SSS Soil System Sciences
Division on Soil System Sciences
European Geosciences Union
Division on Soil System Sciences sss.egu.eu
Division on Soil System Sciences
President: Heike Knicker
(Emailsss@egu.eu)
Deputy President: Daniel L. Evans
(Email)
ECS Representative: Beatrice Giannetta
(Emailecs-sss@egu.eu)
Soil is the interface between the crust and atmosphere, and is the basis of life on Earth. The impact of soil science to the society has probably never been as high as it is currently. The importance of soils in the Earth system must make us, the soil scientists, more noticeable at the EGU. The aim of the Division on Soil System Sciences (SSS) is to coordinate the EGU scientific programme on soil science and related activities. The SSS contributes actively with EGU by promoting scientific interchange and dissemination of activity carried out by members.
Soils at Imaggeo: shoot your soil!
Amazing soil pictures? Are you a photo artist? Share your work at Imaggeo, the open-access image repository of European Geosciences Union.
Soil degradation has become a major environmental concern. Today, 62% of European soils are affected by at least one degradation process, largely driven by land sealing and unsustainable farming practices (Mason et al. 2023; EUSO 2024). Conservation Agriculture (CA) is often promoted as a promising alternative, combining sustainable production with improved soil quality (Chabert et Sarthou 2020; Thierfelder et al. 2017). CA is built on three pillars: minimizing mechanical soil disturbance, maximizing soil organic cover, and diversifying crop species. Together, …
The 2026 Alina Kabata-Pendias Medal is awarded to
Bettina Weber for pioneering, interdisciplinary contributions to understanding cryptogamic communities and biocrusts, and their role in biogeochemical cycles, particularly in nitrogen cycle.
The 2026 Philippe Duchaufour Medal is awarded to
Cornelia Rumpel for pioneering interdisciplinary research on soil organic matter and exceptional leadership advancing soil science through mentorship and global engagement.
The 2026 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to
Layla Márquez San Emeterio for significantly advancing our understanding of the origin, turnover, and stabilization of soil organic matter in Mediterranean agroecosystems.
The 2025 Philippe Duchaufour Medal is awarded to
Wulf Amelung for pioneering research in uncovering the mechanisms of soil degradation and efforts to restore soil functions, thereby enabling sustainable agriculture and land use.
The 2025 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to
Katerina Georgiou for significant contributions to the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of carbon cycling at a range of scales; from soil particle to field-scale, to global predictions.
Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award
The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to
Daniel Asiamah Aboagye Effect of Residue Application Methods and Long-Term No-Tillage Management on Residue Decomposition and Priming Effect in Japanese Andosol: Evidence from a Field Incubation Experiment
Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award
The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to
Kavindra Senaratna Characterizing Soil Respiration rates across different Land uses in a Tropical Urban Catchment
Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award
The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to
Martin-Georg Endress Exploring the energetics of soil microbial metabolism under substrate limitation
In our July issue, we are looking back on 50 years of Martian photography, learn more about science communication with twice the Simon Clark, don't miss your chance to apply for the Science for Policy Pairing Scheme. Also applications are open to volunteer with the EDI Committee or the Art-Science Working Group, the call for sessions for EGU27 is open and don't miss your chance to nominate someone to e the Union's next Early Career Scientist (ECS) Union-wide Representative or Treasurer!
Welcome to the July newsletter of the EGU Soil System Sciences Division! This month, we invite you to learn more about the Mission Soil Investment Forum 2026, have a look at the evaluation of the Nitrates Directive, read a new SOIL paper, and learn more about the SSS Division through our Linkedin and Bluesky pages. Moreover, we also have some reminders to attend the Global Symposium on Soil Compaction and join the EGU EDI Committee.
