ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Earth's most recent history is recorded in soil, but we are quickly losing our undisturbed landscapes. In the March issue of Geotimes, Ronald Amundson examines soils from geologic, environmental, and agricultural perspectives. His article, "Do soils need our protection?", looks at pedology, (the study of soil properties and processes), and at the fate of California's San Joaquin Valley sediments.

Amundson writes that, from the perspective of pedology, "human activities such as cultivation, irrigation, and urbanization will have a profound effect on soil properties." For this reason, earth scientists must support efforts to protect any undisturbed soil examples that still remain intact. "Disturbed soils are, indeed, 'soils,'" writes Amundson, "but the information they bear may not be what we wish to leave as a legacy to our scientific progeny." Amundson's article, in detailing the importance of soil diversity and history, effectively makes the case for the importance of soil preservation.

The second feature story for March moves far from the soils of Earth, into space. In their article, "Earth Data for the Future," Bruce Quirk and Ronald E. Beck examine the satellites being launched this year and explain the new data that will become available. The datasets will be more detailed, and include information useful for many earth-science fields. International research teams working with the data are in cooperative agreements with the federal government and the EROS Data Center. This center, a "key archiving and distributing facility" for NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) and Landsat data, provides an important resource for the nation.

"The Florida Water Wars: A Geologic Perspective," by Mark T. Stewart, rounds out the March features. The geology and hydrogeology of west-central Florida are at the center of a conflict over the Floridan Aquifer. Stewart details the region's geology, and explains why water users, property owners, scientists, and lawyers have been caught up in these water wars for so many years. Many counties in the region need more water, but the Floridan Aquifer is at low levels in certain sections. Legislative action and geologic decisions are part of the solution process, but budgets, society, and the environment must all be taken into account. This is one war that is still being fought, and will be for some time.

Political Scene, the monthly column from our Government Affairs Program director, David Applegate, focuses on the science issues facing Congress in 1998. Look to our April issue for a full slate of political topics. And Industry Watch, a quarterly column, reappears with a discussion of environmental geology.

Personnel changes are in the works at AGI as well. The March issue keeps you up-to-date with AGI and with geology around the world.