nutrient availability, and contribute to metal toxicity, all of which can compromise crop production. In the Northern Great Plains (NGP) of North America, surface sampling depths of 0 to 15 or 0 to 20 cm are suggested for testing soil pH. Soil acidification, however, is often most pronounced nearer to the soil surface. In a new rex_article_content published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal, researchers at the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory quantified soil pH change in two long-term dryland cropping studies near Mandan, ND. Soils were sampled at multiple depths in both studies, allowing for soil pH evaluation at surface (0–7.6 cm) as well as deeper (0–15.2 and 0–30.5 cm) depths.

Plant based remediation of acid sulphate soils

On Friday Nov 4, a small group of landholders in Western Victoria, Australia got together to plant a selection of plant species which have shown promise in remediating acid sulphate soils. The original concept was developed by Prof Del Fanning, (Emeritus Professor, Maryland University, awarded the Pons medal, 8th International Acid Sulfate Soils Conference, 2016) who formed the “ Phriends of Phragmites” group to assist implementation of the ideas. The concept aligned with conclusions of the group in Australia, and an Australian Chapter has been formed, and the landholder plantout resulted.

More information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Z3pi0ZMJ9iTlg4cjRUWGdlQ3c/view?usp=sharing

This activity is an example of how somewhat esoteric soil research can result in on ground participation by landholders to address soil degradation issues.

What Would It Take to Mainstream ‘Alternative’ Agriculture?

The industrialized food system, studies have shown, is linked to greenhouse gas emissions, algal blooms, pesticide pollution, soil erosion and biodiversity loss, to name a few ecological troubles. Add to this a long list of social ills, from escalating rates of obesity to the demise of the family farmer and deadening of rural landscapes and rural economies across much of the U.S.

In 2010, the National Academies of Science updated its seminal 1989 publication “Alternative Agriculture” with a fresh look at the state of food and farming in America. Its expert panel concluded, “Growing awareness of unintended impacts associated with some agricultural production practices has led to heightened societal expectations for improved environmental, community, labor, and animal welfare standards in agriculture.”

Meet NASA's robot destined to mine Martian soil

It looks like the Curiosity rover won’t be the only craft exploring Mars. NASA recently released a video of its latest Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot prototype going through its paces in a test facility. “RASSOR uses counterrotating bucket drums on opposing arms to provide near-zero horizontal and minimal vertical net reaction force so that excavation is not reliant on the traction or weight of the mobility system to provide a reaction force to counteract the excavation force in low-gravity environments,” NASA writes.

The woman who digs the dirt to catch serial killers

Forensic soil scientist Prof Lorna Dawson is helping detectives solve decades-old murder cases.

‘Thinking soil’ made of bacteria could keep buildings from collapsing

It can be quite costly, even catastrophic, when the land under a building subsides. But genetically engineered microbes may one day keep that from happening if researchers in the United Kingdom are successful. Inspired by undergraduates who made a concrete-repairing bacterium—dubbed BacillaFilla—for a synthetic biology competition, a biodesigner and his colleagues have been pushing hard to develop biocement, a material that custom-built soil microbes would produce in response to the changing pressures in soil to help shore up the ground under foundations. Toward that end, the team grew a common gut bacterium in surrogate soil—a “hydrogel” shaped into a cylinder. They subjected the bacteria-laden hydrogel to pressures up to 10 times that experienced at sea level.

They identified 122 bacterial genes that increased their activity by at least threefold by the pressure change. The team then modified the bacterial genome so that the regulatory DNA responsible for activating one of these genes was attached to a gene for a protein that glows when produced. The more pressure exerted on the microbe, the more intensely it glows. Eventually the researchers plan to replace the glowing protein gene with genes that make biocement, creating a “thinking soil” that will keep buildings safe and be a self-constructing foundation. The effort is part of a growing movement to incorporate biology into architecture.

Prince Charles joins clean soil project to combat climate change

Prince Charles urged governments, individuals and businesses to take greater care of the world’s soils as part of an initiative aimed at keeping carbon locked in soil, rather than escaping into the atmosphere and causing global warming. The “4 per 1000” project is a pledge to reduce the amount of carbon leaked from soils by 0.4% a year, which would be enough to halt the rise of carbon dioxide levels in the air. Nearly 180 countries have signed up to the initiative that was set up by the French government as part of its efforts to make the Paris agreement on climate change, signed last year, a success.

At a ceremony this week to celebrate the initiative, the prince said that the preservation of farmland, forests and soils were of “absolutely critical importance – for, in my experience, the fertility and health of the soil is at the heart of everything”. Drawing on his own work as an organic farmer, he contrasted organic methods with the “previously conventional” farming systems which he called “toxic”. The 4 per 1000 initiative does not require farmers to adopt organic methods, but does encourage more attention to farming techniques, which are currently contributing to the erosion of soils around the world. The prince said this project could “make a remarkable contribution to the wellbeing, livelihoods, food security and resilience of farmers, to the health of the planet and to addressing climate change”.

