Report from the Chairman

It has been quite a while since the last IWMSM was held in
Townsville, Queensland and since the last newsletter was distributed
to members of the Subcommission.  While not presenting any
excuses for our tardiness in the latter regard, this does not mean that
nothing has been happening.  

For a start, Klaudia Oleschko and Larry Wilding organized a
stimulating session entitled "Micromorphological Indicators of
Anthropological Effects on Soils" at the World Congress of Soil
Science held in Acapulco, Mexico in July 1994.  This session
contained  seven papers covering soil structural degradation,
Mexican tepetates (duripans), the impact of ancient peoples on soils,
micromorphological assessment of degraded soil landscapes,
micromorphology of wetland soils, micromorphology of
anthropogenic effects on soils, and the use of micromorphology to
determine the impact of management practices on Vertisols.  These
papers were preceded by a keynote address to the Congress
presented by Rienk Miedema, University of Wageningen, The
Netherlands.  The title of this presentation was "Soil
Micromorphology: Towards an Analytical and Quantitative Tool for
Assessing Anthropogenic Influences on Soils."  In my view, this was
one of the best and most forward looking presentations given during
the meeting. It was also encouraging to see the relatively widespread
use of micromorphology in posters relating to a wide cross section of
soil science.  As Chairman, I would like to thank Klaudia Oleschko
and Larry Wilding for their efforts in putting together both the oral
sessions and ensuring that all the papers were included in the
Congress proceedings.

While on the theme of World Congresses of Soil Science, the ISSS
committee accepted the nomination of France to host the 1998
Congress in Montpellier.  Marie-Agnes Courty will organize a
Subcommission B symposium at this meeting with help from
Louis-Marie Bresson.  Marie-Agnes has also been nominated and
accepted by the French Society of Soil Science to become 3rd Vice
Chair of Subcommission B in accordance with our policy of having
a vice-chair from the country organizing the International Congress. 
At this stage, plans are to have two micromorphology sessions at
Montpellier focussing on the role of soil micromorphology in the
study of spatial and temporal variability of soil water processes.  I
wish our French colleagues luck and look forward to an interesting
meeting.

I recently attended the American Society of Agronomy/Soil Science
Society of America meetings in Seattle, Washington.  At this
meeting, the Micromorphology Committee of the Soil Science
Society of America met to discuss recent developments in the US. 
One of the items covered was the need for an interpretation manual
for soil micromorphology.  There appears to be a need for such a
manual given that we have available (if out of print) a handbook for
thin section description and the fact that many students and scientists
want to know how to interpret the features they see in thin section. 
This may become of increasing significance if users of
micromorphological data come from other disciplines.  In a rash
moment, I indicated that the Subcommission would be interested in
developing a manual for the interpretation of micromorphological
features.  Consequently, I am volunteering to edit such a manual and
will shortly be casting a net to catch some contributors.  However,
please feel free to write to me and offer your services if you want to
author or co-author a chapter on how to interpret specific soil
features:

     Fax:      +61 6 246 5965 or 5913
     E-mail:     chartres@casoil.cbr.soils.csiro.au

My current concept is of a well illustrated manual with chapters
devoted to the interpretation of key features with respect to soil
processes, e.g., waterlogging and structural decline/crusting, etc. 
However, the exact format will have to be established with key
contributors over the next 9-12 months.  An appropriate target for
completion could be the 1998 Montpellier Congress.  

Finally, I need to remind members of the forthcoming Moscow
IWMSM 96.  Professor Shoba and his colleagues have been working
hard to develop a program for this meeting, details of which are
included elsewhere in this newsletter.  Please make every attempt to
attend and support the meeting.  I have had the opportunity to meet
several Russian colleagues at recent meetings and believe that
IWMSM 96 will provide an opportunity for many Russian scientists
to meet colleagues and for the overseas visitors to catch up with
current developments in Russian micromorphology and soil science.

I wish all members a happy and prosperous 1995.

                                                                  Colin Chartres
                                                     Chairman of Subcommission B
                                             (CSIRO Div. of Soils, GPO Box 639, 
                                                  Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia)