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      <title>The International Union of Soil Sciences - IUSS | IUSS
        Alert 127 (January 2016)</title>
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                    <h1>IUSS Alert 127 (January 2016)</h1>
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                    <h2>Vienna Soil Declaration adopted by FAO and IAEA</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The ‘Vienna Soil Declaration’ presented during
                        the conference “Celebration of International
                        Year of Soils 2015 – Achievements and Future
                        Challenges” in Vienna on Dec. 7, 2015, has been
                        recently adopted by <span class="caps">FAO</span>
                        and <span class="caps">IAEA</span>. In this
                        Declaration <span class="caps">IUSS</span> has
                        identified the key roles played by soils in
                        addressing the major environmental, health and
                        social problems which humanity is currently
                        facing. Given this situation, the <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> believes that it is
                        incumbent on us to not only maintain the level
                        of activity generated in <span class="caps">IYS</span>
                        2015 but to increase the momentum and the extent
                        of our contributions on these issues as we move
                        towards the Centenary of the formation of <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> in 2024.</p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>International Decade of Soils (2015-2024)</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>During the above mentioned event <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> President Prof.
                        Rainer Horn took the opportunity to announce the
                        International Decade of Soils 2015 -2024, which
                        was unilaterally declared by <span class="caps">IUSS</span>,
                        to keep the momentum and further increase soil
                        awareness. <span class="caps">IUSS</span> will
                        seek the support of global organizations such as
                        <span class="caps">CGIAR</span>, <span
                          class="caps">FAO</span>, <span class="caps">IAEA</span>,
                        <span class="caps">UNEP</span> and others for
                        this initiative. We kindly ask you to actively
                        support us through the channels at your
                        disposal. We intend to provide a logo and other
                        information/dissemination materials in the near
                        future.<br>
                        The United Nations’ decision to inaugurate 2015
                        as International Year of Soils was an important
                        step in raising public awareness. But public
                        concern alone is not sufficient to protect soils
                        and ensure their sustainable use. Soil
                        scientists in every country around the world
                        need to take and to maintain action. <br>
                        It is essential that all <span class="caps">IUSS</span>
                        Divisions, Commissions, Working Groups, national
                        and individual members accept the challenge to
                        undertake activities to ensure that the
                        significance of soils in maintaining healthy
                        life and environment remain continually at the
                        forefront of political and scientific planning
                        and decision making.</p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Publication of IUSS Bulletin 127</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The latest <span class="caps">IUSS</span>
                        Bulletin with detailed reports of <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> Divisions,
                        Commissions and Working Groups, an account of
                        numerous activities undertaken during the
                        International Year of Soils 2015 to raise
                        awareness on soils and their importance for
                        humankind, as well as other pieces of
                        information from the world of soil science is
                        available on the <span class="caps">IUSS</span>
                        website. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.iuss.org/index.php?article_id=76">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Commission 1.4 Website Now Available</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>Commission 1.4 Soil Classification Web Site has
                        been moved. <br>
                        The site is a source of information about
                        upcoming meetings, the Guy Smith Award, the
                        Universal Soil Classification and <span
                          class="caps">WRB</span> Working Groups. <br>
                        Contact for information is Chair John Galbraith:
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="mailto:john.galbraith@vt.edu">Email</a><br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="https://sites.google.com/a/vt.edu/iuss1-4_soil_classification/">To
                          the new webiste</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Pedometron</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The newsletter of Commission 1.5 of the <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span>, December 2015 issue
                        is available at <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.pedometrics.org">www.pedometrics.org</a>.
