Young scientists improve their knowledge of soil condition assessment in doctoral school

This international doctoral school was mainly intended for Ph.D. and M.Sc. students and young scientists. The aim of the school is to provide an opportunity and engage in a complete research process to improve knowledge on assessing peatlands' current state and spatial distribution necessary for future sustainable management, policy-making and decision-making.

Within the framework of the doctoral school, theoretical lectures as well as analysis and evaluation of scientific literature took place, in which leading scientists and academic staff from the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia participated in soil science, including the following most essential topics:

• distribution and formation conditions of peat soils in the world and Latvia, their use, functions, emissions of greenhouse gases, policy and legislation;
• determination and classification of peat soils according to different soil classification systems;
• mapping and assessment of peat soils at different scales;
• modelling of peat soils: main challenges, methods, examples.

The participants of the doctoral school learned practical skills in fieldwork conditions (e.g. mapping, collecting soil samples) and related to learning mapping and modelling methods (e.g. creating soil maps, GIS database, spatial and statistical data analysis) in laboratory lessons. Finally, the obtained results were presented and discussed the assessment of soil formation factors and processes, sustainable soil use and spatial planning. The doctoral school aims to present the complete research process (literature evaluation, fieldwork conditions, laboratory work, data preparation and analysis, and interpretation of obtained results).

Tasks of the doctoral school are:

• to improve knowledge of peat soils and related management policy in Latvia and the world;
• to provide the possibilities of peat soil mapping at different scales and potential solutions for their management;
• to give practical skills related to the identification and mapping of peat soils in fieldwork conditions;
• to analyse obtained information related to peat soils, map preparation and spatial modelling of peat soils, as well as CO2 emissions.

The doctoral school was organised within the framework of the European international joint research HORIZON programme "Creating a European framework for sustainable agricultural soil management in the context of climate change – EJP SOIL", in which Latvia is represented by the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia. The general goal of this programme is to ensure sustainable soil management in agricultural lands, which would contribute to limiting climate change and providing society with food in the long term.

More information about EJP SOIL