British Society of Soil Science upcoming events

PFAS: A forever problem? - National Brownfield Institute (22 April 2026)

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Exploring the Future Potential in Developing and Containing PFAS

Join the National Brownfield Institute, the University of Wolverhampton, and the ATG Group for a full-day industry conference dedicated to understanding and tackling the challenges of PFAS contamination. This event brings together leading experts, environmental professionals, and sector peers to discuss the latest research, regulations, and remediation strategies shaping the future of PFAS management.

Why Attend?

- Gain a comprehensive understanding of PFAS and emerging remediation strategies.

- Access professional insights from industry specialists.

- Network with peers across the environmental and remediation sectors.

- Explore cutting-edge PFAS technology and connect with exhibitors.

Topics Covered:

- Legal requirements

- Remediation strategies

- Insurance and liability

- Waterwaste

- Soil chemistry

- Risk assessment

Whether you're involved in environmental consultancy, site remediation, policy, or regulation, this event offers valuable knowledge and connections to help you navigate the evolving PFAS landscape.

For more information and to book tickets, visit: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/104109

Understanding Contemporary Plant–Soil Feedback in Intercropping (19 May 2026)

Mon, 18 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT

This summer school is being organized as part of the ongoing Horizon project, LEGUMINOSE which focuses on soil health and intercropping.

About the Summer School

The summer school aims to bring together young researchers, graduate students, and professionals interested in sustainable cropping systems and soil ecology. The program will focus on the mechanisms of plant–soil feedback and its role in improving productivity, nutrient cycling, and soil health in legume–cereal intercropping systems. Participants will gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in assessing soil biological properties, exploring microbial communities, and interpreting the ecological processes driving soil fertility and plant performance.

Who Should Attend

Master’s and PhD students, early-career researchers in agronomy, soil/ecosystem science, or related fields; practitioners and advisors interested in intercropping and soil health. No prior intercropping experience needed.

Program Details Theoretical sessions will be complemented by hands-on, practical sessions and roundtable discussions. The following topics will be covered:

Principles of plant–soil feedback (PSF) in legume– cereal systems
Nutrient dynamics & biological N fixation
Linking microbial communities to crop performance
Hands-on: soil sampling, soil fertility assessment, molecular techniques for soil microbial analysis
Field visit with farmer discussion and on-site demos
Roundtable discussions on turning research into practice

Organisers and Lecturers

Shamina Imran Pathan (University of Florence, Italy)
Norman Gentsch (Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany)
Bruno Steinkraus (SOILYTIX, Germany)
Luiz A. Domeignoz-Horta (INRAE, France)
Paolo Nannipieri (University of Florence, Italy)
Silja Emilia Hannula (Leiden University, Netherlands)

Participant Requirements

Participants are expected to attend all sessions and actively contribute to discussions and group exercises. Basic laboratory and field safety training will be provided; adherence is mandatory. Proficiency in English language

Registration Details

Participation is limited to a maximum of 30 people.
Registration deadline: 31st March 2026.
A short abstract (max. 250 words) describing the participant’s research interest or background in soil–plant systems should be submitted with the application.
Fees: €300 per person to cover course materials, refreshments, lunches, and one social dinner. The fee does NOT cover travel and accommodation costs.

Contact information

For more information, please contact Dr Shamina Imran Pathan (shamina.pathan@unifi.it)

Summer school on soil health and intercropping

The 23rd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS2026) (07 June 2026)

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Organized by International Union of Soil Sciences and Soil Science Society of China, the 23rd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS2026) will be held in June 7-12, 2026 in Nanjing International Expo Center. World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) is poised to be a landmark gathering for the global soil science community. Since its inception in 1927, WCSS has been convened every four years, serving as a pivotal scientific forum in the realm of soil sciences.

WCSS2026 theme, 'Soil and the Shared Future for Humanity' focuses on the importance of soil for our future, with a variety of arrangements including plenary session, parallel sessions, poster exhibition and soil judging contest. Tours will also be organized for participants to visit typical soils in combination with unique landscapes and cultural diversification as China is a vast country with rich soil resources.

Building on its longstanding legacy, the Congress has received 3338 abstracts from 96 countries for 138 sessions, aiming to attract more than 3500 participants globally. The sessions encompass the full spectrum of soil science, including fundamental soil processes, innovative monitoring technologies, policy frameworks, and community-engaged practices. By fostering international collaboration across academic, governmental, and industrial sectors, WCSS2026 aims to accelerate the translation of soil science into tangible sustainability outcomes, supporting global goals for food security, environmental protection, and climate resilience.

The Organizing Committee of the congress cordially invites global soil science communities, institutions in related fields and friends who care about soil health to actively engage in the congress and enjoy the early-bird registration before March 7^th, 2026.

Visit the official congress website for more information and registration:

https://www.23wcss.org.cn/IR/index.html

Metals and Oxygen for Planetary and Human Homeostasis (15 June 2026)

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Metals and Oxygen for Planetary and Human Homeostasis - Royal Society Hooke meeting

There is an upcoming Royal Society Hooke meeting organised by Karen Johnson, Stephen Chivasa and Djoko Karrera from University of Durham. It is called "Metals and Oxygen for Planetary and Human Homeostasis" and runs from Monday 15^th to Tuesday 16^th June at the Royal Society in London.

