KUCHING: Local researchers from the Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (TROPI) will attend the World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS), the world’s foremost soil science conference.
This would be a game-changer for Sarawak and the organisation, said its director Dr Lulie Melling.
Dr Lulie and her fellow researchers, Dr. Ken Wong Guan Xhuan, Nur Azima Busman, Yap Mui Lan, Nicodemus Ujih, Yazid Imran, and Amelia Jackob will be joining approximately 3,000 soil experts to discuss major concerns that continue to influence the natural environment.
“Among the issues that will be discussed are erosion, loss of soil carbon and biodiversity including soil compaction and sealing as well as food security implications.
“Our local researchers will share their scientific findings and discoveries in Sarawak’s tropical peatlands study, putting Sarawak in the international arena of soil science research.
“As such, TROPI has demonstrated and established its collective expertise to the Sarawak state government, stakeholders, and lay people,” she said in a statement on Saturday (May 28).
Nur Azima Busman who is currently undergoing her Ph.D. studies at Nagoya University, Japan will deliver her findings entitled “Long-term monitoring of carbon dioxide and methane fluxes from different types of tropical peat swamp forests”.
Along with Azima to present their findings via poster presentation are Dr Ken Wong Guan Xhuan on “Mechanical Soil Compaction: An Important Agro-Environmental Management Practice on Tropical Peatland” while “Long term Dynamics of Surface Fluctuation in a Peat Swamp Forest in Sarawak, Malaysia” will be presented by Yazid Imran.
Yap Mui Lan and Nicodemus on the other hand will present their “Effects of Liming on Micronutrient Uptake and Oil Palm Growth in Tropical Peatland”.
“Specialist workshops and discussion sessions will be available across a wide range of soil disciplines.
“It is a great opportunity for fellow researchers to gain exciting learning experience, expand their global networking and explore other research areas in soil science,” said Dr Lulie.
WCSS will take place from July 31 until August 5 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Conducted every four years in a different country, the British Society of Soil Science is hosting the 22nd Congress on behalf of the International Union of Soil Sciences.
