Soil organic matter: Humic substances evolving concepts – course and workshop (2p), 2003-04-10  - 2003-05-24, Uppsala (for concluding 3 day seminar and workshop)

Slide shows of presentations at workshop:

Methods for structure and properties of humic substances. Alessandro Piccolo, University of Napoli Federico II, Italy

Methods of studying Structures and Properties of Humic Substances. Isolation and Fractionation Michael H.B. Hayes. Chemical and Environmental Sciences. University of Limerick, Ireland

Aim

The aim is to analyse and discuss an evolving new concept of the physical and chemical character of soil organic matter.

Target group

The target group of the course is PhD-students in the gradaute school Focus on Soils. The concluding workshop 23-24 May is open for all researchers and PhD-students with interest in humic compounds.

Content

The sizes and shapes of humic substances are of prime importance for the many basic processes that occur in the soil and the environment. A major controversy has developed among scientists working with humic substances as to the molecular associations and interactive forces involved in humic molecular structures. Two major different viewpoints are expressed. The traditional one suggests that humic substances are macromolecular and assume random coil conformations in solution. Against this view it is proposed that humic substances are molecular associations of relatively small molecules held together by weak interaction forces. The course and workshop will concentrate on this new evolving concept.

Course literature (click here)

Detailed Program of workshop 23-24 May (click here) The rough program of the workshop:

Friday morning: Lectures on methods used to study the structure and properties of humic substances.

Friday afternoon: Lectures on the structure and properties of humic substances.

Friday evening: Workshop dinner

Saturday morning: Lectures on the relevance of humic structures for their functioning – e.g. for providing microorganisms with carbon and energy; for the availability of organic compounds and metals; and for the cycling of nutrient in soils.

Detailed Program  of course meetings (click here)

Course organizer and presentation of teachers

The course is organized by several departments at SLU. The organizing group are:

Marianne Clarholm, Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, 018-671575, (Marianne.Clarholm@mykopat.slu.se).

Riitta Hyvönen-Olsson, Department of Ecology and Environmental Research, 018-673419, (Riitta.Hyvonen@eom.slu.se).

Ingvar Nilsson, Department of Soil Science, 018-671276, (Ingvar.Nilsson@mv.slu.se).

John Stenström, Department of Microbiology, 018-673293, (John.Stenstrom@mikrob.slu.se).

The literature seminars and the follow-up meeting will be held by the course organizers or by local supervisors at locations outside Uppsala. Three invited lecturers will participate in the workshop:

Professor Alessandro Piccolo, University of Napoli Federico II, Italy (editor of Humic Substances in Terrestrial Ecosystems, Elsevier Health Sciences, 1996, ISBN: 0444815163)

Professor André Amblés, University of Poitiers, France (http://sfa.univ-poitiers.fr/dea-chimie-app/)

Professor Michael Hayes, University of Limerick, Ireland (http://www.ul.ie/~ces/mh.html)

Registration for the workshop and deadline

Registration to Marianne Clarholm (Phone: 018  671575, E-mail: Marianne.Clarholm@mykopat.slu.se no later than May 19, 2003.

Prior knowledge requirements and Examination (only valid for those PhD-students who attended both the seminars and workshop)

Before the workshop we ask each one of you to formulate and hand in 2-3 rather specific questions that will be forwarded to the three invited experts to be answered or discussed during the two-day workshop in May.

After the workshop we ask you to write 3-5 pages to summarize what you have learnt by reading the literature and attending the workshop. Did you obtain new knowledge that might be useful in your own future research work?

To obtain the 2 PhD-credits, students should read all suggested literature, perform the tasks stated above and participate in the four 2 h gatherings around the literature plus the workshop May 23-24, 2003 in Uppsala.

Abstract of individual projects (to be linked to web page and move upwards when coming in)

Transport and accommodation

Participants will arrange their own transportation and accommodation. PhD students enrolled to Focus on Soil will get their expenses paid after an advance agreement of the costs with either Erik Karltun or Annemieke Gärdenäs, our directors of postgraduate studies.