New EGU journal SOIL to be launched at the 2014 General Assembly SOIL is the newest interactive and open access journal of the EGU, which is dedicated to the publication and discussion of high-quality research in the field of soil system sciences. It will open for submissions in May 2014, following the journal’s official launch at the EGU 2014 General Assembly. SOIL is at the interface between the ...[Read More]
Monday paper: Seasonal changes in the soil hydrological and erosive response depending on aspect, vegetation type and soil water repellency in different Mediterranean microenvironments
Gabarrón-Galeote, M.A., Martínez-Murillo, J.F., Quesada, M.A., Ruiz-Sinoga, J.D. 2013. Seasonal changes in the soil hydrological and erosive response depending on aspect, vegetation type and soil water repellency in different Mediterranean microenvironments. Solid Earth, 4, 497-509. DOI: 10.5194/se-4-497-2013. Abstract Mediterranean areas are characterized by a strong spatial variability that make ...[Read More]
Monday paper: Mean age of carbon in fine roots from temperate forests and grasslands with different management
E. Solly, I. Schöning, S. Boch, J. Müller, S.A. Socher, S.E. Trumbore, M. Schrumpf. 2013. Mean age of carbon in fine roots from temperate forests and grasslands with different management. Biogeosciences, 10, 4833-4843, doi:10.5194/bg-10-4833-2013 Abstract Fine roots are the most dynamic portion of a plant’s root system and a major source of soil organic matter. By altering plant species div ...[Read More]
4th European Conference on Permafrost (EUCOP)
Marc Oliva The big European conference on frozen soils is approaching fast. The EUCOP conference will take place in Évora (Portugal) from 18 to 21st June 2014. At the conference website (http://www.eucop4.org) you can find all the information about sessions and key-note speakers, the online abstract submission form, details on the programme, registration fees, stipends for young reseachers and inf ...[Read More]
Cracked soils
Vertisols are dark clayey soils that show cracks at least during some part of the year. Normally, Vertisols are found in depressions or plain areas under subhumid or semiarid climate, with a wet and a dry season. Although climax vegetation is savanna, grassland or woodland, Vertisols are very fertile, so that agricultural use is very common. However, the process of swelling/shrinking makes Vertiso ...[Read More]
Wikipedia is evil
Yesterday, I had to write the exam questions for my students of Soil Science in the Faculty of Biology. As there are many more than 300, because of the facilities that my government gives to the fulfilment of the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area (ironic mode activated), I usually make multiple choice tests (if you do the same, have a look at this). However, I like to put some ...[Read More]
Monday paper: Modelling soil bulk density at the landscape scale and its contributions to C stock uncertainty
K.P. Taalab, R. Corstanje, R. Creamer, M.J. Whelan. 2013. Modelling soil bulk density at the landscape scale and its contributions to C stock uncertainty, Biogeosciences, 10, 4691-4704, doi:10.5194/bg-10-4691-2013 Abstract Soil bulk density (Db) is a major contributor to uncertainties in landscape-scale carbon and nutrient stock estimation. However, it is time consuming to measure and is, therefor ...[Read More]
Climate change effects on agriculture and land and water resources in Spain
E. Vargas-Amelin (Research Group International Political Economy, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia and Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and P. Pindado (Permanent Representation of Spain at the European Union. Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs) have just published an interesting paper on climate change effects on agriculture and land and water resources in Spain. Accordi ...[Read More]
December 5th is soil day!
In 2002, the IUSS proposed the 5th of December as World Soil Day. With the support of FAO, the 37th FAO Conference requested the UN General Assembly for its final endorsement. Soil day corresponds with the birthday of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand. This date was proposed by FAO to honour him for his efforts in the promotion of soil science and soil resources conservation and sustainable man ...[Read More]
Soils at Imaggeo: Patterned sand
Alma de Groot, The Netherlands Dunes are wind-generated accumulations of sand particles present in desert or coastal land. Sand dunes have smooth and uniform forms, although geometry may be highly variable. The size of particles of sand dunes is highly concentrated around 0.2 mm in diameter due to wind transportation. The pattern showed in the picture is the result of the formation of aeolian dune ...[Read More]