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EOS, TRANSACTIONS AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, VOL. 89, NO. 16, doi:10.1029/2008EO160003, 2008

The Science of Global Soil Change: Networking for Our Future

Sharon A. Billings

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA


Daniel deB. Richter

Duke University, Durham, N. C., USA


Abstract

Global Soil Change Workshop; Duke University and Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Durham and Goldsboro, North Carolina, 10–13 December 2007; Some of the most important scientific questions today concern the future of Earth's soil. Understanding the biological, ecological, chemical, and physical processes governing soil functions is directly related to most if not all of the grand challenges in environmental science outlined by the National Academies (Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences, National Research Council, 2001). Because of the inherently long-term nature of soil change, addressing these questions requires research over decadal timescales. This feature of soil science presents significant challenges to those designing and implementing research programs, and yet is critical to the understanding of soil systems and the improvement of land management.

Published 15 April 2008.

Index Terms: 0486 Biogeosciences: Soils/pedology (1865); 0414 Biogeosciences: Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling (0412, 0793, 1615, 4805, 4912); 0402 Biogeosciences: Agricultural systems.

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Citation: Billings, S. A., and D. deB. Richter (2008), The Science of Global Soil Change: Networking for Our Future, Eos Trans. AGU, 89(16), doi:10.1029/2008EO160003.