                        <br>
                        It has exciting articles: Report on Pedometrics
                        2015, Margaret Oliver Award for Early-career
                        Pedometricians, New science for an old art, The
                        challenge of sampling remote tropical mountain
                        areas, Turning a smartphone into a tricorder for
                        soil monitoring, Is <span class="caps">DSM</span>
                        trying to tell us something? On usability of
                        soil maps, Pedometricians Favourite Equations,
                        Digital Soil Mapping Training at The Dokuchaev
                        Soil Science Institute, How Gerard Heuvelink got
                        involved in pedometrics , Geoderma Special Issue
                        on Advances in <span class="caps">DSM</span>,
                        Uncertainty and Soil Carbon Validation.</p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Thomson Reuters 2015 Highly Cited Researchers </h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The <span class="caps">IUSS</span> Secretariat
                        congratulates Prof. Rattan Lal, <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> President Elect, on
                        his being named a Thomson Reuters Highly Cited
                        Researcher and included in the 2015 list of the
                        Most Influential Scientific Minds. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://highlycited.com/?utm_term=jan&utm_content=hcr-congrats&utm_campaign=12772-HCR_WMISM-27815&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua">See
                          complete list 2015</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Udo Schwertmann (1927-2016)</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The <span class="caps">IUSS</span> Secretariat
                        was sad to learn that our distinguished
                        colleague Udo Schwertmann died on January 20th,
                        2016 at the age of 88. His scientific
                        achievements span a vast range. We certainly
                        have to commemorate his work on the occurrence
                        formation and identification of iron oxides in
                        soils, but also his work in soil clay
                        mineralogy, soil erosion, phosphorous in soil,
                        cation adsorption, and soil acidity. He first
                        described the structure, formation and
                        properties of the mineral „Schwertmannite“,
                        named after him by the International
                        Mineralogical Association. <br>
                        Udo Schwertmann published more than 200 research
                        papers, numerous book chapters and several
                        monographs. <br>
                        He received numerous scientific awards, e.g. in
                        1995 he received an honorary doctorate from the
                        Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel in
                        Germany and in 2005 he was awarded the
                        Philippe-Duchaufour-medal of the European
                        Geophysical Union „for outstanding research in
                        the field of fundamental and applied soil
                        science, with special emphasis on his
                        contributions to soil mineralogy and genesis”. <br>
                        Udo Schwertmann’s legacy is forever connected
                        with our understanding of the formation and
                        properties of iron oxides in soils.</p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Wrapping up the International Year of Soils -
                      FAO</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The 6 key messages to take away from IYS2015 <br>
                        In 2015 we celebrated the “International Year of
                        Soils” and with good reason.<br>
                        Soil sustains all our agricultural and livestock
                        food production, wood for fuel production,
                        filters water so that we can drink it and fish
                        can live in it. <br>
                        We also use it for construction – therefore it
                        sustains our homes and infrastructure. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.fao.org/zhc/detail-events/en/c/345543/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social%20media&utm_campaign=FAOnews&utm_content=ac">The
                          six essentials to take away</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>How soils keep us healthy</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>Soils are one of the most complex and dynamic
                        natural systems studied by scientists. Although
                        usually out of sight, everything in our lives is
                        underpinned by them — our roads, our homes, the
                        food we eat, and the water we drink. It makes
                        sense to reflect on their importance,
                        particularly as 2015 was the International Year
                        of Soil. However, not very many people are aware
                        of the ways in which they keep us healthy.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/themes/safeguarding-natural-capital/soilshutton/international-year-soils-series-articles/how-soils-keep-us-healthy">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>A Worm's Eye View of Climate Change</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>Any gardener and producer know that worms are
                        good for the soil. Vermicompost is reckoned by
                        serious growers to be the crème de la crème of
                        organic compost. But for coffee farmers in
                        Central America, worms are also an unlikely ally
                        in the fight against climate change.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/marike-de-peaa/climate-change_b_8758754.html">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Soils will lead the next green revolution – if
                      we allow them</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>The “green revolution” led to an increase in
                        crop yield at least three times greater than the
                        previous century, and this increase was
                        primarily a result of the introduction of
                        fertilisers, pesticides, and new crop varieties.
                        However, while most crop yields are no longer
                        increasing, the world population is still
                        growing. The <span class="caps">FAO</span>
                        estimates the global population will reach
                        almost 10 billion in 2050.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/themes/safeguarding-natural-capital/soilshutton/international-year-soils-series-articles/soils-green-revolution">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2> FAO Infographics: Soil An essential ingredient
                      to healthy food and nutrition</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>Our soils are by nature linked to the
                        micronutrient content of our food production.
