Wired for Soils

S-12 Field Trip to Anza Borrego State Park

2012-03-02T10:00:00.000-06:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the first S-12 field trip in February. The trip was located at Anza Borrego State Park in Southern California. It was well organized, well executed and overall a fantastic educational opportunity for all - and it was filled with absolutely gorgeous scenery! While I don't think the photos always do the actual scenery justice, there is a website you can go to and see many photos taken by the group. The following is a link to a Dropbox site, no you do not need to have Dropbox, but you can access the photos by going here: https://www.dropbox.com/home/S-12%20Anza%20Borrego%20(2012)#:::104145559 This is a link to the Terra Science cloud storage site (dropbox.com). You may need to create a sign-in name/password to get access to the S-12 Anza Borrego folder. You DO NOT need to sign-up for Dropbox service (no install). I highly recommend a look at Pablo's (Phil Scoles) panoramas!

For those who were present on Thursday (a day before the formal field trip) we were able to venture out with a company called California Overland in an old military type vehicle and went to places that normal vehicles cannot reach. We saw some fantastic sights and had time to hike and enjoy the day. My favorite was the hike up to and stop at the wind caves.

The first day of the formal field trip, we had 4 stops: 1) Texas Dip buried paleosol with an argillic horizon, 2) Yaqui Ridge dissected pediment and duripans, 3) Stag Cover ancient fans and petrocalcic horizons, and 4) Butte Pass alluvial fan recycling. We also stopped for lunch at the Kumeyaay Indian Village. The group also made an unscheduled stop at the end of the day to walk down into a slot canyon (pictures on the Dropbox site). The first photo below is of a durapan with desert pavement, the second is from the Indian Village site.

The second day we were off to more adventure and 4 more stops during the day: 1) Stout Research Center Paleontology Lab, 2) Font's Point geology, paleontology and badland soils, 3) Freeman overlook badlands soil mapping, classification and land use, and 4) Clark Dry Lake playa soils and open trenches seismic fault observation. All were great stops. Pictures below show a Saber Tooth Tiger from the paleontology lab, the badlands and a group picture of the participants taken at the badlands. (If you look closely at the first picture you can see the size comparison between the Saber Tooth Tiger, a mountain lion and a domestic cat.)

I will be writing in more detail about this trip in an upcoming Soil Horizons article - hopefully with some help from some of the participants. Until then, please do check out some of the photos and perhaps plan on joining this group next year when they plan to have another adventure...

Division S-12 to Hold its First Event

2012-02-09T14:35:00.000-06:00

The Consulting Soil Scientists (SSSA Divsion S-12) will be holding its first event next week in California. They have planned what looks to be an absolutely wonderful and educational field trip to Anza Borrego State Park. I am going to be lucky enough to attend on behalf of SSSA and welcome everyone to the society. (The National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists (NSCSS) became part of SSSA and formed Division S-12 last year, so we have many new members.) Thus far there are about 40 people signed up (the deadline is Feb. 10), which will make for a good sized group to enjoy exploring the landscape and soils of this spectacular park. I am looking forward to some sun and warmer weather in southern CA!

Since I will already be on the west coast, there are other stops for me to make too. I will be visiting Humboldt State University in northern CA to talk with students and faculty about many different things including future career paths, certification, and graduate school as well as programs/opportunities the society has for students. Other possible discussion topics are still being finalized, but may inlcude more technical items such as dynamic soil properties or watershed science.

After that I will be off to Portland, OR for the Oregon Society of Soil Scientists (OSSS) meeting. The OSSS is holding a joint meeting with Soil and Water Conservation Society for the Soil Quality Network 2012. Soil Quality Network 2012 is the first of two workshops planned for agricultural professionals and land managers where participants will gain an appreciation for the role soil quality plays in crop productivity and the viability of agriculture operations. The workshop is designed to help agriculture consultants and planners develop strategies and actions to support farmers interested in improving soil quality. One day of the two-day meeting will include some field tours, so I am looking forward to that, since I was unable to attend the field portion of the meeting last year.

I will be blogging more about this trip from the road. Hoping to have a great time meeting new people and seeing old friends, as well as getting some good pictures for posting!

Tales from the Pits - a reprint of "A Tale of Working in a Male-Dominated Field"

2012-01-26T09:19:00.000-06:00

For those of you not familiar with the Soil Science Society of America and our publications, I write a column called Tales from the Pits for our Crops and Soils publication, which will now be moving to Soil Horizons as that publication makes its debut. The Tales from the Pits column is meant to be a place where adventures in soil science can be shared; they are primarily light-hearted stories that carry a message on what goes on and lessons learned in the career of a soil scientist.

The Tale of Working in a Male-Dominated Field was a story that I thought a lot about before actually sitting down and writing it. I wanted to make sure I conveyed my message in the right way, but I also wanted people to recognize that there are obstacles out there for wormen and that those obstacles present challenges that need to be overcome or they can essentially ruin a person's career.

I have to say that I have been amazed at the response that I have received from this article and so I decided to reprint it here. I have received many emails from both men and women with support of what was written and bringing the issue out in the open. I have also received many emails from women relating their tales and their struggles. One of the reasons I wrote the article was to let women know that they aren't alone in what happens out there, but some part of me was also hoping that behaviors were changing over time and people would tell me that it doesn't go on anymore and that I am outdated in my views. Given the number of stories I have heard from women very early in their careers I see that there are still struggles out there that in some cases show nothing has changed. I'd be interested in hearing from readers of this blog too.

The Tale of Working in a Male-Dominated Field appeared in the November-December 2011 issue of Crops and Soils. The article can be found here: http://bit.ly/z4b5us

Ag Degree: Anything but a Dud

2012-01-20T09:55:00.005-06:00

Yesterday there was an article posted on Yahoo Education with the title of "College Majors that are Useless". The #1 spot went to Agriculture. I guess that ticked me off just a little bit. Then, as I read down the list I found #4 was Animal Science and #5 was Horticulture. Really? I understand how the author ranked these majors - jobs available or decreases in jobs. I have to wonder however, how short sighted the author's conclusions were and how, through their condemnation of these areas of study, they may affect the future of food and fiber production in a world whose population is only growing and land resources are decreasing.

From my perspective agriculture and related sciences will only become more important in the future as we search for ways to increase production, enhance soil quality and provide crops that will grow in an ever changing climate. We will need people in these career paths that understand the science and the challenges and can work to facilitate solutions. Calling agriculture "a dud of a degree" is counterproductive to the issues facing us globally today.

I also know that many universities are cutting programs and there are less people going into the agricultural and related sciences. In my opinion, this just doesn't bode well for the future. I don't have the answers on how to change that, although education comes to mind, but there is always the issue of targeting and having access to the right audiences. We talk amongst ourselves about the challenges of agriculture, soil, water, and climate but the general population tends to just live in the belief that these commodities and corresponding environmental issues will "be taken care of". I'm not convinced that most people give it much thought unless they cannot find something at the grocery store or find increased prices on the products that they depend on. There is a quote in the article from a Laurence Shatkin, PhD (author of "The 10 Best College Majors for your Personality") that says "It's true that farms are becoming more efficient now and so there is less of a need for farm managers." While that, in part, may have some truth to it, there is still the issue of the environment and its affect on production (and vice versa) - which requires people who understand the environment and production. It is unclear to me what Dr. Shatkin even knows about agriculture, so disuading people from even entering the field shows little foresight and does a disservice in the long run. What happens in 5, 10 or 20 years when all of us with degrees and knowledge of these systems are retired? Who fills in behind us with the ability to address the issues and what will be a very real and critical problem with providing the global economy with food, fiber and an environment that can sustainably support a very large population?

If you would like to read the article, it can be found here: http://education.yahoo.net/articles/most_useless_degrees.htm

As per usual - I invite comments, thoughts, etc.

San Antonio - here we come!

2011-10-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

The SSSA's 75th Anniversary celebration in San Antonio is coming up fast! The annual meeting starts this coming Sunday and I hope to see a lot of people I know and I hope some of you reading this blog will come up and introduce yourselves. I always like to meet new people so please come and say Hi! In fact I can help you do that by telling you about two sessions that I would love to have a lot of people at because they are based on discussion and both are great networking opportunities whether you are early, mid or a bit more established in your career. (Also just a note - if you want to hear more from Chris Mooney in addition to the SSSA Plenary Session, see the information on second session below!)

The first session is on Monday, Oct. 17 and runs from 1 to 4 PM in Room 207B of the Convention Center. The title is "CSI Critical Investigations - How Consulting Plays into Forensic Analysis". This session is actually a joint session between Consultants and Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Science (SASES), but is open to everyone!

The idea behind this session is to make it interactive with the students and the rest of the audience to get them engaged in the different cases that will be presented by consultants. Each consultant will have 30 minutes; the first 5 to 10 minutes will be used to introduce the "case", then they will ask the audience (which will be in smaller discussion groups) how they would have gone about solving the case (about 10 minutes), and then the last portion will be reserved for the consultant to tell us how they solved the case and answer any questions. There will also be a panel discussion at the end of the session that includes all of the speakers and is meant to provide additional time for questions. If you want a preview of the speakers and their talks you can go to our website to view the session at:

http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2011am/webprogram/Session8422.html

The second session is on Tuesday afternoon and is set up as a roundtable discussion to discuss how to kick off a successful soils career. This session is from 1:30 to 3:30 in Ballroom C3 of the Convention Center. This again has a panel, but after they introduce themselves they will be joining the "roundtables" to help facilitate discussions with some directed questions for groups to consider. After the discussion, each panelist will come back to the podium and discuss their group’s conversation and find the “take away” points that need further consideration. This session will be considering questions that provide information for everyone on what we are doing right in getting students and early career members ready for and successful within their careers and those things that may need some attention or more thought. Therefore, it is important that we have a cross-section of people attend this session to promote good discussion across industry sectors as well as time in the career. This will be another great networking opportunity and please come share your thoughts and ideas!

As part of this session we have been fortunate to bring in Chris Mooney to talk about how to communicate science. (If you don’t know who Chris Mooney is, he is our SSSA Plenary speaker this year and author of Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future, The Republican War on Science and many articles/blogs. He is an interesting person and currently speaks on nationwide basis on science and communication. He will speak for about 20 minutes at which time we will open it up for questions/discussion. This will be an excellent opportunity to ask questions and interact with Chris Mooney in a smaller session rather than the larger Plenary Session.

This session is titled "Roundtable Discussion on Perspectives in Kicking off a Successful Soils Career". The session information can be found here:

http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2011am/webprogram/Session9119.html

Let me also introduce you to the panelists:
Rob Michitsch – Assistant Professor at the Univ. of WI – Stevens Point
Ester Sztein – National Academy of Sciences
Cory Owens – USDA-NRCS in Oregon
Leila Gonzales – American Geosciences Institute
Larry Baldwin – Soils Consultant in North Carolina

I hope to see you at these sessions. If you have any questions, please email me - I will be on email while in San Antonio! dferris@sciencesocieties.org

Looking for stories! What is yours?

