The Soil-Human Health-Nexus

Rattan Lal, Ph.D., is a Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science and Director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, The Ohio State University, and an Adjunct Professor of University of Iceland. His current research focus is on climate-resilient agriculture, soil carbon sequestration, sustainable intensification, enhancing use efficiency of agroecosystems, and sustainable management of soil resources of the tropics. He has received honorary degrees of Doctor of Science from Punjab Agricultural University (2001), the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas (2005), Alecu Russo Balti State University, Moldova (2010), Technical University of Dresden, Germany (2015), University of Lleida, Spain (2017), Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minnesota, and PUCV, Valparaiso, Chile (2019). He was president of the World Association of the Soil and Water Conservation (1987-1990), the International Soil Tillage Research Organization (1988-91), the Soil Science Society of America (2005-2007), and is President of International Union of Soil Science (2017-2018). He was a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on U.S. National Assessment of Climate Change-NCADAC (2010-2013), member of the SERDP Scientific Advisory Board of the US-DOE (2011-2018), Senior Science Advisor to the Global Soil Forum of Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Germany (2010-2015), member of the Advisory Board of Joint Program Initiative of Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI) of the European Union (2013-2016), and Chair of the Advisory Board of Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and Resources of the United Nation University (UNU-FLORES), Dresden, Germany (2014-2019). Prof. Lal was a lead author of IPCC (1998-2000). He has mentored 115 graduate students, 54 postdoctoral researchers, and hosted 174 visiting scholars. He has authored/co-authored 950 referred journal articles, has written 20 and edited / co-edited 75 books. For 6 years (2014-2019), Reuter Thomson listed him among the world’s most influential scientific minds and having citations of publications among top 1% of scientists in agricultural sciences. He is recipient of the 2018 GCHERA World Agriculture Prize, 2018 Glinka World Soil Prize, and 2019 Japan Prize.

Preface. About the Editor. List of Contributors. 1.The Soil-Human Health-Environment Trinity. 2.Health of Soil, Plants, Animals, and People. 3.Transport of Mineral Elements from Soil and Human Health. 4.Soils and Human Health: Communication Between Soil Scientists and Health Care Providers. 5.Soil and Cancer. 6.Addressing Urban Mal- and Undernourishment Through Sustainable Home Gardens. 7.Improving Human Health by Remediating Polluted Soils. 8.Managing Soil for Global Peace by Eliminating Famines and Pandemics. 9.Illustrating a Disjoint in the Soil-Plant-Human Health Nexus with Potassium. 10.Soil Aquaphotomics for Understanding Soil - Health Relation through Water-Light Interaction. 11.Healthy Soils – Healthy People. Soil and Human Health – The Reality of the Balkan Region. 12.Heavy Metals Bioavailability in Soils and Impact on Human Health. 13.Managing Soil Biology for Multiple Human Benefits. 14.Structural Attributes of Disease-Suppressive Soils and Their Impact on Human Health. 15.Soil Health and Human Nutrition. Index.