D. Gabriels

As the ESSC will be co-sponsoring the ISCO '99 conference at West Lafayette, Indiana, USA (23-25 May 1999), a joint ESSC contribution representing different European countries is envisaged in the following way.

The ISCO '99 conference will be organised at Purdue University, National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, where long-term erosion data have been collected using the so-called 'Wischmeier erosion plots'. This technique of collecting soil loss data, with subsequent development of the Universal Soil Loss Equation, was applied in other parts of the world. The idea has arisen of making an encyclopaedia on erosion plots all over the world. The ESSC could take on the task of collecting the information on erosion plots in Europe. All the information could then be presented in report form, book form or an diskette at the conference.

Scientists, researchers and members of the ESSC from any European country are invited to send the following information to the coordinator (please adhere to the following sequence):

-   Name, institute and address of main researcher(s)

-   description of erosion plots: place, coordinates
    soil
    topography (slope steepness, length, width)
    number of plots
    mulch
    management
    other ...

-   period of measurement on the plots

-   available data: precipitation
    erosivity
    erodibility
    runoff
    soil loss
    nutrient erosion
    other ...

-   form of data: diskette
    report
    book

-   aim of research: assessment of erosion risk
    comparison of erodibility
    soil conservation practices
    vegetation cover
    nutrient balance
    mapping
    other ...

-   photographs (slides or prints)

-   literature /references related to the plots

All information should be forwarded to the coordinator.