2011-10-04T15:24:00.000-05:00

I write a column for our Crops and Soils publication called Tales from the Pits. The column has highlighted different "tales" of working in the soil science field - most carry a message because we all have our weird little stories or tales to tell from time spent in the field. My vision for the column has been to highlight those tales as a way to share experiences as soil scientists. It is meant to be a light-hearted column to illustrate the work we do, the successes we have and the mistakes we make. Sometimes you just need to laugh at yourself and realize that a valuable lesson has been learned. I maintain that we are a very creative and outgoing bunch that has a great time doing field work. The column has been running for about a year now and I have had a lot of good feedback. I have also had some guest writers who have been fantastic in sharing their experiences. I am always looking for more - so if you have been a fan, please consider sending me a tale - you have the option of being recognized as the author or remaining anonymous.

The most recent article is a bit different and is called "A Tale of Beginnings" in which I talk about how I became hooked on soils. The idea for the article started late last year when I was talking with some colleagues, including our current SSSA President, Chuck Rice, about how we got into soils in the first place. Since then I have asked others about how they "found" soil science and the stories are all different and unique. This could be a great way to show students of all ages that soil science just might be something of interest. I would like to highlight these stories both here and in a future Tales from the Pits article. So... I started with my story and am hopeful that people reading the article will send me their stories. The link to "A Tale of Beginnings" is http://bit.ly/njsKsw. Please consider sending me your story - it doesn't have to be long, just a paragraph will do. The point is to show that while we may all come from different backgrounds and interests, we all have soil as a common ground.

The Truth Wears Off: Is there something wrong with the Scientific Method?

2011-09-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

This is an older article (Dec. 2010) from the New Yorker forwarded to me by a friend, but a really interesting read for those of you that deal in research, data analysis and the scientific method.

http://nyr.kr/hTDy1p

As always - comments welcome.

Art by Soils - Truly Unique

2011-09-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

In my travels for SSSA I have the opportunity to meet some interesting people – part of why I love my job! Such was the case when I traveled to Oregon recently. Part of my trip included meeting with students and faculty at Oregon State University. The students were great and asked a lot of good questions - plus they included pizza for lunch, which is always a welcome treat.

The person I want to tell you about however, is a member of the faculty. His name is Dr. Jay Noller. Aside from being an Associate Professor – Landscape Pedology, he is also an artist. Not just any type of artist, but a soil artist. What do I mean by that? Perhaps the best way to explain this is by using his own words from his OSU website where he says “I am interested in exploring how our inheritance of things past shape our present and future. I do this through creative and integrative study of soils touched by humans. I particularly study soils that are red and have long-term meaning to modern and ancient civilizations.” Add to that a talent for painting as well as the use of soil pigments derived by hand from the soilscapes that he paints and you have a unique study in soil brought to life on canvas.

Jay has worked extensively in Cyprus and Greece as well as Oregon and his artwork reflects his research of these landscapes and soils by using the pigments from those soils. He also uses the art to help him focus in on what he is writing about – whether it be for a journal article or to help the general public to relate to the soils around them.

Recently Jay was commissioned to do a work for the upscale Allison Inn and Spa (located in Oregon’s wine country) with the theme of terroir. Terroir is not easily defined, and in fact if you look you can find many definitions both historical and recent. It is not a quantitative relationship that can be defined, but more of an elusive and complex connection between the soil, geology, vine variety, human factors that all come together to give wine a distinctive taste of the terroir. The work completed for the Inn is an example of the outreach that Jay does to convey a sense of history and place with regard to soils and the landscape.

Jay was kind enough to give me a tour of his studio/gallery and I was truly amazed at what I saw. The link to his gallery is provided below, but I must say that the photos don’t do justice to seeing the real thing in person. The photos just don’t pick up the texture, detail and warmth of the paintings when you are standing in front of them.

You can view Jay’s website at http://soilscapestudio.com/

By the way, if you haven’t been to Oregon or the Oregon State campus in Corvallis, you should take a trip out there. It is beautiful! The people are friendly and downtown Corvallis is a quaint old downtown on the Willamette River with a lot of great locally owned restaurants and places to try Oregon wines or microbrews. If you go for the wine, don't forget to taste for the terroir!

Science and Politics and Presidential Candidates

2011-08-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in awhile; it has been a busy summer! I need to get back to a more regular schedule, especially with school starting up again. That said...let me point out that this blog is my opinion and does not reflect the opinion of the Soil Science Society of America.

Have you been watching/listening to the Presidential candidates lately? I have been amazed at some of the things that I hear these people promising or saying, which isn't necessarily unusual, but this past week has brought to the forefront some issues about science that hit a nerve with me. It makes me wonder what these candidates are looking for and who they are trying to reach. Of perhaps more concern to me is the idea being floated that there is a large contingent of voters that are anti-science that the politicians are playing to. Is there? Does this bother anyone else?

Presidential candidate Governor Perry, in the last week, came out with two statements that caught my attention.

The first was that he doesn't believe in man-made global warming. Really? All of the scientists and the data are wrong? Apparently they are, because according to Perry, the world's scientists that study global warming/climate change are all part of a large conspiracy to manipulate data to "keep the money rolling in" for their research projects. Aside from the fact that I find this to be extremely disrepectful to scientists, its hard for me to believe that people would seriously think this to be true. That would be a very large conspiracy (we would need secret decoder rings). Furthermore, Perry doesn't want the federal government to spend anything on this issue if he becomes President. Ouch! That will go over well with our neighbors around the globe given that the U.S. is one of the largest contributors to the problem.

The second statement Perry made was referring to evolution with "That's a theory that is out there - and it's got some gaps in it." This type of statement is nothing new; listen to another Presidential candidate, Michele Bachmann, who wants intelligent design taught in science classes. I don't, as a rule, comment on people's beliefs with respect to this particular subject, but intelligent design really has no place in a science classroom. When I taught evolution as part of my classes (biology, environmental science, or, for that matter, soils) I told students that they needed to listen and then decide or reconcile for themselves what they wanted to stand for. I have also known fellow soil scientists that do not believe in evolution. Somehow they separate their work and personal lives between science and belief in intelligent design and deal with it that way. Not sure how that works (meaning I don't know how to do that), but enough said there.

Then there was Jon Huntsman, former Utah Govrernor, who came out and said "To be clear I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy." Not crazy in my book, but interesting that his statement got great amount of attention both in the media and in social networks like Twitter.

In a day and age where we struggle to get science in the mainstream of conversation, it happened this past week in the political arena. That, in itself, is a good thing. I read somewhere that science doesn't sell in politics because it is not important, relevant or understandable to the average voter. I suppose there is some truth to that, depending on the subject. Climate change is a huge issue and should be front and center (along with the economy) on the minds of the politicians as well as the public. The problem with climate change is that the general public can't see it, for the most part doesn't understand it, and has conflicting opinions or "facts" flying at them from many different angles. When you don't have a job, need groceries and are struggling to pay your mortgage (or rent), well, let's face it, climate change isn't going to be high on the list of priorities because 'it isn't something that you can do anything about' and 'it isn't an imminent problem for you'.

The next 14+ months should be interesting with regard to politics and the presidential race. Will science play a part in how people vote? I would like to think that some attention will be paid to the important science issues, but that will remain to be seen.

A Soil Scientist's Reflections on the Space Shuttle Program

2011-07-19T12:18:00.000-05:00

A little over 30 years ago I watched in awe as history was made with the launch of the first space shuttle (Columbia) on April 12, 1981. I was 18 years old and was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. I don’t think anyone that I was watching that launch with fully grasped just what the Space Shuttle Program would come to mean to the U.S.; both from a perspective of tremendous success and horrible tragedy. Last week I watched, with tears in my eyes, the launch of Atlantis on July 8, fully realizing that this was the last time we would see this. (Just a note as you read on. This blog is on the longer side, but I think the event deserves it and it also does have a connection to soil...)

For me, this is the second time I have seen the close of an era of space flight. I think I have my parents to thank for being as aware of the space program as I was early in my life, which has continued on since then. On July 20, 1969 my mom sat my brother and I down in front of the TV and told us we needed to watch. I was 7 years old and my brother was 5 (my sister was just way too young). We were none too pleased to be pulled inside and away from playtime in the middle of summer. My Mom assured us that we would thank her some day for making us do this. (So Mom, Thank You!) What I am referring to is the Apollo Program that took us to the moon; I watched that day as Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the moon for the first time. He was also joined on that walk by Buzz Aldrin. Amazing stuff in 1969 to be able to watch someone on the moon on a black and white TV that on any given day may or may not work (it was all tubes in the TVs back then). I do remember thinking it looked awfully dusty on the moon as the astronauts were bouncing around – my first interest in soils?

Just as a point of reference, the Apollo Program ended in 1972 with Apollo 17, but contributed volumes to the knowledge and experience of space flight. I should note that there were two other manned space programs that I count in my first “era”, those being Gemini and Mercury. The Mercury Program, which was prior to the Gemini and Apollo Programs ended in 1963 with Mercury-Atlas 9 that was in space for 34+ hours to assess how one day in space might affect an astronaut. The Gemini Program was the bridge between Mercury and Apollo and really concentrated on putting man in space for an extended period (up to 14 days) to see if he could survive and what the effects might be. That program ended in 1966. One other note, since we are on the history track here, is that Skylab was our first space station that operated during 1973/74. I continue to be amazed that in my lifetime we have seen the progression from 15 minute flights in the Mercury program to people living and working on the International Space Station for many months at a time – and I am not yet 50.

When the Space Shuttle Program began in 1981, I think, to me, it was just a really cool thing that was happening, but didn’t necessarily affect me – after all I really never wanted to be an astronaut. But I did know from a young age that I wanted to be a scientist so there was still a connection there for me. I think I am too connected on some level to the earth and while I can appreciate what space exploration is and does, I prefer to do my science here on earth. In any case I was still in my first year of college in April 1981 and while the space shuttle was cool, college, classes and new friends were more my focus at the time. Little did I know how that the shuttle program would touch my life in different experiences in the next 30 years.

It was interesting that for the first little while of the shuttle program a lot of people tuned in to watch the space shuttle launches. But as most new things do, the novelty wore off. There was, however, some renewed interest in a planned 1986 launch of Challenger when NASA decided to send a teacher into space. The launch of that Challenger mission was on January 28, 1986. I remember I was in the soil physics lab (in grad school at that time) doing bulk density samples when a friend came into the lab with the news that the shuttle and crew were lost shortly after the launch. We all ran down to the student union to watch the TV in shock. It is one of those pictures that is burned in my memory even when I wish it wouldn’t be there. Challenger became for me one of those events in life that you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when it happened. As you go through life you tend to collect events like this in your memory, there aren’t many of them and some are good, others bad. It is interesting for me to note that I have about 7 of these events that stick in my mind; 3 have to do with NASA.

