PROGRAMME
Soil Science Society of Belgium
Thematic day 2016 « Soil processes and biogeochemical cycling of elements »
Wednesday 30 November 2016
The Royal Academies of Belgium for Science and the Arts,
Brussels
Venue: The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (Rubens room and Lobby), Hertogsstraat 1 Rue Ducale, B-1000 BRUSSELS
Date: 30/11/2016, 13.15-17.45
Scientific programme:
13.15 – 13.45 : Registration and welcome coffee
13.45 – 13.50 : Opening welcome
13.50 – 14.20 : Keynote presentation « Soil processes and cycling of elements in soil-plant systems » by B. Delvaux (UCL)
14.20 – 14.40 : « Is soil pore structure control on substrate decomposition manifested through N availability ? » by P. Maenhout (UGent)
14.40 – 15.05 : Invited talk « Effects of erosion and land use change on the reactive silica pool » by D. Unzué-Belmonte (UAntwerp)
15.05 – 15.25 : « Phytolith-rich biochar increases cotton biomass and silicon-mineralomass in a highly weathered soil » by Z. Li (UCL)
15.25 – 16.00 : coffee break and poster presentation
16.30 – 16.55 : Invited talk « Historical charcoal in soils : effect on carbon sequestration » by B. Kerré (KUL)
16.55 – 17.15 : « Relic charcoal hearths : a neglected important soil carbon reservoir of italian forests » by G. Mastrolonardo (ULg)
17.15 – 17.40 : Invited talk « Multi-scale assessment of soil organic carbon dynamics : insights from carbon fractionation » by S. Trigalet (UCL)
17.45 – : Concluding remarks
Summary of the thematic day:
The sustainable management of element cycling, either nutrients or contaminants, in soil-plant systems requires the understanding of soil processes that govern the interactions between soil constituents, soil properties and functions. Soil processes strongly affect the rate of element cycling in terrestrial ecosystems but also the mineral and organic origin of the bioavailable pools of the elements. The management of agro-ecosystems is in a transition stage, given the challenge of producing more biomass while increasing the resistance and resilience of food systems. A process-based approach of the evolution of soil in a constantly varying environment is crucial in a further understanding of how soils can sustain the ecological equilibrium of agro-ecosystems.