Canadian Society of Soil Science
Newsletter

June 2001

I am pleased to announce the following appointments (by acclamation) to CSSS Council: President Elect: Dr. Ahmet Mermut ( Univ. of Sask.), Eastern Councillor: Dr. Denis Angers, Graduate Student Representative: Vimy Glass ( Univ. of Guelph). Special welcome to Vimy as our graduate student representative. I know your first priority is your graduate work, so your willingness to contribute to CSSS is greatly appreciated. I look forward to working with all of you in the following year. Special thanks to Dr. Régis Simard (past President) who is finishing his last year on council. Régis has contributed significantly to CSSS Council and his advice will be missed.

The CSSS has been invited to be a member society of the International Union of Soil Science Societies (IUSS). The IUSS was created from a restructured International Society of Soil Science (ISSS) on August 26, 1998. Within the new IUSS structure, national soil science societies (e.g. CSSS) can become full members. Currently, individuals can join IUSS/ISSS for approximately $18.00 (i.e. $12.00 US$). However, within a year individual membership in IUSS will only be accepted from those countries where no national organization of soil science exists. The cost for CSSS to join IUSS is approximately $7.70 (i.e. $5.00 US$) for each and every member of CSSS. The CSSS Council will be bringing forward a motion to the annual general meeting to have CSSS join IUSS, and to raise the membership dues to cover the cost. The proposal is to keep membership fees constant for students.

Thanks to the 70 society members who filled in the short questionnaire as part of their annual membership renewal. Your input is appreciated by CSSS Council. Of those who responded, very few expressed concern about CSSS having its annual meeting independently from AIC this year (Guelph) and next year (Banff). Many more expressed support for the idea, and indicated Council should continue to pursue new partnerships/arrangements with science societies having similar interests. A more detailed summary of the comments will be given out at the annual meeting.

The preparations for the CSSS annual meeting at the University of Guelph (Aug. 2nd - 4th, 2001) are well under way. Submissions of papers/posters is up 50% from last year, so plan on attending a great meeting. There is room for a few more posters (contact Gary Parkin email: gparkin@lrs.uoguelph.ca) The conference is being held in conjunction with the International Humic Substances Society, immediately following the International Conference on Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements. Planning for the meeting in Banff (2002) in cooperation with the Canadian Geophysical Union has started. David Chanasyk, Barb Kishchuk, and I will head the local CSSS organizing committee.

Gary Kachanoski, President, CSSS

This year we had 3 positions (President-elect, Eastern Councillor and Graduate Student Representative) which came open and were advertised in the February newsletter and on our web site. All three positions were acclaimed. We wish to welcome and express our appreciation to Dr. Ahmet Mermut (president elect), Dr. Denis Angers who will be continuing as Eastern Councillor and Ms. Vimy Glass an M.Sc student at the University of Guelph. Dr. Ahmet Mermut earned a B.Sc. in Soil Science and a Ph.D from the University of Ankara in Turkey. He was a research scientist at the Wagenigen Agricultural University from 1971 - 1979. He is with the Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan since 1979. His work in Canada has focused on pedology, with an emphasis on soil micromorphology, mineralogy and soil classification. He was instrumental in the research work and field study that resulted in the recognition of the Vertisolic Order in our classification. Dr. Mermut has researched tropical soils around the world, with recent projects in Brazil and in Indonesia. He is the leader of a major CIDA-funded project in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia. He is the current Chair of Commission V of the IUSS. Dr. Mermut served as associate editor and later as editor of CJSS from 1997 - 1999, which prospered under his guidance, publishing more papers and symposium proceedings than ever before. Dr. Mermut was elected a Fellow of the CSSS in 1999. He has an enthusiasm for Soil Science that is inspiring to all.

Dr. Angers is a Research Scientist at the Soils and Crops Research and Development Centre in Ste-Foy, Québec (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada). He has served as the CSSS Eastern Councillor and Editor of the Newsletter since 2000. Dr. Angers obtained his B.Sc.A. at Université Laval, his M.Sc. at the University of Guelph and his Ph.D. at McGill University. Dr. Angers is an adjunct professor at Université Laval and is an associate graduate faculty member at the University of Guelph. Dr. Angers is the Co-editor of the Soil and Environmental Science Dictionary. He has also served on the editorial committee for the Methods of Soil Sampling and Analysis and is currently serving on the editorial boards for Plant and Soil as well as Soil and Tillage Research. His main research interest involves the development of cropping practices to improve soil quality with particular emphasis on soil structure and organic matter cycling.

Ms. Vimy Glass is in her 2nd semester of an M.Sc program at the University of Guelph. She is currently working on greenhouse gas emissions under the supervision of Dr. Claudia Wagner-Riddle.

The CSSS council would like to express our sincere appreciation to Dr. Régis Simard, our past president, and Dr. Alain Plante our graduate student representative for their dedication and the tremendous amount of work that they did for CSSS when they served on council. Dr. Simard will still be kept very busy helping our society as he continues his term as Editor for the Canadian Journal of Soil Science. Dr. Plante has moved on from graduate studies and is currently working in a postdoctoral position in Versailles, France.

Craig Drury, CSSS Secretary

CSSS Council

Le Dr. Gérard Boubeau, prêtre et professeur de science du sol à la retraite, est décédé le 21 mars 2001 à Ottawa à l’âge de 84 ans.

Dr. Bourbeau a étudié l’Agronomie à l’Université Laval et a été agronome et spécialiste en sol au Gouvernement du Québec.

Dr. Bourbeau served in the Canadian Military, retiring as Major in 1945.Dr. Bourbeau was also a Professor in Soil Science at the University of Maryland and worked in Pedology in Africa for the US Government. He was Dean of Arts at Laurentian University in Sudbury.

He began his studies in Theology at St.Paul’s University in Ottawa in 1965 and was ordained in 1969.

Il a ensuite été professeur et directeur du département des Sols à l’Université Laval, Québec, période durant laquelle il effectuait aussi un travail pastoral.

Dr. Bourbeau retired in 1982 and continued his pastoral work in Ottawa until his death. He was still a member of the Canadian Society of Soil Science.

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