Trends in Soil Science Education and Employment

During the last several decades, members of the SSSA have discussed several trends related to soil science education, including: (i) declining academic programs and course offerings at land grant universities, (ii) decreased enrollments, and (iii) improved employment opportunities for soil science graduates (SSSA, 2006; Ferris et al., 2010). The SSSA Advocacy/Education Task Force met in 2007 and concluded that quantitative survey information was needed to document trends in soil science academic programs, student enrollment, faculty, and job opportunities for graduates. Suggested survey topics included: Has the recognition of soil science as a distinct discipline increased or decreased? How has the job market changed during the past decade, and how will job opportunities for soil scientists change in the future? How have undergraduate and graduate soils curricula changed during the last decade? Has enrollment in soil science degree programs and courses changed during the past decade? Has there been a change in the degree programs of students enrolling in soils courses in the past decade? Have soil science programs been combined with other programs? Therefore, the objective of the survey was to quantify trends in student enrollment, faculty positions, pertinent educational issues in soil and related sciences, and career or job opportunities and trends. Expected outcomes included a better understanding of current educational practices and trends, and identification of specific opportunities for SSSA to enhance the practice and profession of soil science

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A growth room experiment was conducted to evaluate the bioavailments subject to Canadian guidelines for compost qualability of Cu, Mn, Zn, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, P, S, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, and Se from a sandy loam soil amended with sourceity include As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and quality types are given in According to the National Standard of Canada for compost Half of the basil shoots (aboveground plant material) from quality (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, each treatment were air-dried for extraction of the essential 1996), a compost could be considered mature if it meets two oils. The remaining basil and Swiss chard plants were placed of the following three requirements: (i) C to N ratio of Յ25, in a dryer at 65ЊC for 3 d. (ii) oxygen uptake rate of Յ150 mg O 2 /kg of volatile solids/h, Treatments consisted of 0 (100% soil), 20, 40, and 60% and (iii) germination of cress (Lepidium sativum L.) seeds compost to soil by volume. In other words, we added 175, and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seeds in compost of Ͼ90% 350, and 525 g of air-dry compost to about 3 kg of soil, resulting of the germination rate of the control sample and a difference in 20, 40, and 60% compost to soil by volume. Constituents in the growing rate between the control sample and the plants of growth medium in greenhouse and container production grown in compost-soil mixture of Ͻ50%. A seed phytotoxicity systems are usually added and/or mixed by volume, but soil test to evaluate compost maturity was conducted by using amendments in field production systems are added on an area cress and marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) seeds and a direct or weight basis. The results from this study are valid for both seed tes

Perennial warm-season grasses for producing biofuel and enhancing soil properties: An alternative to corn residue removal

Removal of corn (Zea mays L.) residues at high rates for biofuel and other off-farm uses may negatively impact soil and the environment in the long term. Biomass removal from perennial warm-season grasses (WSGs) grown in marginally-productive lands could be an alternative to corn residue removal as biofuel feedstocks while controlling water and wind erosion, sequestering carbon (C), cycling water and nutrients, and enhancing other soil ecosystem services. We compared wind and water erosion potential, soil compaction, soil hydraulic properties, soil organic C (SOC), and soil fertility between biomass removal from WSGs and corn residue removal from rainfed no-till continuous corn on a marginally productive site on a silty clay loam in eastern Nebraska after 2 and 3 yr of management. The field-scale treatments were: 1) switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), 2) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii L.), and 3) low-diversity grass mixture [big bluestem, indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash), and sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.)], and 4) 50% corn residue removal with three replications. Across years, corn residue removal increased wind erodible fraction from 41% to 86% and reduced wet aggregate stability from 1.70 to 1.15 mm compared with WSGs in the upper 7.5 cm soil depth. Corn residue removal also reduced water retention by 15% between -33 and -300 kPa potentials and plant available water by 25% in the upper 7.5 cm soil depth. However, corn residue removal did not affect final water infiltration, SOC concentration, soil fertility, and other properties. Overall, corn residue removal increases erosion potential and reduces water retention shortly after removal, suggesting that biomass removal from perennial WSGs is a desirable alternative to corn residue removal for biofuel production and maintenance of soil ecosystem services