Inception meeting of the GLOSOLAN’s initiative on spectroscopy
Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy is rapidly being taken up as a rapid, low cost and high reproducible method for soil analysis. There have been several initiatives to foster a global approach to soil spectroscopy. Harmonised global spectral libraries would help increase knowledge on the mineral and organic composition of soils and aid the development of spectral indicators and soil property calibrations. However, the use of different methods and standard operating procedures among different laboratories poses an obstacle to progressing global spectral libraries.
The inception meeting of the GLOSOLAN’s initiative on spectroscopy aimed at opening the discussion on how GLOSOLAN could help consistency and harmonization of soil spectral data globally. Participants worked off the first draft of the concept notes on “A global soil spectral calibration library and estimation service” and “Global capacity development in soil spectroscopy” with the hope that the global spectral community will contribute to make this a joint resource. The results of both (wet chemistry and spectroscopy) harmonization efforts will be used in the (distributed) Global Soil Information System GLOSIS under the Global Soil Partnership.