Profile 113 Jan 1998
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PROFILE THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF SOIL SCIENCE WA soil assessment and management SSSI's Western Australian branch held its fourth triennial conference at Geraldton in October. A one day preconference bus tour from Perth to Geraldton looked at sandplain productivity, and management tech- Aniques for hardsetting soils. After the two day conference, the branch held a one day workshop on potassium in agriculture to look at current and future directions for research and development to improve the efficiency of agri- cultural potassium use. Full reports on the conference and workshop appear on pages 8 and 9. Above: John Bartle, Department of Conservation and Land Management, addresses the preconference tour group on the use of oil mallees as a means of increasing water use while providing and alternative cash crop for farmers. In this issue • National conference update Listing of all accredited soil scientists • Review: Australian Soil Classification • Leeper lecture • What is a soil scientist? AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF SOIL SCIENCE The Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated (ASSSI) was founded in 1955 to Contents work towards the advancement of soil science in the professional, academic and technical fields. It 3 From the president comprises a Federal Council and seven branches (Qld, NSW, Riverina, ACT, Vic, SA and WA). Liability of members is limited. 4 Accredited soil scientists Objectives • To advance soil science • To provide a link between soil scientists and 5 Conference update members of kindred bodies within Australia and in other countries. Specific objectives 6 Leeper lecture • To promote the field of soil science • To further the expertise in soil science of members ASPAC conference • To be a forum for discussion on soil science • To increase government and community awareness of soil science 8 Potassium in agriculture • To liaise and cooperate with other organisa- tions in support of mutual interests • To encourage research and extension in soil Vale Isaac Kanabo science • To promote wise management of the soil resource throughout Australia 9 WA branch conference Membership For all membership applications, subscriptions, 10 What is a soil scientist? queries and address changes contact: Yolande Pancino, ASSSI Central Office 1st Floor, 91 Rathdowne St, CARLTON 3053 11 Greenhouse aV tillage tel 03 9662 1520 fax 03 9662 2727 [email protected] ASSSI website 12 The effect of grazing http://asssi.rivercorp.com.au PROFILE Profile is the official newsletter of the Australian 13 ISTRO conference Society of Soil Science Incorporated. It is pub- lished four times a year after the quarterly meetings of Federal Council.ISSN 1328-2883 14 Branch news Registered by Australian Print Post Publication Number 225277/00009. Design concept: Gatya Kelly, Doric Order 18 Soil technology packages Printing: Quality Plus, Ballina 1998 deadlines 13 February, 29 May, 18 September, 4 20 Precision proceedings December Advertisements AJSR contents Advertisements relevant to some aspect of soil science are welcome. Charges are full page $70, half page $35, quarter page $20. 21 Reservoir siltation Information about conferences, soil science courses, scholarships etc is published free. All contributions are welcome, text preferably by email. Please send them to the editor, Rebecca Lines-Kelly, Wollongbar Agricultural Institute, Bruxner Highway, Wollongbar 2477, tel 02 6626 1319, fax 02 6628 3264, email [email protected] rofile - Issue 113 - January 1998 2 has been on the committee since its inception, but has now retired. I shall be seeking another member to replace him. Ian Sargeant and Graham Price are willing to remain members. I would also like to thank Ian Sargeant on his initiative to develop a poster to advertise CPSS. This poster has already been displayed at the Leeper memorial lecture in Melbourne. Each state branch From the president will receive a copy which can be displayed on appro- priate occasions. National conference hope everyone has enjoyed the Christmas There has been a good response to the national con- break and that 1998 will be a successful one ference in Brisbane in April, with over 1120 for all members and their families. The past abstracts received. Because the conference is for year has been a very busy one for ASSSI and I three days instead of the usual five, the conference for me as president. My report summarises the committee has decided that prizes for oral and main developments over the past few months. poster presentations for both student and open cate- ISSSI - International conference gory will be of equal value. It has also been decided At the meeting of the committee on education in that members who have