You may have seen the BBC news in 2024 on the newly discovered "Dark oxygen" (literally oxygen produced in the dark without photosynthesis), this has made us question whether we really understand how oxygen is produced. Which has significant implications for human health and environmental health.

You can register at the url below and it is free to attend in person or online. We would really value your input to the discussion if you were free/interested.

There is also a poster session which might be of interest and we welcome transdisciplinary perspectives on the role of metals and/or oxygen in either human or planetary health.

https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2026/06/mophh/

Finding Common Ground: An Interdisciplinary Symposium on Soil (09 July 2026)

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

This two-day symposium is part of a series of events exploring current soil-focussed research from a range of disciplinary perspectives.

Previous events have brought together researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds, encouraging attendees to share their research on the topic of soil, identifying areas of synergy and forging connections to allow for future collaboration.

The Finding Common Ground symposium continues this work, and has four key aims:

Offer soil researchers the opportunity to network with a view to forging future collaborations;
Offer soil researchers the opportunity to share their research with an international audience;
Introduce researchers to new perspectives on soil that enrich their own practice;
Demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary working in environmental research.

We also hope that this event will lay the foundations for an interdisciplinary soil network that enables conversations on soil across disciplines.

Our confirmed Keynote speaker has experience undertaking interdisciplinary research in soil:

Dr Jim Scown (School of English, Exeter)
2nd Keynote speaker to be confirmed

The programme for the symposium is still being compiled, and will include short 20 min papers from 12 soil researchers: Science, English Literature, History, Archaeology, creative practitioners, and more.

You can find the draft programme for both days at the bottom of this page - please note that this is not yet finalised and subject to change. We are expecting to publish the final programme towards the end of February. The confirmed programme will be included here and on the Symposium webpage.

Call for posters

Poster submissions are still open until 27th February (no later than 5pm BST): delegates are encouraged to submit poster presentations to be displayed throughout the symposium. Please complete this form to submit your proposal.

Background

Soil is a part of our environment. It forms the ground that we walk on, although in an urban setting, soil is rarely left exposed: it is covered with paving stones to form paths, or seeded with grass and confined to flower beds in a city park. As such, soil is our foundation, but it is also often forgotten. We tend to leave it beneath our feet, without thinking much about it until the path gets muddy. Then, our shoes become undesirably encased in mud: it gets in the ridges of our shoes, dirties the carpet, before it is vacuumed up and disposed of. Soil is base: it is at the bottom quite literally (on the ground) but also figuratively (something dirty, to be removed).

It is also base in the sense that it is foundational: it is out of soil that all plant matter grows, including the food we eat. Without our base of soil, neither the human nor the more-than-human would survive. It is little wonder that the earth has long been conceptualised as ‘mother’ across the globe. And in the face of developing climate catastrophe, soil will become more vital than ever: the UK’s soil association has suggested that ‘without healthy soils, we can’t tackle the climate crisis’.

As with previous events and with the intention of our network in mind, this symposium aims to bring together researchers from across disciplines working broadly on the subject of soil. We hope to create productive contact zones between different areas of research that will allow for fruitful discussions and potential collaboration.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the organisers: Meg Meredith (mbp05mel@sheffield.ac.uk) and Emily Naish (ejnaish1@sheffield.ac.uk).

For more information, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-common-ground-an-interdisciplinary-symposium-on-soil-tickets-1981326188967

A Practical Introduction to the Role of Soils in Catchment Management (Northumberland) (07 October 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

A Practical Introduction to the Role of Soils in Catchment Management

[Northumberland]

This hands-on, two-day course is designed to fill key knowledge and skills gaps in the application of soil science for improving water quality and quantity outcomes.

Through a mix of presentations, fieldwork, and guided practice, participants will learn to move beyond problem diagnosis and towards practical, field-ready solutions that support landowners and farmers in implementing effective soil and water management strategies.

You will be given a comprehensive course manual that details description techniques, copies of the Soil Survey Field Manual, a X10 hand lens for magnifying soil features and soil recording cards for you to use into the future.

What You Will Learn

How to identify those soil properties that determine key hydrological pathways identified in the HOST classification (Hydrology of Soil Types).
How to identify those soil types that are particularly susceptible to increased runoff, erosion, and compaction as a result of conventional agricultural practices.
How to diagnose field problems and propose practical mitigation measures using evidence-based approaches.
How to confidently undertake field investigations, including reading the landscape – examining soils and interpreting field evidence.
Use of on-line tools such as NVZ maps, A.L.E.R.T., and other resources to provide background information prior to field investigation.
The key hard copy and on-line data sources on UK soils.

By the End of This Course, You Will Be Able To:

Understand how soils affect water movement and quality using the HOST classification.
Evaluate both topsoil and subsoil conditions in the field.
Recommend realistic soil management strategies to reduce runoff, erosion, and compaction.
Conduct field investigations across a range of land uses and landscapes.
Confidently apply soil science in a more practical setting.

Food and drink will be provided. (Please specify any dietary requirements under the relevant section in the registration form.)

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If you have booked but would like to cancel for whatever reason, please refer to our Cancellation Policy.