This support is for an ecology workshop at the University of Hawaii on tropical soil. The theme for the workshop is "Dynamics of Soil Organic Matter in Tropical Ecosystems." A panel of experts consisting of 25-30 scientists with interest in tropical soils will be assembled for 5 days of discussions and field trips. The objective is to provide an opportunity for U.S. and international scientists to assess the state-of-the-art research on tropical soil organic matter, to identify research needs to refine procedures for the study of dynamic processes involved in organic matter turnover, and to develop protocols for international, collaborative research efforts. The outputs will be a workshop proceedings and a state-of-the-art monograph. NSF will be the primary sponsor of this workshop. However, several projects supported by the Renewable Natural Resources Division of the Bureau for Science & Technology, U.S. Agency for International Development, have expressed a keen interest in participating in this event and co-sponsoring the workshop by bringing to the workshop key experts in the subject area and supporting participants from developing countries. These projects are: NifTAL (Nitrogen Fixation in Tropical Agricultural Legumes), IBSNAT (International Benchmark Sites Network for Agrotechnology Transfer), SMSS (Soil Management Support Services), TropSoils (a name mark for Soil Management Collaborative Research Support Program), and TSMM (Technology of Soil Moisture Management). This cooperation will help to produce a truly international book from the workshop, which will be scheduled in summer or fall, 1988.