The next years were quiet albeit busy as the shuttle program got back on track and moved forward. I went on and finished my PhD and then went to environmental consulting to start my career. In the mid-90s I wrote a grant proposal for a NASA project with a group of co-workers and university partners and we were funded. I was one of the principle investigators on the project, which included a lot of remote sensing technology, which meant we worked closely with NASA personnel at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Stennis Space Center housed a core of remote sensing expertise, hardware and software that we would have been hard pressed to find elsewhere and we were able to tap into this expertise as part of our project. During the time working with NASA there was an additional opportunity to evaluate the ability to correlate remotely sensed data with soil moisture. We were interested to know if we could use the airborne platform on the NASA jet to collect data on soil moisture over shallow bedrock that could then indicate depth to bedrock via soil moisture. Unfortunately we didn’t get a good statistical correlation between the two with the technology at the time although I see they are making more progress using remote sensing for soil moisture now. However, one interesting thing on that part of the project (and yes I digress here) was that the NASA jet was in a hangar in Kiln, Mississippi. You know who is from there? Brett Favre! (Sorry – it’s a Packer fan thing…) The other completely amazing thing about Stennis Space Center is the fact that they tested the space shuttle main engines at that facility. I was lucky enough to be down at Stennis on several occasions when they were testing. To this day, watching those main engine tests is one of the most memorable and remarkable things I have ever done. It is by far the loudest and most body encompassing sound I have ever experienced; you don’t just hear the sound of the engine; you actually feel it as part of you. And then it rains.

The Challenger memory came back to haunt me in 2003 when I was watching the landing of Columbia on February 1st that year. As I watched what should have been a routine landing that morning, I couldn’t help but know the outcome was equally as devastating as Challenger; the images looked too similar to the pattern of debris I saw in 1986. At that time I still had a close association with the Minnesota office of Tetra Tech EMI (TTEMI). TTEMI was an EPA contractor and as such, were pretty much on call 24 hours a day for emergency response. EPA was one of the agencies involved in the recovery of the debris from Columbia and so TTEMI got a call asking for people to come to Texas to search. While this may sound exciting, keep in mind that you didn’t know what you would find and how utterly sad this search and recovery job would be. TTEMI ended up sending some people from the office and I can only tell you that I think they came back changed, but glad they had been able to help reconstruct what happened. It was extremely difficult work in fairly harsh conditions. The pieces found were small for the most part and the cataloging of finds was very detail-oriented with flagging the location, providing GPS coordinates and ensuring that the recovery team could locate the item or wait for them to arrive.

The Columbia mission was STS-107. That particular mission was full of science experiments and one of them was entitled “Using Microgravity to Understand Soil Behavior”. This was a Mechanics of Granular Materials research project whose investigators were a mix of university and NASA scientists. (The link to the synopsis of that research in included at the end of this blog in the listing of NASA soil research.) My background is in soil physics, so I found this particular experiment to be pretty interesting. The experiment was basically looking at the processes involved in soil liquefaction, which is important in soil mechanics, earthquake studies, wind and water erosion, slope stability, and many other applications. The advantage of performing tests in space is that “the weightless environment of space allows soil mechanics experiments at low effective stresses with very low confining pressures. In space, specimen weight is no longer a factor and the stress across the specimen is constant.” This allows a study of soils from the standpoint of relationships between load, deformation and changes or affects on fluid pressure that lead to stresses and structure changes that cannot be done in the presence of gravity. In fact results have shown that gravity tends to mask the true friction between sand grains and the pattern of stress or shear zones is different than what was expected (http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov).

We look around now as we near the end of the space shuttle era and find ourselves with an International Space Station, which really is a very large and unique laboratory. I continue to be in awe and completely amazed at what we can do and have done through our space programs; not only the shuttle and space station, but other exploration into our solar system and deeper space. One thing I do know is that when we explore, soil science will be a large part of any research project completed because, for example, knowing the soil can tell the story of the mineralogy resident within that body, provide clues to how that planet or asteroid formed and perhaps a bit of history. Soil is a constant here on earth and beyond and it is, and will be, exceedingly important to understand soil in many different contexts as we strive to understand our environment both here and elsewhere.

And so it will likely be with tears that I watch Atlantis land at 5:57 AM EDT on July 21; tears that reflect 30 years of memories, joys, heartache and the knowledge of how far we’ve come. I would encourage all of you to get up early and watch this historic event – you’ll thank me someday – I say with a smile. In the meantime, think about (and I really mean think about) the technology, work and people that made this program not only work but excel. Thank you to all for that success – and the full team that sustained the shuttle program was supported by people that reside in 37 states, did you know that?

And now we get to see what is next.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Also check out some of the links below. These are only soil/earth science related, but you might be surprised at all the different research that has been going on over the years. You can also search for research in environment, remote sensing, biology, etc. on http://www.nasa.gov.

NASA Research in Soils

Columbia research on Soil Behavior:

http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/sts-107/107_mgm.pdf

Listing of other soil research that NASA is involved in:

http://search.nasa.gov/search/search.jsp?nasaInclude=research+soil

Space station search of soil research:

http://bit.ly/pPWY4P

What Does Soil Mean to You?

2011-07-01T13:37:00.005-05:00

Tell us/show us in 3 minutes or less about what soil means to you with a video submission to the SSSA What Soil Means in My World Video Contest

We challenge the soils community to present original, inspirational videos illustrating what soil means to you in your world. The contest celebrates the Soil Science Society of America's 75th Anniversary this year (2011). Note that there is a category for K-12 student submissions. The deadline is August 1.

Your video will exemplify how soil is used or viewed in global issues (climate change, health, economic, sociality), the impact of soil on local to world events, or how soil as a natural/ecological/environmental resource is utilized in “your world” (whatever that may be).

Topics:

Soils and Climate Change
Soils and Food Security
Soils and Water Quality/Quantity
Soils and Human Health
Open topic on Soil
World Soil Issues Important to Students - open only to K-12 students

For more information about the contest, including eligibility, prizes, release forms, and rules/guidelines, visit the What Soil Means in My World Video Contest: https://www.soils.org/about-soils/video-contest

Soil Science Footprints: 75 years of SSSA

2011-06-22T10:38:00.002-05:00

The Soil Science Society of America commemorates its 75th anniversary this year (2011). The Society is planning a variety of outreach activities that will culminate with special anniversary-related events at the 2011 SSSA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, Oct. 16-20. Visit www.acsmeetings.org for information about the Annual Meetings.

The anniversary activities will highlight SSSA’s 75 years of service, while we look forward to our continuing work of advancing the discipline of soil science.

As we mark the 75th anniversary of SSSA, we hope to remain true to these words written by the SSSA Historian J. Fulton Lutz in 1977, “The history of the Soil Science Society of America is a history of dedicated soil scientists working independently and collectively to enhance our knowledge of soils.”

Position Paper on Climate Change Released

2011-06-01T14:01:00.000-05:00

The Climate Change Working Group (a joint effort between SSSA, ASA, and CSSA) just released their position paper on climate change. From the Introduction:

A comprehensive body of scientific evidence indicates beyond reasonable doubt that global climate change is now occurring and that its manifestations threaten the stability of societies as well as natural and managed ecosystems. Increases in ambient temperatures and changes in related processes are directly linked to rising anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere.The potential related impacts of climate change on the ability of agricultural systems, which include soil and water resources, to provide food, feed, fiber, and fuel, and maintenance of ecosystem services (e.g., water supply and habitat for crop landraces, wild relatives, and pollinators) as well as the integrity of the environment, are major concerns.

The entire paper can be found at: http://bit.ly/kTFqfm

An excerpt on soils:

Climate Effects on Soils

• Higher soil temperatures alter nutrient and carbon cycling by modifying the habitat of soil biota, which in turn affects the diversity and structure of species and their abundance.

• Heavier downpours in some regions will lead to increased soil erosion. In addition increased precipitation will result in water-logging of soils, thereby limiting oxygen supply to crop roots and increasing emissions of nitrous oxide and methane. Altered rainfall, whether through increased or decreased precipitation, will affect soil chemistry and biology.

• Soil water retention capacity will be affected by rising temperatures and by a decline in soil organic matter due to both climate change and land-management changes. Maintaining water retention capacity is important to reducing the impacts of intense rainfall and droughts, which are projected to become more frequent and severe.

• Prolonged spells of heat and drought between rainy periods may cause wilting, desiccation, and soil salinization, which may in combination reduce crop yields.

• Increased temperature and decreased moisture tend to accelerate the decomposition of organic material in soils, leading to a decline in soil organic carbon stocks and an increase in CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.

Citation: Climate Change Position Statement Working Group. 2011. Position Statement on Climate Change.

Working Group Rep. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI, May 11, 2011.

Science, Beliefs and Values; What is the Answer?

2011-05-10T08:03:00.000-05:00

"Belief is never knowledge, no matter how strongly held" (Jane Smiley, "Moo"). This is one of my favorite quotes and I challenge you to think about it in the context of science and how you perceive scientific issues. We interpret science through our system of beliefs, values, culture, upbringing and past experiences. In short, we are biased even when we don't believe we are. How then to analyze and interpret scientific data? It is an interesting question; one that Chris Mooney has tried to answer in his recent article "The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science". You can find that article here: http://bit.ly/dXo9NX

I think I found this particular article interesting for a couple reasons. First, we talk about how hard it is to communicate science to the general public. I think this is true, especially on the bigger issues such as climate change where people have heard so many different and contrasting facts that they cannot possibly make sense of all the information and, in the end, tend to give up or listen to those voices that are speaking the loudest to their values. In other words, they listen to the people and ideas that they can identify with. Second, as a scientist, it makes you think about your own work and how you interpret the facts and put them in a context. Enter the beauty of the refereed journal article where the scientific methods, data, and conclusions are reviewed by peers. Even this process, however, is often called into question as there are refereed papers that are published that don't agree with each other. I think dialogue regarding science is a healthy and needed component of understanding the world around us, and as scientists we tend to question to find answers. In general this tends to be understsood by the scientific community, but outside of that community many see it as an opportunity to pick the facts that they can identify with and many times these don't provide the whole picture or are out of context.

How then, to communicate science and the evidence that scientific study reveals on a myriad of scientific questions? Chris Mooney probably says it best at the end of his article with "...paradoxically, you don't lead with the facts in order to convince. You lead with the values—so as to give the facts a fighting chance."

I am interested in what you think about this. I found it a different way to look at the frustration of communicating science to the people around me and better understanding the point of view that they may be coming from. My dad and I go back and forth on climate change quite often and don't agree on the topic. Perhaps I need to find a different way to approach the issue?

Calling all Scientists - Early, Mid or Late Career!

2011-05-02T11:48:00.000-05:00

I would like to let you know about two opportunities to make a difference in getting kids interested in science. Getting involved with programs such as the ones I list below can make a difference in getting students interested in math and science at an early age rather than getting into the general mindset that math and science are "too hard" or "boring" or "not cool". The National Academies had reported last year that the U.S. ranks 27th out of 29 developed countries when it comes to college students obtaining degrees in science or engineering (I have seen this referenced in several sources). The STEM research programs are working at addressing these issues, but there is a way that you can also make a difference by volunteering some of your time to help out teachers or interact with students in two different programs.

Scientific American (and their parent company Nature Publishing Group) has just launched their 1,000 Scientists in 1,000 Days program with a goal of connecting scientists with teachers across the U.S. Scientists are being asked to volunteer their time to visit classrooms and talk to students, help advise teachers on curricula, answer student questions, take students on nature hikes, help suggest laboratory exercises, etc. You pick which activity fits your interest and schedule best. This a great opportunity for soil scientists to talk about soil science and how soil is integral to the world we live in. Keep in mind that you would be talking to the next generation that will ultimately become decision-makers for issues pertaining to our natural resources and the environment. This is a chance to really make a difference!

