International Workshop on “Soil Structure and its Functions on Ecosystem”

(Nanjing 8-10th September 2013)

The first announcement

Soil structure is a fundamental property of soil fertility its ability to transport water nutrients and gas and to provide habitat for microorganisms and fauna. Aggregated soil structure can improve agronomic productivity and increase the resistance to soil erosion. The formation of soil structure (or aggregates) is the result of biotic (i.e. microorganisms fauna roots) and abiotic (i.e. tillage wetting and drying freezing and thrawing clay ion) factors and their interaction. The relation between soil structure and biotic agents may be the key mechanism to sequester C in soil. Recently to mitigate global change and to secure food safety soil structure has received much attention. However the manifold of interactions between soil structure and factors is still hardly quantified. On the other hand soil structure and its stability are dynamics with these environmental factors. Although aggregate formation and stability have been investigated in numerous studies aggregate is not a surrogate of soil structure. With new technology (i.e. micro CT NEXAFS) the natural heterogeneity of the soil as a three-dimension porous system can be characterized possibly. It may provide us with a chance to fully understand soil structure formation stability and its functions on C sequestration water transport and soil erosion. 

Organizing Committee

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Natural Science Foundation of China

Institute of Soil Science CAS

State Key Lab of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture

International Soil & Tillage Research Organization

Scientific Committee

Prof. Cai Chongfa (Huazhong Agricultral University)

Prof. Horn Rainer (University of Kiel Germany)

Dr. Mekenzie Blair (The James Hutton Institute UK)

Prof. Peng Xinhua (Institute of Soil Science CAS)

Prof. Ren Tusheng (China Agricultural University)

Prof. Roger-Estrade Jean (AgroParisTech INRA France)

Prof. Shao Mingan(Institute of geographic sciences and natural resources research CAS)

Prof. Shen Renfang (Institute of Soil Science CAS)

Prof.Wang Quanjiu (Xi’an University of Technology)

Prof. Wu Jinshui (Institute of Subtropical Agriculture CAS)

Prof. Xu Jianming (Zhejiang University)

Prof. Zhang Ganlin (Institute of Soil Science CAS)

Prof. Zhang Jiabao (Institute of Soil Science CAS)

Scientific program:

Session 1. Quantification of Soil Structure and modeling

Session 2. Formation and Stabilization of Soil Structure: Biotic and Abiotic factors

Session 3. Dynamics of Soil Structure and modeling

Session 4. Soil Structure and its Function on C sequestration

Session 5. Soil Structure and its Function on Hydrological Process and Fertility

Session 6. Soil Structure Stability and its Function on Soil Erosion

Invited Speakers

Needs to be confirmed later on

Important dates

Abstract submission is open until 30 April

Early bird registration is active until 31 May

Registration fee: