Russian Scientific Conference «Soils in the Biosphere» dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry of Siberian Branch of RAS

Abstract

From 10 to 14 September 2018, Novosibirsk hosted the all-Russian scientific conference with international participation "Soils in the biosphere" (hereinafter – the Conference), dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry (ISSA) SB RAS. The Conference was attended by 140 participants from 35 regions of Russia and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The article gives a brief review of the Conference Proceedings according to its main topics: 1) zonal and provincial specifics of soil genesis and evolution; 2) theoretical and applied aspects of soil ecology; 3) soil fertility and productivity of agricultural lands; 4) actual problems of soil physics research; 5) Reclamation and soil formation in man-made landscapes; 6) state-of-the-art  methods and approaches to soil and soil cover studies. At the Conference 112 oral talks ( 15 plenary and 97 sectional) were given. Materials presented are  published in two volumes of the Conference Proceedings "Soils in the biosphere" (2018, part I and part II).

The field soil excursion to the Toguchinsky district of the Novosibirsk region took place after the Conference to visit Ust-Kamenka Experimental Station of ISSA SB RAS, specializing mostly in soil erosion studies. The main purpose of the excursion was to show to the Conference participants profiles of the natural and agrogenic soils, get them acquainted with the soil formation environment in the Pre-Altay soil province of the forest-steppe zone of West Siberia, namely in Bugotak hills as one of the geomorphologic areas of this province, and to give an overview of the current problems of land use under present land administration system. The classification of all presented soils according to two national classification systems, i.e. Soil Classification of Russia (2004) and Soil Classification of the USSR (1977), as well as to the World Reference Base of Soil Resources (IUSS, 2014). A comprehensive guide manual "Soils of the Pre-Altaic forest-steppe soil province of West Siberia (in the Bugotak hills)» was  published (Smolentseva et al., 2018).

The Conference aroused great interest of many specialists, teachers and students of soil science, agro- and biogeochemistry, ecology, landscape sciences, geomorphology, etc. The Conference reiterated the truth that such events promote experience exchange, strengthen cooperation between researchers from universities and research centers, facilitate advancement of best scientific and methodological achievements and practices, ncorporating and generalizing new  information about  soils  in the biosphere.