I signed up to volunteer this morning and I hope many of you will too. The link to the Scientific American site is: http://bit.ly/kr9LKJ If you don't have a login for the Scientific American site you will be asked to register - but it is free and then you can go to the program page to put in your information. The site does have a listing of areas of expertise and while soil science is not a choice, you can work around that since a box is provided where you can provide additional information.

Another opportunity is SSSA's Ask a Soil Scientist program, which can be found on our website at https://www.soils.org/lessons/ask This site invites teachers, students and anyone else that has a soil science related question to submit it and it will be answered by a SSSA member within 24 to 48 hours. Consider volunteering for this too! We need more members to be available to answer questions.

And just a closing note to the university students that are reading this - please think about volunteering to do this! It is fun to interact with younger students, it provides good experience in talking to or presenting to an audience, and you can put it on your resume!

EPA's Conundrum with Regulating Runoff

2011-04-21T11:22:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I really wonder why I read news articles, especially when they tend to frustrate me. There was an article in the Des Moines Register yesterday entitled "EPA Chief has No Plans to Regulate Farm Runoff". You can imagine why that would have caught my attention. You'd like to think that the Environmental Protection Agency was doing just that - protecting the environment. I have spent a fair amount of time working to prevent runoff in my career and numerous classroom hours trying to convey to students why this issue is so important in so many ways. But... I have also spent a large part of my career working in policy and trying to support a connection between regulation and science. It doesn't always work; science and policy (and regulation) seem to be diametrically opposed more often than not. Why? In general (and in my experience) it comes down to two things: money and a lack of understanding of the science.

Money is perhaps self-explanatory, but what is difficult on the part of the agencies like EPA is that they are short on budget, which translates to short on staff. More difficult is the fact that government at any level has to make choices about where to spend limited funds. The environment doesn't always, and in fact somewhat rarely, will end up in the priority list. Elected officials don't tend to have science backgrounds and are pushed/pulled in many directions. Unless there is a disaster that is catching everyone's attention (e.g., the BP oil spill last year) the environment doesn't get a lot of attention from the public, but there are many lobbyists out there for industry (I use this term generally) who don't want regulations because it costs industry money to be in compliance. Also note that if those industries do spend the money on compliance it is generally passed on to the consumer. At the federal level there have been adminstrations that favor environmental regulation and those that have not. There are many that would like to see our strong regulations, such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, weakened. From a policy standpoint there are many models as to how to deal with and enforce regulations; the best or most appropriate model is always debatable. Agencies like EPA take their direction from Congress. Congress is the body that passes the laws and then the agencies get to figure out how to implement them. Many times what is passed in Congress is complex, contradictory and confusing as to what/how/why something should be done. Remember Congress isn't made up of scientists and they are making decisions based on information they are receiving from a number of sources. Therefore, agencies like EPA have to interpret what the intent of Congress is and if they get questioned, then the Judicial Branch of the federal government gets involved to interpret the law for everyone. Of course there is always the Executive Branch (the President) who can issue Executive Orders. In short, environmental policy is interesting, but complex. I could go on - but perhaps another time.

Lets move on to the issue of not understanding science. When I teach environmental science I tell students the first day that "Everything is connected to everything else". I get a lot of blank stares. The last thing I say at the end of the course is "Everything is connected to everything else." No blank stares; a lot of nods - because by the end of the course they understand what that statement means and can explain it on their own using many examples. As a society we really do not understand that what we do has far reaching effects on our ecosystems, not just on the short term, but also the long term. We also don't do a good job of understanding the extent of an impact or the fact that some of the impacts leave no option for recovery.

The article I referred to in the beginning of this blog is about Iowa farmers and agricultural runoff. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northley is quoted as saying "Water quality efforts are not inexpensive" with respect to installing practices to prevent runoff. True. But consider this. It takes a whole lot more money to fix a problem than it does to prevent it in the first place. Iowa's runoff goes to the Mississippi River and adds to the issue of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as numerous other issues along the way. We can't even put a clear economic impact dollar amount on the impacts because we have no good or agreed upon way to value ecosystem services - nor do we necessarily understand what the loss of those services might mean.

Like many issues in environmental science, there is no "silver bullet" that provides all the solutions. There will always be debate about what is right for the land owners versus what is needed for the environment. This will get even more difficult as population continues to increase and resources become more scarce. It is utopia to think that voluntary measures will be sufficient to address environmental issues, but regulation hasn't always been successful either. Consensus on how to approach environmental issues/impacts is lacking.

Everything we do affects the world around us; we just don't fully understand the magnitude and consequeces. Is it a mistake to rule out regulating farm runoff in the Mississippi Basin? I think so, but time will tell the whole story. In the meantime one could look at other watersheds and known issues for some clues. The examples aren't lacking; look around the U.S. and globally and you will find many examples involving not only water quality, but water quantity. While I am likely preaching to the choir, so to speak, these issues should be of concern. Water (quality or quantity) is nothing to take for granted.

To read the article in full from the Des Moines Register go here: http://bit.ly/eCu8hH

Opportunity for Students (UG and Grad) and Early Career Geoscientists on April 18

2011-04-12T14:09:00.000-05:00

While I haven't been able to blog for awhile, a lot has been happening! Last week I was a panelist for a session at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) conference in Vienna, Austria. No, unfortunately I didn't get to actually travel there, but participated from my office via computer. The session was titled "Career Development: How can we integrate graduate and employer needs?" and was organized by having the speakers each give a short presentation and then opened up as a discussion with people both in Vienna and those from around the world that were participating via their computer connections to the session. There was a lot of good discussion and I think we could have kept going, but time ran out. I was intrigued by the depth and breadth of questions coming from students in the audience since it has been one of my goals with SSSA to improve our communication between students and employers as well as employers and academia.

The EGU session was co-organized by the Young Earth Scientist (YES) Network and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS). The YES Network is a group I have just recently gotten involved with because they focus on promoting interactions between early career and more established geoscience career members. Their vision statement is as follows:

"The YES Network aims to link early-career geoscientists through scientific research and interdisciplinary networking. It aims to provide resources for professional development to prepare early-career geoscientists for geoscience careers and to help prepare them to serve as key leaders and advisors on the intersections between environmental sustainability, geo-resource exploration, and quality of human life issues."

I would invite you to visit their website at http://www.networkyes.org/ Soil science is most definitely part of the geosciences and this is a good fit! The organization is worldwide and therefore the network is also worldwide - the U.S. Chapter is starting to grow; we are a bit behind the participation of Africa, Europe and China, but you can look at all the chapters on the website.

Here is the opportunity that the title of this blog alluded to for students, early career geoscientists and anyone that is interested in this topic: SSSA is co-sponsoring a free webinar/roundtable discussion next Monday (April 18) with the American Geological Institute (AGI) and the YES Network. Please join us and the discussion next Monday! You can register at the following website: http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/webinars_details.html

Webinar: The Future of Geoscience Careers

Register for a free GeoConnection W ebinar Roundtable on April 18, 2-3pm EDT on Student Retention and Student-to-Professional Transitions. We especially encourage geoscience students and early-career geoscientists to participate in this webinar, "A Secure Future for Energy, Environment, and Hazard Mitigation: Retaining Students through the Student-to-Professional Continuum in the Geosciences." Sponsors: SSSA, American Geological Institute, and Young Earth Scientist (YES) Network USA National Chapter.

Talking About Science

2011-03-26T08:20:00.000-05:00

Below, I think, is a good article to compliment the blog I posted from Chris Mooney the other day. I don't mean to dwell on this topic, but given where I have been in my career I find these comments to be compelling and important to think about; not just for people in the midst of their careers, but perhaps more importantly for those that are just starting their careers.

As scientists we tend to struggle with communication regarding our work, and there are many reasons for that. Some of those reasons, I will agree, have to do with being able to find a receptive audience that is willing to invest the time to come to a level of understanding on any given topic. Many of our audiences (and society in general) want everything quickly and simply - they don't want to work at it. This puts science and scientists in a tough postion of trying to find ways explain "science" to people and have them find it as facinating as we do while at the same time dispelling the perception that science is too complicated to understand. However, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that we are also at fault for not getting out there and making the effort to make science awesome and cool to those that aren't scientists. This is why I empahsize that people who are just starting their careers should really pay attention to this. Get in the habit of talking about what you do and why it is important - and be able to do it in layman's terms if needed. Be excited when you talk to people; you will find it is contagious!

The article below talks about the "thin line between healthy scepticism and a cynical approach which ignores or distorts inconvenient evidence" when it comes to issues in science. Another tough hurdle in communication and providing understanding to society on scientific issues.

As always - comments welcome!

We need both scepticism and consensus

15:55 18 February 2011 New Scientist

Economy

John Beddington is the UK government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Government Office for Science

Science is progress, but not progress unchallenged. In our era of "instant solutions" and immediate response, it is easy, and perhaps tempting, to forget that true advancement is attained through criticism, scepticism and debate. Great scientists have often challenged the status quo, but armed with the facts and evidence required to justify their view. Those who challenge the collective view should be scrutinised, and if this scrutiny results in truth, should be rightly celebrated.

Yet if we become fixated on divergence, we lose sight of the importance of consensus; significantly a consensus built upon rigorous enquiry. Only through a collaborative effort and purpose can the greatest global challenges be addressed and tackled.

We are faced with some incredibly big challenges - climate change being one of the biggest. Yet whilst there is a scientific consensus around both the fact it is real and its fundamental cause, the serious public debate required to drive progress is being undermined by individuals or groups who cherry-pick facts to drive their own agenda. This trend is not unique to the climate debate; the controversy over the safety of GM crops is another prominent example.

What concerns me is not that uncertainties are scrutinised, for uncertainties will always exist. What concerns me is our inability, and often, fear of communicating, and admitting, this fact. Indeed, as scientists we must be more transparent, more open to describing the gaps in our knowledge. Scepticism is the driving force for further discovery and better evidence. But often there is a thin line between healthy scepticism and a cynical approach which ignores or distorts inconvenient evidence.

It is human nature to find evidence more convincing when it backs up our own preconceptions, but when we allow that impulse to influence how society acts on important issues, it is irresponsible and dangerous.
Let's return to what science actually is: the testing and retesting of hypotheses by experiment and scrutiny to create an evidence base. Where the evidence falls primarily on one side of an argument, a consensus is formed. Whether in policy advice, news reports or documentaries, to misrepresent the balance of evidence, whether explicitly or implicitly, is a dereliction of duty.

So I would issue the following challenges:

It is time the scientific community became proactive in challenging misuse of scientific evidence. We must make evidence, and associated uncertainties, accessible and explicable. In a world of global communication, we cannot afford to only speak to ourselves. We must also be confident in challenging the misrepresentation or exaggeration of evidence and the conclusions it leads to. Where significant consensus exists, it must be made obvious.

In the Civil Service and other organisations with a stake in policy, we must guard against ideology, and consider the whole body of evidence, not just that which supports our own views. I will continue to carry this message across government in my role as chief scientific adviser. Scientific evidence is only one factor in politicians' decisions but its integrity must be preserved if poor decisions are to be avoided.