                        The poster shows how to reverse the increasing
                        trend of nutrient depleted soil by adopting
                        sustainable soil management practices.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.fao.org/resources/infographics/infographics-details/en/c/358223/">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Soils store and filter water - Improving food
                      security and our resilience to floods and droughts</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>Functional soils play a key role in the supply
                        of clean water and resilience to floods and
                        droughts. Water infiltration through soil traps
                        pollutants and prevents them from leaching into
                        the groundwater. Moreover, the soil captures and
                        stores water, making it available for absorption
                        by crops, and thus minimizing surface
                        evaporation and maximizing water use efficiency
                        and productivity.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.fao.org/resources/infographics/infographics-details/en/c/357132/">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h2>Soil microbes added to seeds could boost crop
                      production</h2>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p>Communities of soil-dwelling bacteria and fungi
                        are crucial to plants. They help plants take up
                        nutrients and minerals from the dirt and can
                        even extend root systems, providing more access
                        to food and water. They also help plants grow,
                        cope with stress, bolster immune responses and
                        ward off pests and diseases. Now scientists at
                        agricultural companies are digging through the
                        dirt, like prospectors panning for gold, to find
                        the exact microbes that make specific crops grow
                        better. Agribusiness firms Novozymes and
                        Monsanto are leading the way by coating seeds
                        with microbes, planting them on farms across the
                        U.S. and harvesting the crops to see how they
                        fared.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://automotive.einnews.com/article/305007540/6j32qCtwWJlkpcZn">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h1>Conferences, Meetings and Workshops</h1>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>Tea Bag Index (<span class="caps">TBI</span>)
                        Workshop</h2>
                      <p>University of Reading, United Kingdom, February
                        26, 2016. The purpose of the workshop is to
                        improve the understanding and application of the
                        Tea Bag Index (<span class="caps">TBI</span>) in
                        soil microbial studies and to build a <span
                          class="caps">TBI</span> community for advanced
                        data generation, method development and
                        knowledge exchange. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.iuss.org/index.php?article_id=21">Read
                          more</a><br>
                        Contact person is Sarah Duddigan: <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="mailto:S.L.Duddigan@pgr.reading.ac.uk">Email</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2><span class="caps">ESSC</span> 2016 European
                        Society for Soil Conservation International
                        Conference “Soil – Our Common Future”</h2>
                      <p>Cluj-Napoca, Romania, June 15-18, 2016.
                        Deadline for abstract submission is 31 January
                        2016. <br>
                        Please note that <span class="caps">ESSC</span>
                        provides 2 grants of 500.00 Euro each to 2 young
                        researchers (less than 35 years old) members of
                        the <span class="caps">ESSC</span>, to support
                        their participation to the 2016 <span
                          class="caps">ESSC</span> International
                        Conference on “Soil – Our Common Future”. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://essc2016.conference.ubbcluj.ro">Read
                          more</a><br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://essc2016.conference.ubbcluj.ro/registration/conference-grants/">Application
                          form</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>19th Nitrogen Workshop – deadline for abstract
                        submission extended</h2>
                      <p>Skara, Sweden, June 27-29, 2016. Due to several
                        requests from authors, the time for submission
                        of abstracts for oral and poster presentation
                        has been extended. The deadline is postponed to
                        3 February 2016. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.nitrogenworkshop.com">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>16th International Scientific GeoConference <span
                          class="caps">SGEM</span> – online registration
                        and call for papers</h2>
                      <p>June 28 – July 7, 2016. Conference venue:
                        Flamingo Grand Congress Center, Albena Resort,
                        Bulgaria. The prestigious <span class="caps">SGEM</span>
                        International Scientific GeoConferences focus on
                        the latest researches and technologies in the
                        fields of Geo and Earth Sciences, covering 27
                        scientific topics from fundamental and applied
                        sciences. The topic soil is covered under Water
                        Resources, Forest, Marine and Ocean Ecosystems.
                        Abstract submission deadline: 10 March 2016.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.sgem.org">Read more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>35th International Geological Congress </h2>
                      <p>The International Union of Geological Sciences
                        (<span class="caps">IUGS</span>) and the
                        International Geological Congress (<span
                          class="caps">IGC</span>) will celebrate the
                        35th International Geological Congress in Cape
                        Town, South Africa, 27 August – 4 September
                        2016. This is the main scientific event
                        organized by <span class="caps">IUGS</span> – <span
                          class="caps">IGC</span> every four years.
