The coastal polders of Bangladesh are characterized by extremes in terms of both challenges and opportunities. The polders are home to about 8 million people, where 85% of rural householders live under the national poverty line. The polders are subjected to flooding during the rainy season; drought and salinity during the dry season, and cyclones. In addition, the impacts of climate change, especially sea level rise, will be most severe in this region.

In the Brazilian savannas, or Cerrados the rapid advance in agriculture and cattle ranching is affecting soils through, for example, accelerated erosion and depletion of soil organic matter (SOM). Changes in soil microbial biomass are good indicators of changes in SOM. We therefore assessed the effects of agricultural and pastoral use of a clayey Oxisol in the Cerrados on soil microbial biomass, and evaluated the usefulness of this parameter in studying SOM dynamics in savanna ecosystems.

Presents papers and abstracts on the management of vertisols in sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world. Overviews the importance, distribution, agroclimatology and properties of vertisols and the Indian Vertisol technology experience. Reviews resource assessment and management and highlights inter-institutional modes of operation and networking concepts in Vertisol research and development.