I know journalists often have little time to cover complex issues. However it is not enough simply to report opposing views on an issue. The public is best served if each view, and the evidence behind it, is rigorously tested, scrutinised and challenged. The best science journalism is a testament to this and I make no apology for challenging all to reach the highest standards.

We all have a stake in this. The pursuit of truth is not just for the scientific elite, nor Fleet Street, nor the corridors of Whitehall. This is a call to all of us - follow the evidence, and challenge those who seek to distort it.

A note from Wired for Soils: If you would like to see comments posted to this article, many of which are very interesting, you can find them here: http://bit.ly/etabcU

Science and Communication

2011-03-23T14:16:00.000-05:00

One of the things SSSA is trying to do a better job of is to communicate to different audiences, including the public, why soil science is so important. We know we don't always do a good job of this, case in point is when I am asked "What do you do for a living?". I tell people that I am a soil scientist. More often than not I get a quizzical look and people say "Social Science?" or "Really? What is that?" And they laugh thinking I am joking. Yep. We need to communicate better.

Chris Mooney posted a blog today that I would like to refer you to. I think he makes some great points. For those who don't know Chris Mooney he is one of the authors of "Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future" - a good read if you haven't read it.

Chris's blog can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/eAuP0p Enjoy, and as always feel free to comment!

And now the tornado sirens just went off here, so I best get going too.

What do you thnk about a soils field camp?

2011-03-16T11:55:00.000-05:00

Check out the blog from the Wooster geologists (faculty and students) who are spending their spring break doing "experiential learning in the desert". Geology field camp. If you have ever spent time talking to a geologist more often than not they will tell you that geology field camp was one of the best experiences they had in college. Why - because aside from having a ton of fun, they also got to really see and explore geology and learned more than they could have in the classroom by actually going out and doing geology. You can find the College of Wooster blog here:
http://woostergeologists.scotblogs.wooster.edu/

Field camp is generally required for geologists, and forestry majors also often have a field camp that they attend. The point of these field camps is to get students out in the field so that they can get some hands on training working in the field and understanding how to use equipment, take samples, and work within different landscapes to interpret what they are observing. I have often wondered why soil scientists don't have a field camp. Well, actually a few places do, UC-Davis being one, but it is not widespread.

I believe a field camp aimed at soil science degree programs (majors or minors) would be a great idea. I would even go so far as to say it should be available to any student that has had a basic soils course and is interested. On another front, I am also hearing that employers would like some type of training for their new hires because they don't feel they are getting what they necessarily need in school to be able to hit the ground running as far as field work is concerned. Therefore, I think a field camp or course for soil scientists is needed for many reasons. One big reason is that with the university budget cuts it is harder and harder for departments to be able to offer field based courses. This not only affects the students, but also affects the employers as they hire students into their companies or government agencies.

So, I am working on putting together a soils field camp (or field course) to be offered through SSSA (and its partners) with three different audiences; students, new employees, and teachers. They would potentialy be different courses of different lengths due to the type of materials covered. I would foresee holding these courses on a regional basis so people could pick the type of landscape that they want to study in. In any case it would provide a much needed opportunity to pick up information and experience in observing/understanding landscapes and how this affects soil development, how to use field equipment and how to interpret data collected or prepare samples for lab analysis. I would also foresee doing some training on GPS/GIS as well as other topics that are deemed important, such as geomorphology.

I am in the development stage of this project and so I would like your input, thoughts, ideas - or offers of help. I think this has the potential to improve the skillset of our young soil scientists and if we can develop a course for teachers, it will allow us a way to reach the younger students and get them excited about soils before they get to college.

We need to get out to the field to do soil science!

The Earth is Restless

2011-03-11T10:08:00.001-06:00

I am sure you have all heard about the devastating earthquake that hit Japan early today and the subsequent tsumani warnings that have gone up across the Pacific Ocean. At the time of writing this, the tsumani has not yet hit the west coast of the U.S. so it remains to be seen what the outcome from that will be. I do want to let the people that are dealing with this that you are in my thoughts and I am hopeful that you are safe and well. I am positive that sentiment would be the same for all of the staff at SSSA, ASA and CSSA.

This was a big earthquake - a magnitude of 8.9 on the Richter scale. The biggest one Japan has ever recorded and they are arguably the best equipped to handle such things from the point of building design and engineering. The earthquake was caused by a shift in the Earth's plates, which released a tremendous amount of energy. When earthquakes occur in the ocean, the displacement of the Earth's crust and the release of that energy can cause havoc. This is seen in the tsunami that is making its way across the ocean after causing extensive damage in Japan. If you don't know about tsunamis, they move fast (up to 600 mph in the open ocean), but if you are in deep open water you may not notice it. As the energy wave moves through the open water there is often minimal evidence of it on the surface of the ocean. However, when that wave of energy wave starts hitting shallow water and the velocity at the bottom of the wave slows with the topography, it forces the wave of water to rise as it hits the coast. This is why boats will exit the harbor and get out to sea if they possibly can prior to a tsunami hitting the coast. (An admittedly simplified explanation, but if interested look it up! Also take a look at the early warning system of buoys that the U.S. has in place in the PacificOcean, which were being used today to predict the impact on Hawaii and the west coast of North America.)

If you have seen any of the footage, you may also have seen the very large whirlpool that was caused near the site of the eathquake due to the differing directions of seismic wave action and likely the bulging or opening up of the Earth's crust. All very interesting phenomenon if you aren't in the area of the earthquake or path of the tsunami.

From a geoscience perspective the shifting of the Earth's plates (plate tectonics) has always fascinated me, in fact I considered geology as a major due to my interest in it. As much as the shifting of the plates is a natural event, we have seen over the last few years or so many of these events have profound effects on human population. From the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004, to the earthquake in Haiti, to the volcano in Iceland last year that shut down air traffic across Europe, to the earthquake in Chile and now this. It is thought that the magnitude of this latest earthquake will cause another change in the tilt of the Earth's axis, much like the eathquake in Chile caused.

The Earth is restless. From a human standpoint it is hard to watch and make sense of the devastation. From a purely scientific standpoint, it is indeed interesting to observe, learn and try to understand.

The End of an Era - Discovery

2011-03-09T11:38:00.000-06:00

Every once on awhile I have to stray from soil science due to other big happenings in science. Today was an end of an era with the last landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Discovery has been in service since 1984 and did 39 missions, which culminated in 365 days in space. I think that is awesome! The space shuttle program, when it began, was a thing to stimulate the imagination - and I think it did (and still does) for a lot of people. Part of me was surprised that there were only ~120,000 viewers on the NASA website (NASA TV) today to watch live when Discovery landed for the last time at Kennedy Space Center at 11:57 AM eastern time.

I am always amazed at the technology. Bringing the shuttle back to Earth is just compelling to think about because the shuttle has to drop from somewhere around Mach 25 and 50+ miles up to landing in about 30 minutes. Given that I am a space shuttle fan, I was lucky enough to have a consulting/research project down at Stennis Space Center in the 90's and got to watch (or should I say feel?) the testing of the shuttle engines. An experience that I will never forget!

So on the 133rd space flight mission Discovery goes into the history books, but the space shuttle program will still go on with missions planned for both Endeavour and Atlantis this year.

The Question of Soil versus Dirt

2011-03-02T12:40:00.000-06:00

I was looking at some old files today when the article that I have inserted below popped up. I remember having read it right after the Smithsonian Exhibit "Dig It!" opened and thinking it was an interesting article. I think it brings up something we have all had to think about, especially when we a) took our first soils course and were told that we would NOT be using the word dirt to refer to soil and b) if/when we taught a soils or soils-related course and reiterated to our students that they would NOT be using the word dirt to refer to soil. So what is the difference? How would you explain it if asked by your friends, your family, your employer? Think about it and please comment!

Dirt Is Not Soil

By Janet Raloff

Web edition : Thursday, July 17th, 2008

http://www.sciencenews.org/?_kk=science/view/generic/id/34205/title/Dirt_Is_Not_Soil

A number of speakers at this morning’s media preview of the Smithsonian’s soils exhibit acknowledged how they initially didn’t know that soil and dirt were not synonymous. Of course, none went on to explain the difference either. So when the Q&A period opened, my hand shot up with the first question: “What IS the difference between dirt and soil?”

Elizabeth Duggal, associate director of the museum, demurred — and then turned to Pat Megonigal for the answer. A good choice since he’s the exhibit’s curator and one of some 6,000 dues-paying members of the Soil Science Society of America. In a nutshell, he explained that “Dirt is displaced soil.”

Uh, what? Like when it’s on my shoe it’s dirt, and when it’s on the ground it isn’t? This simplistic answer didn’t quite satisfy.

So when I was able to corner Megonigal, a half hour later, I asked for some clarification. As he described it, soil is the compilation of minerals, air, water, animals and other living matter (and their wastes or decaying bodies) that accumulate in layers and become compacted over time. Indeed, soils are laid down in discrete horizons (his name for those layers) and whose compositions vary over time and space.

When particles of that soil erode or are dug up, they lose the “history” of their place, he says — essentially their associations with particles that might have been above, below, and to their sides.

It sounds like he’s saying soil is the diverse but integrated community of living and inanimate things that make up the ground beneath our feet. And dirt? It’s a group of runaways or kidnapped individuals that can’t easily be associated with where they were born and grew up. In a sense, they’re particles that have been rendered anonymous.

As my toxins rant indicated, a few days ago, I think people should use words carefully and appropriately. If, however, the distinction is all but moot, let’s not get too silly about this. When I got back to my office, this afternoon, I did look up both terms in my trusty desk dictionary (a reporter’s best friend) and found one definition of dirt as “loose or packed soil or sand: EARTH.” And a definition for soil was “firm land: EARTH.”

If one of you agronomists or soil scientists out there cares to weigh in, please be my guest.

If you would like to see the comments that Ms. Raloff received, please go to the link to her article given above. I would however like to re-ask the question. How would you explain to someone the difference between soil and dirt??? Please comment, I am interested in hearing the creative ways in which we get the point across!

A side note: I do hope some of you were lucky enough to see the Dig It! exhibit. It was truly a wonderful thing to experience and I think provided some great education to the public on soil science. I was lucky enough to attend the opening and I have to say I was impressed at the amount of thought, ingenuity and creativity that went into it!

On the Road Part 2

2011-02-28T14:11:00.000-06:00

When I last posted I was in Oregon watching a winter storm move in. It was interesting talking to people in McMinnville because I just didn't see the issue with the 3 to 5 inches of snow that they were predicting until I was informed that the town doesn't own a snowplow. OK, I finally understood all the concern, but in the end the snow wasn't too bad and the Oregon Society of Soil Scientists (OSSS) and Northwest Forest Soils Council (NWFSC) winter meeting went on as planned and was well-attended. I was especially impressed with the number of students in attendance! Over lunch on the first day there was a student mentoring/networking session that was a lot of fun. Professionals were mixed with students to talk about goals, questions, etc. It was sort of a speed networking session as they switched the students around about every 5 minutes so they could talk to more mentors, but I think we all enjoyed it and then were able to talk more as the day went on.