                        Three core topics have been identified:
                        Geoscience for Society, Fundamental Geoscience
                        and Geoscience in the Economy. <br>
                        Four sessions are open for abstract submissions
                        until January 31st<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.35igc.org">Read more</a><br>
                        There will also be a section on Soil sciences.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.35igc.org/Themes/6/Soil-Science">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <h1>New publications</h1>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>The Australian Soil Classification, Second
                        Edition</h2>
                      <p>By R Isbell, National Committee on Soil and
                        Terrain, January 2016 by <span class="caps">CSIRO</span>
                        Publishing, Australian Soil and Land Survey
                        Handbooks Series, 152 pages, illustrations, 245
                        × 170 mm, <span class="caps">ISBN</span>:
                        9781486304639, Price Paperback AU $ 59.95.<br>
                        The Australian Soil Classification provides a
                        framework for organising knowledge about
                        Australian soils by allocating soils to classes
                        via a key. Since its publication in 1996, this
                        book has been widely adopted and formally
                        endorsed as the official national system. It has
                        provided a means of communication among
                        scientists and land managers and has proven to
                        be of particular value in land resource survey
                        and research programs, environmental studies and
                        education.<br>
                        Classification is a basic requirement of all
                        science and needs to be periodically revised as
                        knowledge increases. This Second Edition of The
                        Australian Soil Classification includes updates
                        from a working group of the National Committee
                        on Soil and Terrain (<span class="caps">NCST</span>),
                        especially in regards to new knowledge about
                        acid sulfate soils (sulfidic materials).
                        Modifications include expanding the
                        classification to incorporate different kinds of
                        sulfidic materials, the introduction of
                        subaqueous soils as well as new Vertosol
                        subgroups, new Hydrosol family criteria and the
                        consistent use of the term reticulate. All soil
                        orders except for Ferrosols and Sodosols are
                        affected by the changes.</p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>Soil Remediation: Applications and New
                        Technologies</h2>
                      <p>By Jose T. V. S. de Albergaria, Hendrikus P. A.
                        Nouws, January 15, 2016 by <span class="caps">CRC</span>
                        Press, 174 Pages, 19 Color & 30 B/W
                        Illustrations, <span class="caps">ISBN</span>
                        9781498743617. Price hardback £65.44.<br>
                        Soil contamination represents a serious
                        environmental problem and requires an immediate
                        action plan to be prepared for typical and
                        emergent contaminants. This book provides an
                        overview of some remediation technologies, both
                        traditional and emergent, as well as case
                        studies based on the contribution from academia
                        and service providers. Several soil and
                        groundwater remediation technologies such as
                        electrokinetic remediation, biological
                        treatments (including phytoremediation), and
                        chemical remediation are presented. Innovative
                        technologies such as nanoremediation and the
                        application of life cycle assessment as a
                        decision tool for soil remediation technologies
                        are also considered in this book. This book
                        serves as a reference source for soil
                        remediation as it includes applications,
                        technologies, and valuable tools that can help
                        in decision making during remediation actions.
                        It can be used by students, researchers, service
                        providers, and industry practitioners.</p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">< h2>Advances in Agronomy,
                      1st Edition
                      <p>By D Sparks (Editor), January 26, 2016 by
                        Academic Press, <span class="caps">ISBN</span>
                        : 9780128046937, 244 pages. Price hardcover €
                        117.30<br>
                        Advances in Agronomy continues to be recognized
                        as a leading reference and a first-rate source
                        for the latest research in agronomy. Each volume
                        contains an eclectic group of reviews by leading
                        scientists throughout the world. As always, the
                        subjects covered are rich and varied and
                        exemplary of the abundant subject matter
                        addressed by this long-running serial.</p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>Earth Matters: How soil underlies civilisation</h2>
                      <p>By Richard D Bardgett, January 28th 2016 by
                        Oxford University Press, 224 pages, <span
                          class="caps">ISBN</span>: 9780199668564, Price
                        Hardback £18.99.<br>
                        For much of history, soil has played a major,
                        and often central, role in the lives of humans.
