Book Edited By CAFNR Faculty Member Published

A new book entitled Soil Hydrology in a Changing Climate has been published by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). The book is edited by Stephen H. Anderson, Albrecht Distinguished Professor of Soil and Environmental Sciences in the MU School of Natural Resources, along with two CAFNR alumni — Humberto Blanco, Professor of Soil Management and Applied Soil Physics at the University of Nebraska (MS, 1995; PhD, 2003), and Sandeep Kumar, Professor of Soil Biophysics and Hydrology at South Dakota State University (PhD 2009).

The book explores the impact of changing climate on soil hydrology and soil water dynamics. As the world experiences changing climate, challenges occur for soil and water management. Future fluctuating climate requires that land management practices be redesigned. How soil management practices impact soil hydrologic characteristics and how scientists can improve our understanding of soil and water management under changing conditions are explored in Soil Hydrology in a Changing Climate. Soil hydrology includes water infiltration and soil water storage, critical for agricultural plant and animal production. Future climate is predicted to include warmer and drier conditions with increases in evapotranspiration as well as more intense storms. Improved soil management and soil hydrology are critical to ensuring agriculture production can meet future needs.

Land managers, soil conservations and others will find this comprehensive book a valuable resource to understand how different management practices affect soil and water dynamics and how these practices can be adjusted to enhance agricultural sustainability and environmental quality.