SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM

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The Preliminary Program follows recommendation of the Business Meeting of the last 14th IWMSM to amplify significantly the scientific scope of the forthcoming Conference. It integrates corrections, comments and proposals of various experts in different fields of soil micromorphology and now is offered as the base for abstract submission. The final Program will depend upon the number of submitted abstracts: the topics could be left unchanged, split, joined together or cancelled to produce the list of scientific sessions in May 2016.

1. Soil ecosystem and agrosystem services: micromorphological criteria for soil quality, soil degradation, sustainable functioning specified for different soil and land-use types.


2. Micromorphology of key pedogenetic processes. Linking microscopic observations and analytical data for process identification and modeling, among them:
   • Microscopic features of mineral alteration and geochemical indices of weathering.
   • Pedogenic carbonates formation as identified by their crystal morphology and geochemical signatures.
   • Quantitative assessment of the degree of soil formation through micromorphological analyses, possibly combined with other techniques.
   • Detecting recent changes in soils, caused by changes in climate, vegetation, land-use and other factors.

Combination and interaction of diagnostic features of different processes on micro-scale. Microscopic evidences for developing polygenetic models of soil formation and tracing soil evolution pathways.


1. 2a Regional problems of micromorphological studies of soil genesis and soil classification:
   • Soils of tropical and arid regions
   • Soils and geomorphic processes in karstic and volcanic landscapes


2. 2b Contribution of micromorphology to national and international soil classifications: reality and potential.

3. Microscopic indicators of incipient pedogenesis on natural and artificial surfaces, biofilms. Micromorphological methods are especially effective for identification of the earliest stages of the soil and regolith development. This topic includes studies of:
   • Biocrust development in natural extreme environments: periglacial environments of Antarctica and Greenland, hyper-arid deserts, high mountains.
   • Early soil and ecosystem development on the fresh surfaces in profoundly disturbed landscapes (quarries and tailings, eroded land surfaces, military polygons etc.).


4. Soil-biota interactions on microscale:
   • Rhizosphere – soil interface processes.
   • Effects of mesofauna on soil porosity and aggregation; feeding features.
   • Bacterial films, exocellular polymers as agents of soil microstructure development.
   Mineral and organic biogenic components, materials and features under microscope: biomineralization, opaline phytoliths, plant tissues, microfossils as a record of ecosystem dynamics.


5. Pedogenesis of anthropogenic soils and ecosystems: micromorphological features and indicators in soils of urban landscapes, industrial zones, landfill sites, agricultural substrates Contaminants on microscale documented by microanalysis: towards understanding of migration and adsorption processes and sites Biodegradation of artificial materials in soil and soil-like systems, biodeterioration of historical monuments.


6. Micro-paleopedology: paleosol-sedimentary sequences (loessic, volcanic, alluvial) and surface paleosols under the microscope. Micromorphological tools to improve resolution of paleopedological records and correlate them with global climate proxies.Micromorphological indicators of past environmental conditions.


7. Archaeological soil micromorphology: site-formation processes, ancient cultural landscapes, microartifacts; problems of conservation of archaeological heritage.


8. Novel methods and techniques and quantitative approaches in micromorphological research and problems they may help to solve:
   • Combining microscopy and microanalytical techniques: micro XRF, micro XRD, micro gas chromatography/mass spectrometry on undisturbed samples and thin sections
   • X-ray tomography and perspectives of three-dimensional soil micromorphological analysis.
   • New opportunities in electron microscopy and microanalysis, experiences in applying environmental SEM and tunnel electron microscopy to soil objects.
   • Computer techniques of micromorphometric research: towards quantification of porosity, structure, pedofeatures.


9. New opportunity fields for soil micromorphology:
   • Application of micromorphology to geology and material science
   • Forensic applications.
   • Extraterrestrial regoliths.
   • Subaqueous soils – can they be sampled and studied in thin sections?
   
   
   1. 9a Micromorphological evidences of natural and technogenic catastrophes. Short-term but violent events, both natural (meteorite falls, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis) and human-induced (nuclear tests, industrial catastrophes, military clashes) catastrophic events, affect dramatically landscapes and societies. Soils and near-surface terrestrial sediments receive the materials and impacts generated by catastrophic events which produce recognizable and persistent microscopic evidences. Study of these features and linking them to the type and scale of the catastrophic processes both recent and ancient are expected within this topic.