                        Entire societies have risen, and collapsed,
                        through the management or mismanagement of soil;
                        farmers and gardeners worldwide nurture their
                        soil to provide their plants with water,
                        nutrients, and protection from pests and
                        diseases; major battles have been aborted or
                        stalled by the condition of soil; murder trials
                        have been solved with evidence from the soil;
                        and, for most of us, our ultimate fate is the
                        soil. In this book Richard Bardgett discusses
                        soil and the many, and sometimes surprising,
                        ways that humanity has depended on it throughout
                        history, and still does today. Analysing the
                        role soil plays in our own lives, despite
                        increasing urbanisation, and in the
                        biogeochemical cycles that allow the planet to
                        function effectively, Bardgett considers how
                        superior soil management could combat global
                        issues such as climate change, food shortages,
                        and the extinction of species. Looking to the
                        futur e, Bardgett argues that it is vital for
                        the future of humanity for governments worldwide
                        to halt soil degradation, and to put in place
                        policies for the future sustainable management
                        of soils.</p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>Scheffer/Schachtschabel Soil Science</h2>
                      <p>Authors: Blume, H.-P., Brümmer, G.W., Fleige,
                        H., Horn, R., Kandeler, E., Kögel-Knabner, I.,
                        Kretzschmar, R., Stahr, K., Wilke, B.-M. ;
                        Published by Springer, 1st edition 2016, <span
                          class="caps">XVIII</span>, 618 p., 255
                        illustrations, 218 illustrations in colour. <span
                          class="caps">ISBN</span> 978-3-642-30942-7,
                        Price hardcover € 98.99, £81.00, $119.00.<br>
                        Based on the standard textbook on Soil Science
                        for over 30 years in Europe – now available in
                        English and improved and adjusted for the North
                        American and International Market. 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 recognised researchers have
                        prepared this first English edition based on the
                        16th European edition. </p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>The Soils of Spain</h2>
                      <p>By Gallardo, Juan F. (Ed.), 2016, World Soils
                        Book Series, Springer Verlag. <span
                          class="caps">ISBN</span> 978-3-319-20541-0,
                        Price hardcover € 109.99.<br>
                        This book provides the reader with a
                        comprehensive overview of the soils of Spain
                        gathered by a variety of Spanish experts in the
                        field. It presents soils in this country as
                        particularly conditioned by the naturally
                        diverse and drastic distribution of the Spanish
                        landscape, characterized by mountainous ranges
                        in the North, and arid areas in the South and
                        the East. The first chapter sets the
                        agricultural scenario in Spain as influenced by
                        the Arabic culture and American agricultural
                        products; the second chapter provides a
                        classification and distribution of Spanish
                        soils; the third chapter approaches the topic of
                        soils in the characteristically humid Northern
                        Iberia area as prone to diversity and soil
                        evolution; the fourth focuses on the soils of
                        the South and East of Spain as affected by lack
                        of rainfall and abundance in calcic soil
                        horizons; the fifth chapter deals with
                        Mediterranean soils, having as a particular
                        characteristic the dominance of red colors; and
                        the last chapter discus ses the challenges and
                        future issues of Spanish soils.</p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>Special Issue: International Soil and Water
                        Conservation Research: Global Pioneers in Soil
                        Conservation: Common Elements and Lessons
                        Learned </h2>
                      <p><span class="caps">ISWCR</span>, 2 (1). 2014.
                        Pioneers in soil conservation and conservation
                        agriculture. Edited by J. Dumanski, D.C.
                        Reicosky, R.A. Peiretti. International Soil and
                        Water Conservation Research, Volume 2, Issue 1,
                        March 2014, pp107.ISSN 2095-6339<br>
                        This Special Issue of International Soil and
                        Water Conservation Research was compiled to
                        honor the pioneers, farmers, researchers, and
                        extentionists, whose work, dedication, and
                        innovation laid the foundation for Conservation
                        Agriculture. Efforts to control land degradation
                        and soil erosion can be traced over millennia,
                        but generally results have not been great.
