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. …[Read More]
Soil System Sciences
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 …[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 …[Read More]
Monday paper: Hydrological modelling of a slope covered with shallow pyroclastic deposits from field monitoring data
R. Greco, L. Comegna, E. Damiano, A. Guida, L. Olivares and L. Picarelli. Hydrological modelling of a slope covered with shallow pyroclastic deposits from field monitoring data. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4001-4013, 2013, doi: 10.5194/hess-17-4001-2013 Abstract A one-dimensional hydrological model of a slope covered with pyroclastic materials is proposed. The soil cover is constituted by layers …[Read More]
2014 EGU-SSS Flyer Contest
EGU2014 is coming and many of you are planning to submit your abstract to SSS sessions (remember the deadlines). However, this is time to announce the 2nd EGU-SSS Flyer Contest: Want to get inspired? Have a look at the winners in 2013: This post was also published simultaneously in G-Soil.
Soils at Imaggeo: Welcome to Stony Soil Country
Artemi Cerdà University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain Antonio Jordán University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain In the Mediterranean, soil erosion causes rock fragments to surface easily, so that stony soils are very common. The stones on the ground are collected and used for the construction fences (dry stone walls) and separating properties by farmers. In most …[Read More]
Forest residue mulching reduces post-fire soil erosion
Sergio A. Prats University of Aveiro, Portugal Still under the effect of the last wave of wildfires of summer 2013, Porto Canal interviewed the last Ph.D. student of the CESAM Research Centre at the University of Aveiro, who deals with soil erosion mitigation after wildfires. Porto Canal wanted to disseminate the last advances in recognizing the …[Read More]
Working for the recovery of burned soils
Fire is a natural agent that occurs in most terrestrial ecosystems. In Mediterranean areas, for example, fire is a natural agent that has contributed to shape the history of vegetation, soils, and ultimately, the landscape we know today. Also, since ancient times, men have also used fire as a tool for the management of ecosystems. …[Read More]
Soils at Imaggeo: when a soil is born
Artemi Cerdà, University of Valencia, Valencia – Spain Soil development is based on the weathering of rocks and the deposition and decomposition of litter and roots, which are the main source or soil organic matter. Mosses are one of the key actors on those processes, as they are present at the initial stages of pedogenesis. …[Read More]
Ladies and gentlemen: the Rolling Stones
Racetrack Playa is a plain without vegetation of a dry located above the northwestern side of Death Valley, in Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, CA, USA (click here to see in Google Maps). Although “playa” is the Spanish word for beach, it is also used in English to refer to a dry lake. Racetrack …[Read More]