| Kögel-Knabner, I; Matzner, E; Knicker, H; Kandeler, E; Guggenberger, G: Workshop Summary: Refractory Soil Organic Matter (RSOM): Structure and Stability, Mitteilungen der Deutschen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft, 87, 51-56 (1998) | |
| Abstract: The major objective of the workshop was to present the actual understanding of the dynamics of refractory soil organic matter (RSOM) and the possibilities of predicting its behaviour as influenced by environmental factors and management. The focus was on natural organic material and its immobilisation in terrestrial aerobic soils under agricultural or forest use. Non-natural organic constituents added to soils, such as sewage sludge, compost, or pesticides were not subject of the workshop. While a generally accepted definition of RSOM is not available, major progress has been achieved during the last decades with respect to new analytical methods and to the principal and qualitative understanding of processes involved in RSOM formation. However, our understanding of RSOM dynamics is far from being complete as indicated by the uncertainties in our quantitative predictions. Our hope was, that the interdisciplinary approach outlined in the workshop concept, would help to define new research goals and the lines of progress to be persued in the next years. |
