Environmental Earth Sciences - Call for Papers

The Soil-Water-Atmosphere Nexus

Guest Editors: Daniel Karthe, Lulu Zhang, Sabrina Kirschke, Nora Adam, Serena Caucci, Edeltraud Günther 

During the Anthropocene, human activities have significantly altered the natural environment. Both from an assessment and a management perspective, it is important to consider the interlinkages between different environmental compartments such as the pedosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere and the atmosphere.

For example, soil degradation through erosion, compaction, salinization, or chemical pollution damages not only our land's fertility and productivity (which are prerequisites for feeding a growing population), but also key soil functions to store carbon, filter and purify water, and inhabit biodiversity. Changes in the biotic and abiotic environment are connected by a complex set of interrelations; they are also highly relevant to socioeconomic development. 

We invite manuscripts that consider the pedosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere in an integrated perspective. They may focus on any one of the following aspects: 

• scientific investigation of interactions/interrelations between different environmental resources/compartments

• integrated impact assessment of anthropogenic activities that affect more than one of the environmental resources/compartments

• integrated technology-based solutions that support the conservation of more than one environmental resource/compartment

• holistic management and governance approaches that consider at least two environmental resources/compartments concomitantly

• sustainability assessment from an organizational perspective with a focus on management impact, and synergies/trade-offs between different objectives 

Manuscripts may look beyond pedosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, but must refer to at least two of these compartments. Papers with a demonstrated relevance to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are particularly welcome. Articles that focus solely on climatological, hydrological or pedological processes without considering interlinkages to other spheres of the terrestrial environment are outside the scope of this thematic issue.