The title of the winter meeting was Soil Carbon and You: It's Complicated. OSSS/NWFSC did a great job with the meeting with some very interesting talks that ranged from climate change to biochar to carbon sequestration. Speakers came from the NRCS, USFS, EPA, ARS, and the University of British Columbia. The meeting finished with a field tour on Friday afternoon entitled "From Fir to Ferment" and included much talk of terroir and some wine tasting at several vineyards. Unfortunately I was unable to attend this portion since I had a plane to catch. If someone who was on that tour wants to post a comment to this blog - please do and let us know how it went!

The talk I did for the meeting was aimed at several things and included licensing, understanding the disconnect between students, academics and employers, changes that the Soils Certifying Board is instituting over the next year, and an update on legislation in Oregon that includes soil scientists. We had some lively discussion on some topics that continued into the evening. I also spent some time with students from both Oregon State University and Portland State University. Much like K-State and KU there are students that are doing soils in both institutions, but there are differences in the programs and where the students are housed in departments. Interesting discussions on how to interpret soil science and areas of expertise - a discussion that will, no doubt, continue as we look at how to include everyone.

I want to thank the soil science societies in both Georgia and Oregon for making last week a truly wonderful experience. I learned a lot and met a lot of great people who have a lot of wonderful ideas and are excited and passionate about what they are doing. Thank you for sharing your time with me and inviting me to talk with you!

One last note: Oregon is host to the National Collegiate Soil Judging competition April 26-30th and it sounds like it will be a great experience for those attending. I wish everone the best!

On the Road

2011-02-23T17:04:00.001-06:00

Well, I left for my cross country trip on Sunday to visit with soil scientists in both Georgia and Oregon. As per usual when I have to travel the weather wasn't exactly supposed to be great for the trip to Columbus, OH to catch my flight. It turned out to be OK in the end since the bad weather wasn't moving in until the afternoon and I left in the morning. However, I had to fly through Chicago (ORD), which was getting the weather that Ohio was expecting - freezing rain. I was lucky this time because my flight to Atlanta went on time. Once in Atlanta I rented a car and was off to Athens and aside from the fact that I was trying to read directions in the dark, I made it to the hotel without too much trouble.

The Soil Science Society of Georgia (SSSGA) meeting was at the State Botanical Gardens (part of UGA) and it was a beautiful setting - even in the early spring. Of course, the 70 degree weather didn't hurt! I got to the meeting early and was invited to sit in on their Executive Committee meeting and listen to their discussion on current legislation that affects soil scientists. The bill discussed had to do with consumptive use/water conservation. The SSSGA Executive Committee is well-informed and in-tune with what is going on in their legislature. This might be expected since the group has gone to the legislature in the past to support a bill for licensing soil scientists in GA, and they have been successful in moving the bill through the legislature. Unfortunatley the Governor wouldn't sign the bill when it got to his desk. However, now they have a new Governor and are contemplating trying it again. This will be something that they will be discussing and trying to figure out how to finance -as they know a good lobbyist is worth the money, but they do cost a lot of money.

After the Executive Committee meeting we had lunch prior to starting the conference. I was treated to a good southern lunch of barbecue, Brunswick stew, and sweet tea. I still think my favorite barbecue place is a roadside place near Pittsboro, NC, but this was good too. I also got to see a few people that I hadn't seen in awhile, which is always nice!

The conference started with a student presentation (undergraduate) that was working on understanding erosional landscapes and sources of sediment. It was an interesting talk and there were several questions asking about how to use it or scale the methods to be useful for consulting. After the student presentation was a talk by the Department of Community Health. This talk covered a fair amount of information regarding septic systems, current regulations, and how the department lists consultants. I followed with a talk about licensing and certification, with some information SSSA's strategic plan, and information on our 75th Anniversary and meeting in San Antonio.

I had to fly out of Atalanta yesterday morning, but was invited to stay with friends on Monday night so as not to have to live in hotels all week long. They own a horse farm and own greyhounds and whippets - which is how I know them. Their house sits on 60 acres and is the quintessential southern home and is one of my favorite places to just relax on their sprawling front porch - well, actually it is more of a veranda. In any case it was a wonderful place to wind down. I also got a treat in sleeping with the windows open since it was warm - talk about a little piece of heaven for the northern girl in February! I should note that conversations about soil come up when you least expect it and part of the conversation that evening was directed at discussing what type of soil(s) would best support the footing and proper vegetation for running dogs - lure coursing or racing. It was an interesting question since soil that is hard an dry can tear up a dog's pads badly. The person I was visiting had seen dogs run in England several times and said the peaty soils that they run on seem to work well. His wife brought up that the soils in KY seem to be good, especially for horses but perhaps for a different reason with nutrition. It was an interesting discussion with two people who aren't soil scientists, but have learned how soil is a significant factor in their hobbies.

So now I am in McMinnville Oregon! I had a meeting with some state agencies this morning in Salem talking about soil scientists, their talents, and legislation. Tomorrow I will be speaking to the Oregon Soil Science Society (OSSS) at their winter meeting. The title of my talk for them is SSSA: 75 Years and Looking Forward. I will report more on this part of the visit later; but I am here until late Friday. Oh, and they are supposed to get the worst weather of the winter tonight and tomorrow. Today hasn't been bad, but you can tell its gearing up and the President of OSSS has been keeping constant communication to ensure people know what is going on - although she has said that the meeting will go on! Today has been mainly off and on rain/sleet/snow with a lot of wind. However, now as I look out the window it is sunny with a great big rainbow. That should give us some luck - right?

From Ice to Mud in Two Days, but Ahh the Smell of Soil in the Spring!

2011-02-18T14:50:00.000-06:00

Up until a couple of days ago my deck, yard and driveway were still covered in several inches of ice overlain by several inches of snow. In fact I was chopping ice on my driveway on Wednesday so that I could actually drive out of my driveway. Now I have mud. And lots of it. Don't get me wrong, the thought of spring is is always welcome this time of year- and better yet the smell of the soil. However even as a soil scientist who loves playing with soil, I have to say wiping mud off of my dogs is already getting old. It would be one thing if they just left it at mud on the paws, but like everyone, they are happy to be able to run again, which means dripping muddy long hair on dogs that all weigh over 70 lbs. In case you really want to understand what I am experiencing - I have borzois - look up a picture and then you will understand what I mean with dripping muddy coats!

But back to the wonderful smell of the soil in the spring - at least those of us up in the white and frozen north recognize it after the stale smell of winter! I remember when I found out what that smell came from and was absolutely thrilled since I had identified that smell with spring my entire life. I was, believe it or not, in graduate school at the Univ. of MN in a Soil Biology class taught by Dr. Peter Graham. Funny how you remember these little things, but when he talked about smelling soil and really what we were smelling was the actinomycetes it was just one of those things I would never forget. Who knew soil bacteria could smell so good? Perhaps I am weird or strange in that I notice smells, sounds and sights in the world around me that many other people I think forget to acknowledge in the busy rush of their lives. I put a rule in my own life long ago where I literally stop and look around at least once per day to see and experience what is going on in the natural world around me. Perhaps that sounds silly or geek-like, but try it. The rewards are definitely there for the taking, especially this time of year!

Next week I will be busy with traveling to both Georgia and Oregon. I am looking forward to talking with people in both places and will report on it here! In the meantime... have a great weekend AND take some time to smell the soil!

Consultants and Students - San Antonio Z-Session!

2011-02-16T12:26:00.000-06:00

Consultants – have you ever felt like the project you are working on would be a candidate for a CSI type of show? Students - have you ever wondered what it takes to be a consultant and solve a wide variety of problems for clients? Well, we have just the session for you in San Antonio at the annual meetings this year! There will be a Z Session on Monday afternoon that is designed to get everyone talking about how to solve “cases” in agronomy, soils and environmental science.

So what is a Z Session? It is a special session that doesn't really fit anywhere else in the structure of how the annual meetings are organized. In this case the Z Session that I would like to generate interest in is a joint session on Monday afternoon between our Consultants and the Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Science (SASES). The point of this session is to bring the consultants and students together for the afternoon to share experiences and talk about the different types of issues that consultants deal with in their careers. The theme is to provide a CSI-like atmosphere where the consultant can spend about 10 minutes introducing the "case" and then hand the case over to the audience to discuss and solve and at the end the consultant will reveal what actually happened. We plan to have 5 cases presented during the afternoon (30 minutes of time for each) and the cases will range from agronomy to soils to environmental science.

While the annual meetings in San Antonio may seem a far way off, abstract submissions are open now. I want encourage consultants that would be willing to help out with the session by presenting a case to contact me - or at least plan to participate by setting some time aside on Monday afternoon of the meetings. Students – we will be talking with you prior to the meetings about helping facilitate the discussions, but if you have questions now, please also feel free to contact me. This is a great opportunity to join in the discussion about solving real issues and to have a dialogue amongst professionals and our future professionals. Look for more information in the coming months. Again – please contact me if you are interested in participating with an example “CSI” project!

The Land of White Limestone

2011-02-14T15:26:00.000-06:00

Well, Kansas is usually referred to as the Land of Oz or the Sunflower State, but K-State is definitely the campus of white limestone. If you haven't been there it is worth a look as it is beautiful with all the buildings being constructed of white limestone, except two dorms that are red brick, but they have now made it a rule that new buildings need to match the old. I was told, during my visit last week, that K-State is the oldest land grant university in the U.S., although apparently Michigan State ranks right up there, but due to the Michigan legislature taking a break at the wrong time K-State was approved first.

My visit with faculty and students (undergrad and grad) was really very productive for me as I learned a lot about what types of programs and activities K-State offers. I wasn't there to only talk soils, but also agronomy. While I spent a fair amount of time talking with faculty, my first "talk" was with the undergraduate students on Tuesday evening. It had been snowing all day and being from the north I didn't really think too much about it until someone mentioned that they hoped students would show up for the meeting that night. I was happy to see that the room was full when we arrived! I talked to the group about certification and licensing, although primarily certification since Kansas is not a licensing state. I covered certifications in soil, agronomy and the certified crop advisor. At the end of the talk there were several questions - all of them good! I hope to see some students take the certification exams this year! As I was finishing up I was presented with a K-State Agronomy baseball cap - purple of course! I will wear it proudly.

I met with a large group of graduate students on Wednesday and they were interested in a lot of things, but one of the things we talked about is what it is like to be a consultant. I told them my experiences and what they needed to think about before starting a career as a consultant, but also encouraged them to speak to others. I also encouraged them to take the certification exam that pertained to their field of interest. The research interests of the grad students was diverse, but I have to admit that I was happy to hear that several were focusing on urban soils. This just supports the point that soil scientists are vital in many different settings.

I also met with some graduate students from KU, a non-land grant institution that is located in Lawrence, KS. Chuck Rice invited them to talk with us. These students considered themselves to be soil scientists (and I didn't disagree with that), but they were located in either the geography or biology departments on that campus. It was interesting listening to the types of courses availalbe to them as well as what their research projects are. They are definitely doing soils work, but in some cases missing what we might refer to as some of the basic courses that we tend to have access to in a land grant institution. Interesting! I would be interested in hearing opinions about how SSSA can reach out to these students and involve those programs and their students/faculty more within SSSA.

