Frontiers in Soil Science Research: Report of a Workshop
Referred to as Earth’s living skin, soil provides support for both natural and human systems. Soil is a biogeochemically dynamic natural resource that supports all critical components of ecosystems. There has been renewed interest in soil and soil science in recent years because of its role in global climate change, land degradation and remediation, the fate and transport of nutrients and contaminants, soil and water conservation, soil and water quality, food sufficiency and safety, global carrying capacity, wetlands function, and many other issues pertinent to the stewardship and conservation of land and water resources. Despite this attention, soil remains an undervalued and underappreciated resource. Understanding the long-term implications of decreased soil quality and addressing the aforementioned challenges will require new information based on advances and breakthroughs in soil science research that need to be effectively communicated to stakeholders, policy makers, and the general public. A challenge for soil science is the need for interdisciplinary research involving classical soil science subdisciplines—soil chemistry, soil physics, soil biology, soil mineralogy, and pedology. While basic research provides an understanding of fundamental soil processes, increasing trends in land transformations, environmental challenges, and policy issues require interdisciplinary approaches. To successfully address major research needs, soil scientists will have to collaborate with each other and with scientists in related disciplines. In December 2005 the National Academies convened a workshop, Frontiers in Soil Science Research, consisting of experts in soil science and associated disciplines to identify emerging research opportunities and expected advances in soil science, particularly in the integration of biological, geological, chemical, and information technology sciences. More than 120 people from around the world attended the workshop. OVERARCHING CHALLENGES FOR SOIL SCIENCE RESEARCH 1. Placing a value on the soil resource. The need to place an economic value on soil and its contribution to ecosystem services became clear during the workshop since it is a critical element in obtaining funding for soil science research. Participants discussed how soil is a resource that provides ecosystem services and plays a key role in environmental quality, but in comparison to water and air, it does not receive the same attention or funding. More is known about water and air since effects of certain actions are directly visible, but relatively little is known about soil, where processes may be slow and invisible to the eye. 2. Integrating research across different spatial and temporal scales. Many participants noted the need for more study on the scaling up of processes. While small-scale research is often interesting and easier to fund, large-scale research is needed to apply the small-scale research to appropriate societal and global issues. The scaling down of research, for example, the effects of global climate change on regions or landscapes, to a more understandable scale is also important. RESEARCH NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES Workshop participants identified six key areas that offer new opportunities in soil science research: 1. In order to place a value on the soil resource, key ecosystem services provided by soil need to be identified and quantified. 2. The relationship between soil quality and human health needs to be better characterized. 3. The interactions between soil and the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere need to be researched and scaled up to global processes. 4. Basic research is needed at the plant-soil-microbial interface, including an emphasis on applying modern genomics techniques. 5. There is a need for improved understanding of feedback mechanisms between physical, chemical, and biological processes. 6. Existing databases need to be standardized and synthesized and provide greater access. OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOIL SCIENCE RESEARCH Many participants identified these additional research opportunities and issues: - Soil scientists can make greater use of existing tools and techniques, such as micro(spectro)scopy and isotopic tracers. - Breakthroughs in soil science research could come at the interface of disciplines. Soil scientists were encouraged to consider new models for interdisciplinary collaboration and participate in Earth-observation systems and other new multidisciplinary research initiatives. - In order to keep a new generation of soil scientists active in the broader scientific community, workshop participants encouraged others to introduce their students to interdisciplinary research opportunities and to collaborate across departments for access to high-tech instruments.
- Research Organization:
- National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-05ER64014
- OSTI ID:
- 963107
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/64014-1 Final Report; ISBN: 978-0-309-13891-8
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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