Fjölrit RALA - 15.06.2004, Qupperneq 15

Introduction
O. Arnalds and H. Oskarsson
Agricultural Research Institute (Rala), Iceland
A group of European soil scientists hás over the past six years participated in an European
COST action titled Soil Resources of European Volcanic Systems (COST-622). Soils of
volcanic areas often exhibit unique properties that separate them from other soils on Earth.
The most common soils of volcanic regions are Andosols, but the Action had a broad agenda
deahng with all soils that form in volcanic regions regardless of age of the parent materials.
The action is chaired by Francois Bartoli (France).
During the action, both workshops and small group meetings have been held in various
locations in Europe, based on activity of 5 working groups. Action workshops have been held
in Iceland, Napoli, Canary Islands, Azores, Sicily, Massive Central (France), Manderscheid
(Germany), Budapest, Wageningen, and with small group meetings at various locations in
Europe.
This issue of Rala Report contains abstracts for the last workshop of the COST-622 action,
which is held in Akureyri and Hallormsstadur in North and East Iceland. It exemplifies the
extensive research activity throughout Europe involving soils of volcanic areas. There are
about 60 abstracts, covering a range of issues such as mineralogy, chemistry, physics, organic
matter, soil genesis and land use. It also includes abstracts from non-European scientists,
such as from the U.S., Canada and Japan. The fact that scientists from 17 countries will
attend the meeting in Iceland reflects well the intemational aspect of this work.
One unique aspect of the COST-622 was a joint sampling of soil pedons in the participating
countries. The samples were subsequently distributed to the participating laboratories for
various analyses. The European COST-622 pedons are therefore among the best studied soils
in the world. Many of the abstracts included here deal with these COST pedons. The Action
has brought a new Hght on the unique properties of volcanic soils and their distribution in
Europe, and has entered European soil scientists more actively into intemational scientific
debate about such soils.
This issue is an example of other similar publications with abstracts in relation to this COST
Action (e.g. COST-622, 1998, 2001, 2002; Kertész, 2002). Papers from the German meeting
were also published in the Mainzer Naturwissenschaft Archiv 40. In addition, the partnership
has resulted in special issues of the scientific joumals Geoderma (Bartoli et al., 2003) and
Catena (Amalds and Stahr 2004). Publication activities have also included field guides and
reports of various working groups.
The partnership established between European soil scientists involved in research of
volcanic regions by the EU-COST program is an excellent example of what such programs
can achieve. It has been especially important for the Icelandic partners, which has the largest
extent of Andosols in Europe, enhanced both science and education this field and opened up
research co-operation and friendship among partners that will remain long after the
conclusion of the COST action.
References
Amalds, O., and K. Stahr. 2004. Volcanic Soil Resources: Occurrence, Development and
Properties. Catena 56(1-3). Special issue.
Bartoli, F., P. Buurman, B. Delvaux, and M. Madeira. 2003. Volcanic soils: Properties and
Processes as a Function of Soil Genesis and Land Use. Geoderma 117(3-4). Special issue.
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