News on Data and Model Intercomparison, Courses, and Partners
Vadoze Zone Journal Special Section
Submissions are still open for the Special Section: "New Perspectives on Soil Models"
Soil models, underpinned by high-fidelity measurements, play a crucial role in understanding environmental processes. Developments and application of process-based soil models have increased in the last decade, both geographically and discipline-wise. Integrated soil modeling is vital: such efforts should consider the multiple feedbacks among the various compartments of the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum to allow us to better understand and mitigate the challenges posed by climate and land use change. It will also ensure improved interdisciplinary understanding of the key processes involved in soil sustainability, landscape resilience, ecosystem stability, and related societal consequences. This special section “New Perspectives on Soil Models” capitalizes on the biennial meeting of the International Soil Modeling Community (ISMC) that took place on 5–7 Nov. 2018 at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. [...]
More info HERE
TERENO NEON Carbon Workshop 2019 July 13-20, Germany
The motivation is to use in-situ data to address emerging issues in carbon cycle science including critical zone science, atmospheric science, biogeochemistry and ecosystem science. To do so, we also foster robust data practices for the seasoned researcher and early career scientists, alike. This is particularly important given the emergence of new, large-scale infrastructures producing unprecedented amounts of carbon cycle data.
This 2019 Carbon summer workshop will provide an opportunity to learn how to use ‘big data' from the Terrestrial Environmental Observatories (TERENO), National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) large networks of observatories while discussing an understanding of atmospheric, ecosystem, and below ground carbon processes, and the associated means to estimate CO2 and its role in the climate system. This Carbon summer workshop will also help develop the skills to access and use data in practice from a diversity of sources, including different networks. We will have a strong practical component that focuses on the data use. Both the scientific understanding and the data use will be brought together in group exercises.
More info HERE and contact Melissa Genazzio, NEON
OpenGeoHub becomes partner of ISMC
'OpenGeoHub, a not-for-profit research foundation focused on promoting Open Geographical and Geoscientific Data and Open Source Software (headquarters in Wageningen, the Netherlands; https://opengeohub.org), has become partner of ISMC. OpenGeoHub maintains a global repository and web-mapping app for global environmental layers called "LandGIS" (read more about LandGIS), and which includes also numerous soil hydraulic layers (e.g. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2629589) and biophysical parameters (monthly precipitation and land surface temperatures). ISMC and OpenGeoHub are working now together on producing global standardized compilations of training points that could be used by research groups to produce more accurate global models of physical soil properties. Have a point data to contribute to this initiative? Please contact us.
Link OpenGeoHub.
CIRCASA becomes partner of ISMC
CIRCASA project aims to strengthen the coordination and synergies in European and global research on SOC sequestration in agricultural soils, leading to an improved understanding and scientific basis to target ambitious practices required to preserve and enhance SOC. By bringing together the research community, governments, research agencies, international, national and regional institutions and private stakeholders CIRCASA takes stock of the current understanding of carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, indentifies stakeholders' knowledge needs, and fosters the creation of new knowledge.
Link CIRCASA.
Short Course on DAISY agro-ecological model
'We are pleased to announce DAISY short course, which will take place at the University of Copenhagen in August 2019 (26.8-30.8.2019). The course will cover DAISY models’ main processes and it aims at master and PhD students who want to specialize in agro-hydrology and quantitative agro-ecological system analysis. More information about the model can be found at daisy.ku.dk. After the short course, the participants should carry out a small model study of their own choice and submit a short report before the examination in November. During this period, the teaching staff will be available for consultations.
We are very much looking forward to seeing you in Copenhagen,
Efstathios Diamantopoulos
Link Short Course
Link Daisy Model
New Entries in the Data Portal are welcome!
Latest contributions are
- Panagos et al. 'Rainfall Erosivity at European Scale'
- Nachtergaele et al. 'Harmonized World Soil Database'
- Brocca et al. 'Global daily satellite rainfall from ASCAT soil moisture (2007-2018)'
Visit the Data Portal and increase outreach for your data HERE:
New Entries in the Model Intercomparison Portal are welcome!
Latest contributions are
- Schnepf et al. 'Comparison of root architecture and water uptake models'
- Weihermüller et al. 'Functional Sensitivity Study of Pedotransfer Functions for use in Land Surface Models'
- Verhoef et al. 'Soil hydraulic and thermal and properties in Land Surface Models'
- Baroni et al. 'A Comprehensive Distributed Hydrological Modeling Intercomparison to Support Process Representation and Data Collection Strategies'
Visit the Data Portal and add your soil model intercomparison HERE:
Upcoming HYDRUS short courses
We would like to invite you to attend one of the upcoming HYDRUS short courses, which will be held in Golden, Colorado, USA (June 10-12, 2019), Mandi, India (September 9-11, 2019), and Sede Boqer, Israel (September 17-19, 2019). A detailed conceptual and mathematical description of water flow and solute transport processes in the vadose zone and groundwater will be given during the first part of the course. Hands-on computer sessions will then provide participants an opportunity to become familiar with the windows-based HYDRUS computer software packages, including several additional modules, such as the ROSETTA, HP1, UNSATCHEM, and Wetlands modules. Emphasis will be on preparation of input data for a variety of one- and multi-dimensional applications, and interpretation of simulation results. Selected advanced HYDRUS topics will be covered during the second part of the course.
More information can be found on the HYDRUS website at https://www.pc-progress.com/en/Default.aspx?courses-2019.
Final report of the 2019 ESP Plenary Meeting
Also the presentations during the meeting can be found on the same site.
On behalf of the ESP Steering Committee, let me thank all those who participated in the meeting and who contributed to the report. Let me thank also the GSP Secretariat for its generous help in organizing the meeting and editing of the meeting report.
The meeting/report concludes with the following interesting Way Forward:
The 6th ESP Plenary closed with the following proposals regarding future steps:
• It was proposed to start coordinating the contributions to the next version of The Status of the World's Soil Resources report, which will be published in 2025.
• The need to improve communication and the coordination of activities, and to foster synergies between the ESP and GSP was highlighted.
• In order to make the ESP plenary more effective at decision making, it was suggested to the GSP secretariat to provide documents with relevant information beforehand.
• Several ESP members underscored the need to devise a more focused strategy when defining activities for the coming years.
• It was suggested to prioritize products that are readily implementable to attract donors.
• National focal points were asked to address the GSP secretariat to provide suggestions on how to improve communication.
• It was requested to the national focal points to work on a message to convey to the next GSP plenary assembly (5 to 7 June 2019).
Details, go HERE.