Hohenheimer Bodenkundliche Hefte: 20 years of publishing original soil research

The Hohenheimer Bodenkundliche Hefte (ISSN 0942-0754) or Hohenheim Soil Science Book Series will be 20 years old in 2012. Since the release in 1992 of Volume 1 with the title “Stickstoff-Dynamik in Catenen einer erosionsgepraegten Loesslandschaft by G. Lorenz” (Nitrogen dynamics in catenas of an erosion-affected loess landscape), it has already published a hundred volumes of original and relevant soil research. Volume 100 which came out last year (2011), was authored by Shabnam Rathore and carried the title “Assessment of biomass production potential on salt affected land: a soil and terrain database case study (SASOTER) in Badin District, South of Pakistan.”

Published by the renowned Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany, this book series publishes dissertations and habilitations carried out at the Institute. During its early years, it was edited by Prof. U. Babel (Soil Biology), Prof. W.R. Fischer (Soil Chemistry), Prof. K. Roth (Soil Physics), and Prof. K. Stahr (Soil Science and Petrography). The present editors are Prof. E Kandeler (Soil Biology), Prof. Y. Kuzyakov (Soil Biogeochemistry), Prof. K. Stahr (Soil Science and Petrography) and Prof. T. Streck (Soil biogeophysics), all internationally well-known soil scientists and authors at the Institute.

In its 20 years of existence, the Hohenheimer Bodenkundliche Hefte has clearly established itself as an important publication in soil science. As can be seen from Google Scholar, many of the titles published in the book series have been cited by papers in various prestigious international journals and books. Vol. 36 on dust deposition of soils in West Africa by Dr. Ludger Herrmann has been the most frequently cited volume of the book series.

World Soil Day

December 05 of every year is celebrated as World Soil Day by the global community of more than 60,000 soil scientists. According to the official IUSS website, World Soil Day is held on the said date since it is the birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, The King of Thailand, who has officially sanctioned the event.

As a tribute to the soil as a vital resource, I am posting below a poem written in 2007 by one of my former students at Visayas State University, Juvia P. Sueta. Juvy is now finishing her PhD at the Buesgen Institute, University of Goettingen, Germany.

The Soil Beneath

by Juvia P. Sueta

The soil tells a

fascinating story

of enduring patience

and great beauty.

Out of the hardened rock,

it changes into

an interesting mass

of sand, silt, and clay.

Exposed to the rain, wind

and sunshine, it

grows to maturity.

Time polished it,

throughout all history.

Out of its bosom,

the flowers bloom

and trees grow steadily.

And in its face,

the children play.

Below it;

scholars, artists,

beggars, and poets lay.

Great is the earth,

it cares and nourishes

the whole humanity.

It is nature’s best habitat,

sustaining creatures,

strong or tiny.

It bears witness,

to all that took place

throughout the ages.

It holds the secrets

of past or future events.

it is a treasure chest,

keeping nature’s wealth.

And so nothing compares

to the soil beneath.