Quest to map Africa’s soil microbiome begins

One thousand ziplocked bags of soil from ten countries will form the basis of the first large-scale survey of the microbial life hidden underground in sub-Saharan Africa. The leaders of the African soil microbiology project hope that the data will one day help to drive better agricultural practices and to protect ecosystems and crops in the face of climate change. “Soils are critical and soil health is vital for human and animal livelihoods,” says Don Cowan, director of the Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He launched the project on 8 October at the consortium’s first meeting in Pretoria.

Researchers increasingly recognize the importance of soil microbes to ecology and agriculture. Some bacteria and fungi colonize plant roots, promoting the plant’s growth. A diverse population of soil microbes helps to regulate an ecosystem’s climate, and maintains the fertility of the soil and its ability to support crops. And biotechnology companies including Monsanto are testing additives that contain soil microbes for their ability to improve agricultural productivity.

Comprehensive new coverage on the soils of the USA

The Soils of the USA is the first comprehensive coverage of the soils in the U.S. since 1936. Written by 46 soil scientists from across the country and richly illustrated, the book provides an overview of the distribution, properties and function of soils in the USA, including Alaska, Hawaii and its Caribbean territories.

Co-edited by L.T. West, M.J. Singer and A.E. Hartemink, The Soils of the USA discusses the history of soil surveys and pedological research in the U.S., and offers general descriptions of the country’s climate, geology and geomorphology. For each Land Resource Region (LRR) – a geographic/ecological region of the country characterized by its own climate, geology, landscapes, soils, and agricultural practices – there is a chapter with details of the climate, geology, geomorphology, pre-settlement and current vegetation and land use, as well as the distribution and properties of major soils including their genesis, classification and management challenges. The final chapters address topics such as soils and humans, and the future challenges for soil science and soil surveys in the United States. Maps of soil distribution, pedon descriptions, profile images and tables of properties are included throughout the text.

Innsbruck Nature Film Festival - Best Film on the topic of soil: Lands for Freedom

After having started to do so in the International Year of Soils in 2015, the renowned Innsbruck Nature Film Festival also in 2016 announced an award for the ‘Best Film on the Topic of Soil’. This year, the documentary Lands for Freedom by Jean-Christophe Lamy (Belgium) was selected. A movie that is showing alternatives to industrial agriculture and gives insight into the motivation and success of family-led farming businesses. The movie demonstrates the important role of soils for a sustainable use of lands. It also emphasises that a thoughtful agricultural management in good terms with nature ascertains the production of valuable food. Small is considered beautiful and also economically sustainable.

Lands for Freedom paints a vivid portrait of a rebellion following 4 farmers who have decisively turned their backs on conventional farming methods. Thanks to archive material we will also go back to a time in black and white when it was commonly believed that Science could save the world from hunger and malnutrition. Pictures of European and African landscapes during the four seasons, 4 moving and provocative characters with their life stories becoming linked to each other while speaking the same language: the one of the Earth.

View the trailer: https://www.lesliberterres.com/EN/

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops 2016

Soil stakeholders’ conference

5 December 2016, MCE conference centre, Brussels,rue de l’Aqueduc, 118. The European Commission organises a ‘Soil stakeholders’ conference’ in Brussels on 5 December 2016. The event is a contribution of the European Commission to the World Soil Day 2016 aiming at raising awareness on the importance of soils and the ecosystem services that they deliver. It is also part of the implementation of the EU Soil Thematic Strategy. The objective of the conference is to present the outcomes of the inventory and gap analysis of soil-related legislations at EU and Member states level, and the MAES Soil ecosystem services project. This will lead to a discussion on challenges and further policy developments with stakeholders. The conference will consist of two plenary sessions and four parallel working sessions. The themes of the parallel sessions will be horizontal (session I identifying challenges and opportunities for further policy development, session II considering the potential of ecosystem services approach) and thematic (session III on soil contamination, session IV on sustainable management of agriculture and forest soils).

Soils: The Foundation of Life

December 5, 2016, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Keck Center in Washington, D.C. Held on World Soils Day, this workshop will be webcast and online participants will have the opportunity to ask questions. Held on World Soils Day, this workshop will be webcast and online participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The workshop will be divided in three distinct parts. In the morning, there will be 15 minute talks by up to 9 scientists who will address soil and biodiversity, soils in cities, soils and national security, water resources, the role of soils in adapting to and mitigating climate change, soils and health, soils and food security, sea level rise and impacts on soils and infrastructure, and soils and national defence. In the afternoon there will be breakout sessions convened along the topic lines discussed in the morning: rapporteurs will record and summarize breakout session activity, discussion, and suggestions. Issues may include emerging research opportunities, needs in training or education, overarching challenges, and partnerships.