Overall I had a great visit! I talked about many things with different faculty members, especially how SSSA can help fill in education gaps. I'm not sure K-State has a lot of those gaps with the large and diverse program that they house, but one of the things that I will be pursuing is facilitation of regional field courses to help provide opportunities for students or recent graduates to gain time in the field and become familiar with the typical instrumentation and methodologies used. More on that as we start planning the specifics!

I do have to mention one thing that impressed me. I was talking about the importance of networking and internships when I was informed that most undergraduate students have completed two or more paid internships prior to graduation. Paid! That doesn't happen everywhere. Furthermore, they cannot produce enough agronomy graduates to fill all the job openings that K-State knows about through their contacts with employers. They have a great program that really works on keeping the network going and focusing on relationships with employers. Again - that doesn't happen everywhere.

I think there are some good ideas and messages that I took away from my visit with K-State. We do have the current SSSA President on the faculty there as well as the President-Elect! Hopefully the exchange of ideas went both ways and we can continue to learn from each other.

Green Bay Packers - Super Bowl Champions!

2011-02-06T21:36:00.000-06:00

While I know this is off the topic of soils, I post this for all those Packer fans out there - especially those in our Madison, WI headquarters. They have been having tailgate parties (complete with bison burgers) for the last few games - OK, the actual 'tailgating' was inside, but they did grill outside!

Nice Job Green Bay Packers - Super Bowl Champions!!!

I'll be back with more soils blog later this week!

Mother Nature, the NACD Conference, a Good Article to Read, and the Packers

2011-02-04T13:25:00.000-06:00

I feel like I have been away from this blog forever! Actually I was in Nashville, TN for the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and then Mother Nature deemed it necessary for me to stay a couple of extra days due to blizzard conditions in the north. I have to say that for a northern girl the experience of 68 degrees last Saturday and Sunday in Nashville felt pretty good, but reality hit yesterday when I finally made it home to the several inches of ice here in Ohio. (I actually currenlty work out of Ohio and not Wisconsin.) Having spent most of my life in Wisconsin and Minnesota I have to say I really am not amused by the ice thing and I am still trying to figure out how to deal with it, if you actually can. But on to other things...

The NACD conference was interesting; most of the attendees were members of the respective Boards from all over the U.S.and attendance at the various sessions was good. ASA/SSSA had a booth and we were answering questions about the societies and our certification programs. I have to say I was a little dismayed that most people didn't want to talk about soils! (OK, I admit I am biased.) I think most were more familiar with agronomy and so the conversations centered around that. However, it did show me that we need to spend some time and effort really educating the public as to why soils are so integral to everything else, and in this case agronomy. Many people were interested in yields and fertilizer recommendations and how to better understand how to apply only what is needed to be more environmentally sound. A few asked about soil tests and how they related to predicting maximum yield with the right fertilizer recommendation. I was also glad to see that there is an awareness of the changing climate, differences in the past few years with precipitation and a curiosity on how this would affect agriculture in the future. I do want to thank Marta Krist from our certification staff for making the whole experience fun, even when our flights were cancelled and we found ourselves with extra time to get familiar with Nashville.

Given my experience at NACD, I did want to address a comment on a blog from last week where a person had referenced an article that just came out in the Soil Science Society of America Journal (SSSAJ) entitled "Global Prospects Rooted in Soil Science". You can download the article from our website and I would recommend you read it if you get a chance. For those reading this that are thinking this is a research paper - it is not. It is a good read for anyone! It is based pretty heavily on agriculture, but definitely strays outside the ag field and brings up many other places that soils are critical to the issues that the world is facing today including energy, climate change and biodiversity. Seriously, take the time to read this - SSSAJ Volume 75: Number 1 pages 1-8 by H.H. Janzen et al.

Next week I am off to Kansas State University to meet with their student groups and talk to faculty about licensing/certification and how this fits with the university's goals in preparing students for a career as well as what the societies are planning as we look to the future. I am looking forward to spending some time meeting and talking with people (especially students) about the future of our profession and how to facilitate better communication between our universities and employers.

And now for a very important point. This Sunday is the Super Bowl and as you have figured out by now I am a Cheesehead and Green Bay Packer fan. So please join me in cheering for the Pack this weekend as they beat the Steelers in the big game! (My apologies to Chuck Rice, SSSA President, who is cheering for the Steelers. If they by some slim chance actually win, he will get to give me grief next week since he is on the faculty at K-State.)

Have a great weekend!

Soil is Fundamental for Life

2011-01-27T16:33:00.002-06:00

This is a post composed as part of the NSF “Science: Becoming the Messenger” workshop held in Lawrence, Kansas on January 27-28, 2011.

Soil is fundamental to life on earth and is considered the most complicated biomaterial on earth. Soil provides services critical for life: soil acts as a water filter and a growing medium; provides habitat for billions of organisms, contributing to biodiversity; and supplies most of the antibiotics used to fight diseases. Humans use soil as a holding facility for solid waste, filter for wastewater, and foundation for our cities and towns. Soil provides us with feed, fiber, food and fuel. Healthy soil is essential for feeding the expected 9 billion people by 2050. We must develop new technologies and techniques to produce more feed, fiber, food and fuel with less— less land, less water, less energy, and fewer nutrient inputs. Achieving this will require improved crops and novel soil management strategies. Soils are also critical for a healthy planet. Soils provide clean water and help regulate climate. There is twice as much carbon in the soil as in the atmosphere and three times as much in vegetation. Soils are critical for human health. Did you know that almost all of the antibiotics we take to help us fight infections were obtained from soil microorganisms? Over 80% of antibiotics come from soil microbes. Did you know that there are more living individual organisms in a tablespoon of soil than there are people on the earth? A teaspoon of soil contains over 1 billion bacteria yet we know only 1%. The remaining 99% are unknown and contain a treasure trove of products. This year is the 75^th anniversary of the Soil Science Society of America.

By Chuck Rice, President, SSSA

Networking and Taking an Active Role in Your Career

2011-01-27T13:47:00.000-06:00

Networking. Sometimes I think it is an overused term, but it also conveys a point that is essential to keep in mind throughout our careers. Most of what I say today is primarily directed towards students and those early in their careers, but I have found that people need to sometimes be reminded that keeping in touch with colleagues is important at all points in their careers. Soil science and environmental science are two things that I write about often and as such are my examples today, but I would also argue that you could apply what I am going to say to many other sciences of both the natural and social varieties.

Why write about networking? It seems such a simple concept and yet I see many people only use it when they need something or only do it because they 'have to' for some reason. I don't think we can do the soils or environmental professions justice without networking. The sciences themselves are broad and interact with so many different disciplines that it would be nearly impossible to be an island unto yourself.

I have spent time in my classes - especially those considered upper level (junior/senior) - and individually with both undergraduate and graduage level students trying to impress upon them that the more they network, the better off they will be as they graduate with whatever degree they are pursuing. You never know when someone you met and talked to for even two minutes will be someone that you need to contact at some point in the future. Remember, after you've met someone, it isn't a cold call or email, you can point to something in common whether it was a conference, seminar, club meeting, etc. It helps to break the ice. In this day and age of social networking we all think that we have "contacts" everywhere - and I'm not saying we don't, but do not discount the value of a face-to-face meeting by being involved with clubs at school, committees, professional organizations, etc. I would submit that those contacts that you make face-to-face will be the ones that are invaluable and provide for friendships, working relationships, and mentorships that you will come to count on.

So what do I suggest?

Students - GET INVOLVED! You think you are busy now, but now is actually the time to get involved with groups that interest you, meet students from other disciplines, get to know your professors, and join professional organizations (they all offer student rates! i.e., cheap!). I remember my PhD advisor telling me one time after I was complaining that I didn't have a life that I would look back on my days in graduate school and call them the best days of my life. I thought he was nuts. But you know what - he was right. They weren't all the best days of my life, but there are days I would give about anything to have that life of freedom back for awhile.

I do want to emphasize the "other disciplines" comment. As a soil scientist or environmental scientist you must know that you cannot work in a vacuum. These discliplines require us to interact with all different types of professionals from engineers to politicians. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have these types of contacts and to learn how to talk to people with different backgrounds and understand what is important to them and how it relates to what you find important.

Early Career - GET INVOLVED! I know you are working on your careers and your life, but it is also an important time to establish yourselves in the professional community. You don't have to be involved with everyone and everything; pick something you are passionate about. Broaden your involvment outside what and who you know. You'd be surprised at where it can take you and how it will be something that pays you back for the rest of your career.

And to those that have been around awhile - STAY INVOLVED! If we want our younger scientists to be excited about what they do and be and willing to do committee work and volunteer for jobs within our professional organizations, we need to show them that we appreciate them and their ideas. Encourage them to interact with you! Sometimes I think as we get established in our careers we forget what it was like just starting out. Take the time to develop a relationship with a younger career member and help them by mentoring, introducing them, and being supportive. And most of all, listen. I find I learn a lot by listening to others, young or more mature.

A growing population - what does it mean?

2011-01-25T09:12:00.000-06:00

Today I want to take you to a video about human population that was done by National Geographic. When I was on the faculty at OSU I taught environmental science and soils courses and population growth was always a topic I covered. I think at first students didn't understand why, but as you watch this video think about the ramifications of 7 billion people on this planet. What does that mean for how we live, how we affect the environment, how we interact with the ecosystems around us, how we provide for food/shelter, how we affect climate, etc. I could go on, but my point is everything we do as humans affects everything else. As we look to the future there will be a tremendous need to sustain our natural resources - which comes back at its base to the soils we depend on for life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4HxPxNrZ0&feature=player_embedded

Exams, Webinars, and - of course - the Super Bowl

2011-01-24T13:35:00.000-06:00

Today registration opens for the soil science licensing/certification exams that will be given on April 15. Registration will be open now until March 4, so if you plan on taking either the Fundamentals of Soil Science Exam or the Professional Practice Exam, make sure to register soon. See the SSSA webpage under Certifications for more information. I would also note - exam prices will be going up for the fall exam! Currently the exam cost is $125, it will be raised to $150 later this year.

A great way to gain continuing education credits or just a excellent way to learn about new things are webinars. Why is this such a good way to learn? Because you can sit at your computer in your office or at home (or wherever) and listen to something that interests you. Webinars are provided by a lot of different entities, inlcuding SSSA and ASA. I will be working on bringing you webinars specifically on soils topics over the next few months, but did you know that you can find a library of webinars on our site? Check it out at
https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/certifications/self-study

I will also begin listing webinars that others are providing on this blog as I find them. Please let me know what types of soil or environment related webinars you would like from us. I will do my best to provide those to you! If you would like to give a webinar, please let me know, we provide the training on how to do it and we offer an honorarium for helping us out.

And now, as a true Cheesehead, I must spend a little of this blog cheering on the Packers as they head to the Super Bowl!!!! My mother in law (not from WI) commented yesterday about "growing up in WI where the Packers are almost a religion". I really had no argument to that. Still don't. If you want to really understand what that means, take a trip to WI on Super Bowl weekend and experience it for yourselves. I guarantee you'll have a great time. I just wouldn't advise wearing anything that says Steelers on it.

Soils in the top 15 issues twice for 2011

2011-01-20T12:12:00.000-06:00

Some things to think about when we are questioning why soil science is truly important. This article talks about the top 15 issues for 2011. Soil ecology and the invasion of exotic earthworms into forest soils are in that top 15.