submitted abstracts for oral soil science in September in France, it was decided presentation, but have been asked to develop a that the poster being developed by the Australian poster will be able to give an oral presentation at Society of Soil Science in conjunction with ISRIC their poster site. will be the main feature of the education exhibit at I must make mention at this point of the the international conference in Montpellier. It will tremendous effort that Graham Price, the vice presi- be similar in format to the poster recently produced dent, has put into this conference organisation and by Mike McLaughlin (SA) and Brendan George I am pleased that members have responded in such (NSW) which portrays the diverse range of areas a way as to ensure a viable conference. where soil science has relevance. Changes in the new year BSSSI - 50th anniversary conference It has been a very busy year, but I have really In September I was invited by the British Society of enjoyed meeting members in the various states that Soil Science to their 50th anniversary conference in I have visited. Next year there are also many chal- Newcastle. I was asked by the presiden, Keith lenges for the society. Following a tender process the Smith, to deliver the final dinner speech and pro- Central Office will change once AIAS has finalised pose the birthday toast. Listening to the conference their data base. It also appears that the society will papers it was obvious that soil science in the UK need to accredit its own members, with AIAS acting has firmly established itself in and sees its future in as a review body for professional accreditation pro- the environmental scene. grams. Accreditation Pam Hazelton In November I was the ASSSI representative at the accreditation workshop organised byt he Australian Institute of Agricultural Science at Dookie in Victoria. The aim of the workshop was to evaluate the priorities and make recommendations to change the professional accreditation program. It was decid- m ed that CPSS and Standards will merge to lessen the confusion and to enable easier marketing. Another "'^: "v::';:'. -.* decision was that there will be more flexibility in the training program and that hours will be replaced with a points system. Accredited members will be able to accumulate their points year on year. This will mean that they will be able to use them as more powerful evidence of professional develop- ment. Eligible training for CPSS will be reviewed. Accreditation will be reviewed biannually rather than annually. ASSSI president Pam Hazelton with CPSS panel CSBP chief agronomist Brian Leach at the WA branch's fourth triennial conference I would like to thank Pat Walker for his contribu- at Geraldton in October. A full report on the tion to the accreditation committee in 1996-97. Pat conference is on page 14. Profile - Issue 113 - January 1998 Accredited soil scientists Below is a complete list of soil scientists accredited in 1997. If you have any queries about this list, or about accreditation generally, please contact ASSSI president Pam Hazelton (see inside back page for contact details). Leading Warren Muirhead Peter Hopmans Philip Newton Professional Philip Mulvey Peter Jeffrey T. Overheu (Stage 3) John Murtagh Keith Lindbeck Ivo Rasic Soil Scientist status David Nash Ian Little David Ross and CPSS status Doug Parry John Loi Melissa Salt Terence Abbott Robert Patterson Alex McBratney Robyn Tucker Fouad Abo Graham Price John McGarity Philip Ward Mark Adams Brian Prove Mike Melville D. Zinga Col Ahern Bernard Powell Richard Merry Peter Bacon Brian Purdie Arie Meydan Experienced Jean-Pierre Robert Reid Paul Milham Professional Baumgartner Philip Ryan Graham Murtha (Stage 2) Richard Bell Mark Sallaway Col Rosewell Soil Scientist status Paul Blackwell Gottfried Scholz Brian Schafer T. Biswas Warren Bond Mark Seeliger Trevor Stoneman Greg Chapman Stuart Boucher Roger Shaw W.M. Strong Garry Cook Howard Briggs Peter Shields Evan Thomas Ian G. Fenton Robin Bruce David Smiles Yiu-Liong Tie Ian Hollingsworth Michael Capelin George Smith Richard Tucker Xiandeng Hu Dan Carter Henry Smolinski Lance Warrell Prasantha Alex Cowie Hwat So Larry White Jayawardhana Robert Crouch Leigh Sparrow Janet Wild Heather Keith Rob Cumming Mike Temple-Smith Dermot McKane Peter Dart John R Thompson Experienced Mark Mignanelli Kenneth Day William Thompson Professional Tim Nielsen David Edwards Peter Thorburn (Stage 2) Danielle Oliver Michael Faulkner Robin Thwaites Soil Scientist status Usha Pillai McGarry Bruce Forster Peter Tille and CPSS status Gerard Grealish Robert Van de Graaff Robert Banks Professional Neil Griffiths Ian Webb Stephen Beaman (Stage 1) Chris Grose Keith Weier Laura Beaupeurt Soil Scientist status Kevin Hand reck Kenneth Wetherby Andrew Biggs and CPSS status Pamela Hazelton