Conferences, Meetings and Workshops 2017

Soil Erosion modelling workshop

March 20-22, 2017, Ispra, Italy. This workshop will discuss mainly issues how the local and regional modeling results can be upscaled (or applied) at European scale. The workshop will try to focus on how various project or local/regional modelling applications can improve the “know-how” at European scale. Scientists dealing at small scale are invited to present the possibilities and limitations of upscaling their results. Scientists operating at large scale should think how to validate their modelling/ mapping with small scale data. Emphasis will also be given to management practices that can reduce soil erosion. Workshop financial support includes accommodation, transfer from/to the airport, transfer between JRC and hotel, lunch/coffee, etc.

European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2017 (EGU 2017), Session SSS2.8/BG9.44 on Soil Quality Assessment in Degraded Ecosystems: Global Advances and Challenges

23–28 April 2017, Vienna, Austria. On this session studies on soil quality assessment by using of traditional physical, chemical, biochemical and biological indicators in degraded, restored, reclaimed or rehabilitated soils, and also in agricultural-livestock and urban soils are very welcome. Studies also focused on: i) new SQ assessment frameworks and indexing approaches, ii) on-farm SQ assessment strategies and its practical application challenges, iii) studies that exploring the relationship between SQ and ecosystem outputs (i.e., air quality, primary productivity, biodiversity, human wellbeing and health) and, iv) soil quality and public policies, are welcome. In addition, we are looking forwards to seeing studies using new methodologies as stable isotopes, spectroscopy and molecular indicators based on proteomic and metagenomics techniques that aim to link the phylogeny and functional relationships to the concept of soil quality. Around 14,000 scientists from 109 countries participated in the last EGU General Assembly. Early career researchers and PhD students are strongly encouraged to participate. Abstract submission deadline: 11 January 2017. Deadline for applying for travel and attendance support is 1 December 2016.

Conference website: http://www.egu2017.eu/

9th International Congress of the Working Group on Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas, SUITMA 9

May 22-27, 2017. Moscow, Russia. This year’s theme for the congress will be «Urbanization: a challenge and an opportunity for soil functions and ecosystem services». The SUITMA 9 congress will summarize the experiences and existing methodologies in analyses, assessments, and modelling of anthropogenic effects on soils and the related ecological risks to the sustainability of soils of urban, industrial, traffic, mining and military areas (SUITMAs) and explore the potential of SUITMAs to provide key functions and ecosystem services. The scientific program will include a plenary session, 14 thematic sessions and 6 round tables, 4 one-day field tours and two post-congress tours. On-line registration and abstract submission until January 15, 2017.

Humic Substances in Ecosystems (HSE11)

May 29 – June 1, 2017, Wrocław/Kudowa-Zdrój, Poland. HSE11 is a cyclic international conference organized in 2017 by the Polish Chapter of the International Humic Substances Society. Topics: 1. Structure and properties of humic substances; 2. Humic substances in soil genesis and soil protection; 3. Transformation of NOM in terrestrial and water ecosystems; 4. Industrial and agricultural applications of organic matter; 5. Organic wastes and their utilization. Deadline for Early Bird Registration: January 31, 2017. Deadline for Submission of Abstracts: March 1, 2017.

1st World Conference on Soil and Water Conservation under Global Change (CONSOWA) – news

June 12-16, 2017, Lleida (Spain). A joint Conference of the “International Soil Conservation Organization” (19th ISCO Conference), the “World Association for Soil and Water Conservation” (Conference on Soil and Water Conservation of WASWAC), the “European Society for Soil Conservation” (8th ESSC Congress), the “International Union of Soil Science (IUSS-Commissions 3.2, 3.6), the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), the “International Erosion Control Association” (IECA) and the “World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research” (WASER), in parallel with the VIII Simposio Nacional sobre Control de la Degradación y Restauración de Suelos (SECS).

There will be two special sessions to discuss the present situation and future requirements of research and actions on Soil and Water Conservation at global level: Session 1 will deal with Analysis and recommendations to change present limitations for the study and research of soil and water degradation processes and in the application of prevention and remediation practices. Session 2, dedicated to the International Decade of Soils (2015-2024)and sponsored by IUSS, will focus on Analysis and setting the challenges and required achievements in the next decade, to prevent and counteract the previewed effects of global changes on soil and water degradation processes, and effects on food and water supply for the increasing World population, on the environmental degradation and on natural disasters.
New deadline for short abstract submission: 15 January 2017. New deadline for early registration at reduced rates: 30 January 2017. New deadline for CONSOWA scholarships: 31 January 2017.