15 for ’11

Soil Erosion: Its not just for Earth anymore!

2011-01-19T12:56:00.000-06:00

I was perusing the SSSA's twitter page today looking for items of interest when an article tweeted by Science Friday caught my eye. The article, which you can find a this link http://bit.ly/fpreny is entitled "Phoenix Lander blasts away Martian dirt, uncovers new way to dig". Perhaps I have spent way too much time teaching students, the public and anyone that will listen about soil erosion, its consequences, and how to avoid such a thing that I am just not amused when it comes to someone being excited about causing erosion.

The article, if you haven't looked at it, has to do with the Phoenix mission to Mars and in particular the Mars landing of the Phoenix in May of 2008. The spacecraft has to use thrusters in order to land and in this case they were using pulsed thrusters, which reportedly are weaker than regular rocket engines (30% less thrust). What surprised everyone watching the landing was the amount of soil that was displaced as the Phoenix landed. Why is this an issue from a scientific standpoint? Well, if you want to take undisturbed soil samples, excavating soil with the thrusters upon landing to some diameter around the spacecraft can present a problem if the robot arm cannot extend beyond the disturbed soil to collect those undisturbed samples.

Because no one expected to see that much soil moving around upon landing, research was subsequently conducted to find out how and why this happened; enter Manish Mehta of the University of Michigan who led the study. Now please don't get me wrong, I have no issue with the research that was conducted, in fact I found it to be pretty fascinating. They found that the pulsed thrusters were responsible for the increased soil disturbance because "they created shock waves that travel through the soil and allowed much more gas to be pumped into the ground than the non-pulsed versions. As a result the rocket plumes flowed through the soil and fluidized it. When the plume flowing through the soil reached an area outside of the engine's blast zone, it explosively erupted out of the surface, carrying away the soil and causing extensive erosion." Good to know, right? As in we probably don't want to do that again.

But then the article goes on to say that they named this process Diffusive Gas Explosive Erosion and called it a "powerful excavation mechanism" that can be used in the atmosphere of Mars. This is where my fascination with the article kind of fell apart. I am all for research and exploration, but do we really need to be using a powerful excavation tool on Mars without really understanding how this might affect, well, anything else on Mars? The article doesn't elaborate on how this new excavation tool may be used in future missions, but what came to my mind was that we made some mistakes here on Earth; it may be in our best interest to be more cognizant of the effects of our actions on Mars.

I should mention that Mehta's team also looked at soil properties that would be consistent with the Diffusive Gas Explosive Erosion process that took place. Using different soil textures to try to recreate the same results, the team found that the soil on Mars would contain a mixture of fine sand and silt particles. Too much silt and you have a crater (and no more Phoenix), too much sand and you have a barely noticeable disturbance. Which means to me that the soil on Mars would need to be mapped to determine where this new excavation tool could/should be used. (I have to admit I know very little about what is known about Martian soils, so please feel free to correct me!)

All in all a good read and a thought provoking article. I have to say the author of the article, K.M. Sayanagi, makes some good points about unexpected results that come from lack of understanding, which lead to implications for scientific investigations that can help our understanding in ways we hadn't anticipated.

Soil and Football (and the Packers WIN!)

2011-01-17T13:05:00.001-06:00

Anyone that is a Green Bay Packer fan found themselves watching a game this past Saturday that was truly exceptional. Aaron Rodgers was pretty much flawless and the Packers didn't have a punt the entire game. OK, I will cease the bragging until next week when they beat the Bears.

However...given that the Pack is still in it, I feel compelled to find more things to talk about that are soil related. It just so happens that I have a perfect opportunity with the venue for the game next weekend, since it will be at Soldier Field. I talked about differences in turf in my last blog. Soldier Field is actually a natural grass field (one of the few remaining); they resod it several times a year to help keep it up. Soldier Field is open to the elements and if you look at the weather for Chicago this week, after tomorrow (forecast high 34 degrees) it will be below freezing every day plus some snow. Game day calls for a high of 21. They call Lambeau the frozen tundra. Soldier Field will likely qualify for at least frozen next weekend.

So what is the issue? Grass doesn't grow in the winter, the soil column freezes, but the soil surface can still thaw leading to slick conditions because the moisture has nowhere to infiltrate with the frozen soil beneath. Think about rain on snow and rain on frozen ground events - same idea. Any moisture trapped on the surface has the potential to turn that exposed soil and the corresponding sod into a very slick playing surface. Soil that is disturbed (played on) when wet will tend to lose its structure (think mud), which just exacerbates the issue over time. In addition, the cleats from the players' shoes tend to take out chunks of the turf making the playing surface uneven and exposes more soil. Given that a game was played on the field yesterday and we are in the middle of winter, there isn't a lot that can be done to repair a beat up grass field with frozen soil. Another issue is that the turf sections themselves can tend to come loose because they don't always hold well to the soil beneath, and then - as some people would say - they are playing on dirt.

So how much of a factor with the soil/plant/atmosphere system play in the outcome of this game? Something to think about with the importance and ramifications of this game (the NFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl). But more fun to think about as a soil scientist is what people don't normally think about - soil conditions may make the difference. I will bet that soil and field conditions will be mentioned more than once during the game. So I conclude: Soils are important - even in January in Chicago.

Packers vs Falcons - A Difference in Turf

2011-01-14T08:27:00.000-06:00

I have to admit that I was born and raised in Wisconsin and am therefore one of the "Cheeseheads" that people refer to. And yes, I do own a cheesehead. And many items in the colors of green and gold. As I was thinking about the playoff game coming up this weekend between the Packers and the Falcons it occurred to me that there was a soils and environment topic there that would allow me to write a blog and at the same time talk about the Packers. Win-win, don't you think?

A lot of us spend time watching football in a lot of different venues and at a lot of different levels. Have you considered the field that these games take place on? Turf science and turf management have come a long way in the history of sports - not just football, but any sport that takes place on a turf surface. I am going to use football fields as the example here, but my point (or question at the end) applies to a wider range than that.

The Green Bay Packers have their home field at Lambeau Field. Lambeau's surface is a natural grass surface combined with artificial fibers to make the turf stronger and able to hold up under the stress of the football game. The Atlanta Falcons, on the other hand, have their home field in the Georgia Dome where it would be difficult to maintain a natural grass surface. The decision there was to put in an artificial turf system called FieldTurf.

Turf management on a natural grass surface requires training and knowledge in many things, including soil physics, chemistry, fertility and biology. Given that I am a soil scientist, this type of career and need for expertise appeals to me. It is not an easy job, especially when you have to include understanding how to deal with disease, drainage, irrigation, environmental issues due to pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers, etc. Oh, and you have to know what works for different types of grasses and also meet the expectation that the field always look lush and green. Not an easy task when the field gets beat up every week.

Then there is the artificial turf system. Is it better? I invite you to take a look at the FieldTurf site and judge for yourself (http://www.fieldturf.com/artificial-turf-environmental-responsibility/). The citation is to a portion of the FieldTurf site that speaks to the environmental benefits of using this artificial product instead of natural grass. For instance, they talk about the amount of water saved, the decrease in carbon footprints, elimination of pesticides and herbicides, etc. A compelling argument. Their site also says that the product is 100% recyclable.

So here is my question. Which one is better? I see advantages and disadvantages to both, but I think my biggest hang up with the artificial turf is that fact that we are just covering up more of our natural soil. Think about a bigger picture than just football fields. How does this eventually affect our ecosystems? Think about it. And then post some comments!

In the meantime - GO PACK!

Reclaiming Our Turf

2011-01-12T10:34:00.000-06:00

One of the publications that the ASA-CSSA-SSSA puts out is the CSA News. This month's publication has a feature article entitled "Reclaiming Our Turf" authored by Madeline Fisher, contributing writer for CSA News. I have made it available below so that you don't have to go to the website and sign in to read it.

https://www.soils.org/files/publications/csa-news/reclaiming-our-turf.pdf

So why this article to initiate the blog? Because I think it gets to the heart of the issue with the practice of soil science and more importantly the future of our profession. I would encourage you to read it, think about it and comment on it. I am interested in your opinions and ideas.

To get started, I have posted below an email that I received this morning from Ted Hartsig that was addressed to myself and Larry Baldwin, who is also quoted in the above referenced article. Ted is a soil scientist and works in the consulting business. His comments:

That article highlighting the efforts of both of you to promote soil science as a profession in this month’s CSA news was right on the money. As was stated, this is something we have really strived to address since the early 90’s, and it’s been often frustrating to be able to move forward. Now, as I’ve pondered my renewal in the SSSA, I’ve been wondering what benefits I might see – and this is the first evidence. My impression – and that of many, many other practicing soil scientists, is that the SSSA is solely an academic society that serves as a publishing venue for research. While that is often good in of itself, the Society has provided little benefit to practicing soil scientists other than the CSA News and the Certification program. Dawn – you and me have discussed this many times.

Larry – in the article you state that many of your new hires are coming in with generalized degrees. I see that too – and we really do need the new employees with core knowledge to fill our gaps.

All this said – it is heartening that soils and soil management is starting to become much more recognized in both a profession and more importantly as an important practice. In the work that I do in the Midwest (Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, etc), many people are truly waking up to the concept of “I need a soil scientist to help me” with any number of projects. My work has largely been in the realm of stormwater management, ecological restoration, water re-use (as it is applied in irrigation), urban soils management (starting to pick up a lot of interest there), compost operations, and general restoration of drastically disturbed sites. My near 30 year career includes restoration of many contaminated sites. This summer I had a call from one of the most prominent Landscape Architecture companies in the country. They said that in their work of designing and constructing the landscape for the George Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, that they need a soil scientist – could I help. The ensuing work has been terrific, and as I explain soils on site, and the concept of imported and/or “manufactured” soils needed for the project, their eyes have really been opened. In a recent meeting of the project team, including the Bush Foundation, the project leader stood up and said “the success of this project is found in the soil we manage on site.”

All this said, what can I do to continue to help in this endeavor to keep promoting soils as a profession. Currently I do a LOT of public speaking regarding environmental management and sustainability. Inevitably, it most often comes back to or includes soils and soil management. It’s gratifying how many people step up and say they “get it.” Dawn – if I can help in your work, you know that I’d be more than happy to, including starting the process of getting licensure in Kansas, Nebraska, Misssouri, and other states.

Welcome to Wired for Soils!

2011-01-11T13:14:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is. My very first post on my very first blog. I am hopeful that I can make this a "go to" spot for information and thoughts on soils and environmental science. I suspect at times I will venture out of those particular topic areas, but then I believe that everything is connected to everything else so I feel somewhat justified in taking that liberty. I especially believe this to be true when talking about soils.

To get started - a bit about me. I am the Soil Science Program Coordinator for the Soil Science Society of America. I am also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University. I have had, in my career, quite a varied background comprised of environmental consulting (including owning my own business for awhile), county government, and also academia. I was on the faculty at OSU in the School of Environment and Natural Resources before joining SSSA this past July. You will discover more about me as this blog continues, but one thing I can tell you is that I am excited to see what can happen with this blog and how it can work in reaching a wide audience. I welcome comments and questions! Lets try this out together and see where it takes us.