mortiz085

The Scheffer/Schachtschabel Lehrbuch der Bodenkunde (Textbook of Soil Science), the renowned standard textbook on soil science in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland, is now available in English for the first time.  The first edition of this highly cited book was published in 1937 under the title “ Agrikulturchemie, Teil A: Boden ” (Agricultural Chemistry, Part A: Soil).  Based on the 16 th   German edition which was written by a team of leading soil scientists (all renowned professors of soil science), the 2016 English edition was published by Springer Verlag, so it is available globally. I really applaud this development since I have always admired and used this book since the time I was a doctoral student in Stuttgart-Hohenheim many years ago and until now as a professor of soil science at Visayas State University. I remember I read the 10 th German edition several times, from cover to cover, in preparation for my comprehensive examina...

The Department of Agronomy and Soil Science at Visayas State University in Leyte, Philippines joins the global community of more than 60,000 soil scientists in celebrating the World Soil Day today, December 5. Our soil science program at VSU is now more than 30 years old. It produced the first batch of BSA (Soil Science) graduates in 1980. It is now among the top soil science programs in the Philippines.  Many of our BS alumni have become very successful professionals/scientists in various academic and research institutions in the Philippines and other parts of the world.  We are very proud to name a few: Dr. Leticia S. Sonon , University of Georgia, USA Dr. Marife D. Corre , University of Goettingen, Germany Dr. Nilda R. Burgos , University of Arkansas, USA Dr. Sergio M. Abit Jr ., Oklahoma State University, USA Dr. Joel Bandibas, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Japan Dr. Constancio Asis, Jr., Philippine Rice Research Institute (Phil...

December 05 of every year is celebrated as World Soil Day by the global community of more than 60,000 soil scientists. According to the official IUSS website, World Soil Day is held on the said date since it is the birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, The King of Thailand, who has officially sanctioned the event. As a tribute to the soil as a vital resource, I am posting below a poem written in 2007 by one of my former students at Visayas State University, Juvia P. Sueta. Juvy is now finishing her PhD at the Buesgen Institute, University of Goettingen, Germany. The Soil Beneath by Juvia P. Sueta The soil tells a fascinating story of enduring patience and great beauty. Out of the hardened rock, it changes into an interesting mass of sand, silt, and clay. Exposed to the rain, wind and sunshine, it grows to maturity. Time polished it, throughout all history. Out of its bosom, the flowers bloom and trees grow steadily. And in its face, the children play. Below it; scholars, artists,...

In American soil science, pedology (pedo is Greek for ground or soil) has recently been made as a subdiscipline that deals with soil morphology, genesis and classification. In other parts of the world, however, particularly in non-English speaking countries in Europe, Asia and Africa soil science has remained synonymous to pedology (Bech, 2006). Historically, pedology was the original term for the scientific study of the soil introduced by Fallou and it was only in 1924 during the planning for the first international congress that the term soil science was introduced as a synonym. This was in fact reflected in the paper that Glinka presented during the congress (Glinka, 1927). Until today many textbooks, scientific journals and academic departments dealing with soil science in non-English speaking countries bear the name pedology. In 2002, there was an internet debate among some members of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) about the term pedology. While many North America...

Prof. Dr. KARL STAHR, Chairman of Division I (Soil in Space and Time) of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), the global association of soil scientists, has accepted our invitation to be the Keynote Speaker of the 14th PSSST Scientific Conference on 25-27 May 2011 at VSU, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines. Prof. Stahr gained his doctorate from the Technical University Stuttgart, Germany, in 1972 and his Habilitation (highest academic qualification required to become a professor in Germany and several other European countries) in Soil Science at the University of Freiburg in 1979. Since 1988 he is Professor of Soil Science and Petrography at the Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart. His main fields of research are: soil genesis, soil mineralogy, land evaluation, N-cycle, and recycling of organic waste. He has conducted research projects dealing with forest and agricultural soils of Germany as well as Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, Po...

Soil science or pedology ( pedo is Greek for ground or soil) is a scientific discipline at the meeting point of physical, biological, geological and agricultural sciences. Because soil is a natural body, soil science is a natural science that deals with the study of soil in all its aspects such as genesis, composition, properties, geography, ecology, fertility, degradation and protection. A more specific definition states that soil science is an environmental (or ecological) natural science concerned with the evolution, characterization, function, distribution, management and protection of the soil resource in terrestrial ecosystems.