Download new folder: http://www.iuss.org/media/news_consowa__15_november_2016_-corrected.pdf

IUSS Conferences of Commission 3.2: Soil and Water Conservation and Commission 3.6: Salt Affected Soils

will be held in the framework of CONSOWA (see above).

Pedometrics 2017

From 26 June to 1 July 2017 the 25th anniversary of Pedometrics will be celebrated in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Pedometrics is a branch of soil science dedicated to the application of mathematical and statistical methods for the study of the distribution and genesis of soils. Abstract submissions are now open for conference topics ranging from ‘big data, data mining and machine learning for soil science’ to ‘proximal soil sensing’. The organisers are also calling for submission of proposals for pre-conference workshops. Pedometrics 2017 is organised by the Pedometrics Commission of the International Union of Soil Sciences and its Working Groups.

Wageningen Soil Conference: Soil Science in a Changing World

August 27-31,2017, Wageningen, the Netherlands. Humankind is currently facing unprecedented challenges regarding food security, water resources, climate change and biodiversity. The participants of the 2015 edition of the Wageningen Soil Conference agreed that soils play a key role in confronting these challenges. In their resolution, they emphasized the important role of soil organic carbon for several soil functions, and that a professional communication strategy is needed to ensure that society benefits from soil-based solutions. In 2017, Wageningen University & Research would like to invite you to the third edition of the Wageningen Soil Conference, to continue work on identifying actions for soil-based solutions that help achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to initiate programs that aim at a lasting increase in soil organic carbon, and to develop narratives on soil-based solutions that are convincing to policy makers and other stakeholders.

Download First Circular: http://www.iuss.org/media/pedometrics_2017_conference_announcement_long.pdf

New publications

Le sol. Une merveille sous nos pieds (The soil. A wonder beneath our feet)

Christian Feller, Ghislain de Marsily, Christian Mougin, Guénola Pérès, Roland Poss and Thierry Winiarski (eds.) October 2016 by Editions Belin, Paris, France. 256 pages / € 24.90 / ISBN : 978-2-7011-8349-7. What do Roquefort cheese and tuberculosis have in common: the soil! The very specific taste of Roquefort cheese is due to Penicillium roqueforti, a fungus found in the soil and streptomycin, the drug used very efficiently against tuberculosis, was extracted in 1943 from Streptomyces griseus, another soil fungus. The soil is crucial for our everyday life. We use the soil, walk, drive and build on it. In a word, we live from the soil. In the present book, the authors describe this often poorly known wonder. What in essence is the soil and how is it generated? Which organisms inhabit it? How does water circulate within it? How can the soil help reduce the impact of climate change? All these aspects and many more are clearly dealt with in this remarkably illustrated volume.

Encyclopedia of Soil Science, Third Edition

By Rattan Lal, November 1, 2016 by CRC Press. 2804 pages, ISBN 9781498738903. Price hardback £ 507.00. A ready reference addressing a multitude of soil and soil management concerns, the highly anticipated and widely expanded third edition of Encyclopedia of Soil Science now spans three volumes and covers ground on a global scale. A definitive guide designed for both coursework and self-study, this latest version describes every branch of soil science and delves into trans-disciplinary issues that focus on inter-connectivity or the nexus approach.

Soil Salinity Management in Agriculture: Technological Advances and Applications

By S. K. Gupta, Megh R. Goyal (eds.). November 30, 2016 forthcoming by Apple Academic Press. 410 Pages – 20 Color & 42 B/W Illustrations; ISBN 9781771884433 – CAT# N11731. Price hardback £99.00. This important volume, Soil Salinity Management in Agriculture, addresses the crucial issue of soil salinity of potential farmland and provides a comprehensive picture of the saline environment and plant interactions, along with management and reclamation methods and policies. With contributions from researchers from the fields of agricultural chemistry, soil science, biotechnology, agronomy, environmental sciences, and plant breeding and genetics, the volume emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach.

New Scientific Journal

Plant Production Science

is an Open Access journal that publishes original research reports on field crops and resource plants, their production and related subjects. It covers a wide range of sciences such as soil science, physiology, biotechnology, morphology, ecology, cropping system, production technology and post harvest management and more. The journal is the official English journal of the Crop Science Society of Japan and has an impact factor of 0.612, ©2016 Thomson Reuters, 2016 Journal Citation Reports®. You can view all the research published in Plant Production Science for free and also find out how you can submit a paper to the journal via the journal’s homepage on Taylor & Francis Online.

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