                        However, certain farmers, called the “pioneers”,
                        questioned tradition and implemented new
                        theories and new technologies in soil
                        conservation. They were supported by researchers
                        and extentionists. Their successes are
                        significant, because through these approaches
                        the pioneers laid the ecological foundation on
                        which a more sustainable agriculture could be
                        developed. Their stories must be preserved
                        before it is too late; we have much to learn
                        from these forward thinking people. The papers
                        include success stories from various regions
                        including North and South America, Australia,
                        Europe, and China. The papers are put in context
                        with an international overview paper on global
                        soil conservation. <br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339%2815%2930018-6">Read
                          more</a><br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095633915300186">Read
                          more</a> </p>
                    </div>
                    <p style="text-align:center;color:gray;">
________________________________________________________________________________</p>
                    <br class="clear">
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>90 years <span class="caps">IUSS</span> and
                        global soil science</h2>
                      <p>By Alfred E. Hartemink (2015), in: Soil Science
                        and Plant Nutrition, 61:4, p 579-586.<br>
                        In this article the author describes the history
                        and activities of the International Union of
                        Soil Sciences (<span class="caps">IUSS</span>)
                        and its predecessor the International Society of
                        Soil Science (<span class="caps">ISSS</span>) in
                        relation to some global soil science
                        developments. The <span class="caps">IUSS</span>
                        was founded in 1924 by soil scientists
                        interested in establishing standardized methods
                        of soil analysis and soil classification. In the
                        past 90 years, 20 World Congresses of Soil
                        Science were held, and thousands of smaller
                        conferences, meetings and workshops. The <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> is a global soil
                        science organization and has 60,000 members who
                        are organized into Divisions, Commissions and
                        Working Groups that deal with all aspects of
                        soil research.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2015.1055699">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <h1>Job offers</h1>
                    <div class="team">
                      <h2>Professor in the field of soil resources</h2>
                      <p>The Department of Environmental Systems Science
                        of <span class="caps">ETH</span> Zurich
                        in-vites applications for a professorial faculty
                        position focusing on (1) the role of soil as a
                        key natural resource, supporting a wide range of
                        forest and other terrestrial ecosystem functions
                        and services and (2) quantifying the effects of
                        changes of land use and climate on various soil
                        functions at local to global scales. The
                        appointment will be at full professor level.
                        Candi¬dates should be interested in
                        system-oriented multidisciplinary research and
                        are expected to develop an innovative and
                        internationally recognized research program,
                        making an important contribution to linking the
                        assessment and modelling of soil function to
                        land-use and climate change.<br>
                        The successful candidate will have a strong
                        background in soil sciences as well as an
                        inter¬national track record in research and will
                        be a motivated and capable university teacher.
                        Ad¬ditionally, skills in mathematical modelling
                        and/or spatial information systems are a great
                        plus. Teaching duties will include introductory
                        and advanced-level courses on the asses¬sment,
                        modelling and management of soil resources as
                        part of the environment. The new professor will
                        be expected to teach undergraduate level courses
                        (German or English) and graduate level courses
                        (English).<br>
                        Applications should include a curriculum vitae,
                        a list of publications, and a statement of
                        future research and teaching interests. The
                        letter of application should be addressed to the
                        President of <span class="caps">ETH</span>
                        Zurich, Prof. Dr. Lino Guzzella. The closing
                        date for applications is 15 March 2016. <span
                          class="caps">ETH</span> Zurich is an equal
                        opportunity and family friendly employer and is
                        further responsive to the needs of dual career
                        couples. We specifically encourage women to
                        apply.<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.usys.ethz.ch">Department of
                          Environmental Systems Science <span
                            class="caps">ETH</span> Z</a><br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="https://www.bi.id.ethz.ch/recruiting_app/dmz/">Please
                          apply online</a><br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.facultyaffairs.ethz.ch/facultypositions/Soil_Resources_VP%E2%80%9D">Read
                          more</a></p>
                    </div>
                    <div class="team"><img moz-do-not-send="true"
                        src="http://iuss.boku.ac.at/files/iys_sm_1__s.gif"></div>
                    <div class="team">
                      <p><span class="caps">IUSS</span> Alerts are
                        e-mailed to nearly 10,000 people in over 100
                        countries. Please forward the <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> Alerts to your
                        friends and colleagues. Send information for <span
                          class="caps">IUSS</span> Alerts to <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="mailto:iuss@umweltbundesamt.at"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:iuss@umweltbundesamt.at">iuss@umweltbundesamt.at</a></a></p>
                      <p>The <span class="caps">IUSS</span> is on <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/IUSS-International-Union-Soil-Sciences-2871883/about">LinkedIn</a>
                        and <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Union-of-Soil-Sciences/291392794207721">Facebook</a></p>
                    </div>
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