The webinar is the first  in a series of webinars organized by the International Network of Salt-Affected Soils (INSAS) and the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) of the Global Soil Partnership on calcareous and gypsiferous soils. These soils which contain significant amounts of calcium carbonate or gypsum are found across many regions of the world and cause unique challenges for laboratory analysis of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of these soils, as well as pose specific constraints to soil management and land use. This series of webinars aims to provide in-depth insights into the characterization of calcareous and gypsiferous soils, the associated key challenges and potential solutions to overcome these challenges for improved food security, agricultural sustainability, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation.

This first webinar will provide an introduction to calcareous and gypsiferous soils. It will begin with definitions and delve into their formation processes—highlighting how calcium carbonate and gypsum accumulate in soils under low rainfall and high evaporation conditions. The session will describe their global and regional distribution, emphasizing areas where these soils dominate agricultural landscapes. A major focus will be the classification challenges they present due to their high solubility and complex interactions with clays, which can distort standard analytical procedures and classification. Agricultural implications will be explored, particularly the difficulty in nutrient management caused by retrogradation and fixation of essential elements such as phosphorus and iron. The webinar will finally discuss innovative strategies and emerging solutions, such as tailored fertilization and irrigation, soil amendments, and precision agriculture tools designed to improve productivity while mitigating degradation risks.

The webinar will take place online on Wednesday 2 July at 13:00-14:30 (Central European Summer Time).

Agenda

13:00-13:10 Introduction from the Chairs

• Jorge Batlle-Sales, Chair, International Network of Salt-Affected Soils

• Elh Moudi Moustapha Abdourahaman, Chair, Global Soil Laboratory Network

13:10-13:20 Introduction of the INSAS-GLOSOLAN webinar series on calcareous and gypsiferous soils

• Karim Shahbazi, Chair, Near East and North African Soil Laboratory Network (NENALAB)

13:20-14:10 Calcareous and gypsiferous soils – Characteristics, challenges, and innovations

Prof. Dr. Rosa Poch, University of Lleida, Spain

14:10-14:25 Questions and answers moderated by  Maria Konyushkova and Issam Barra, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

17:25-17:30 Concluding remarks

Karim Shahbazi, Chair, Near East and North African Soil Laboratory Network (NENALAB)

Speaker:

Prof. Dr. Rosa Poch, University of Lleida, Spain

Dr. Poch is an Agricultural Engineer (1987) from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and holds an MSc (1989) and PhD in Soil Sciences (1992) from Ghent University (Belgium). She served as the Chair of the FAO-GSP Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (2018-2025). She is a Full Professor of Soil Science at the University of Lleida. A renowned expert in soil micromorphology, her research spans various disciplines including soil genesis and management, especially in arid and semi-arid Mediterranean areas, as well as archaeology and soil carbon sequestration.

Orcid: 0000-0001-8639-4204

Scopus Author ID: 6603600661

ResearcherID: O-2357-2014