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Human–Soil Relations are Changing Rapidly: Proposals from SSSA's Cross‐Divisional Soil Change Working Group
Author(s) -
Richter Daniel deB.,
Bacon Allan R.,
Mobley Megan L.,
Richardson Curtis J.,
Andrews Susan S.,
West Larry,
Wills Skye,
Billings Sharon,
Cambardella Cynthia A.,
Cavallaro Nancy,
DeMeester Julie E.,
Franzluebbers Alan J.,
Grandy A. Stuart,
Grunwald Sabine,
Gruver Joel,
Hartshorn Anthony S.,
Janzen Henry,
Kramer Marc G.,
Ladha Jagdish K.,
Lajtha Kate,
Liles Garrett C.,
Markewitz Daniel,
Megonigal Patrick J.,
Mermut Ahmet R.,
Rasmussen Craig,
Robinson David A.,
Smith Pete,
Stiles Cynthia A.,
Tate Robert L.,
Thompson Aaron,
Tugel Arlene J.,
Es Harold,
Yaalon Dan,
Zobeck Ted M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj2011.0124
Subject(s) - anthropocene , humanity , sustainability , earth system science , usda soil taxonomy , field (mathematics) , global change , soil science , earth science , sociology , environmental ethics , environmental resource management , environmental science , political science , soil classification , ecology , geology , soil water , mathematics , climate change , law , biology , philosophy , pure mathematics
A number of scientists have named our age the Anthropocene because humanity is globally affecting Earth systems, including the soil. Global soil change raises important questions about the future of soil, the environment, and human society. Although many soil scientists strive to understand human forcings as integral to soil genesis, there remains an explicit need for a science of anthropedology to detail how humanity is a fully fledged soil‐forming factor and to understand how soil change affects human well being. The development and maturation of anthropedology is critical to achieving land‐use sustainability and needs to be nurtured by all soil disciplines, with inputs from allied sciences and the humanities,. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) has recently approved a cross‐divisional Working Group on Soil Change, which aims to advance the basic and applied science of anthropedology, to facilitate networks of scientists, long‐term soil field studies, and regional databases and modeling, and to engage in new modes of communications about human–soil relations. We challenge all interested parties, especially young scientists and students, to contribute to these activities and help grow soil science in the Anthropocene.