First meeting of the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN), 1 - 2 Nov 2017 at FAO HQ in Rome. This network will be composed of national soil reference laboratories as a means to exchange resources, knowledge and experience. The goal of GLOSOLAN is to strengthen the performance of laboratories in support of the harmonization of soil data sets and information towards the development of standards. Indeed, the harmonization of soil analysis is a critical component of making soil information comparable and interpretable across laboratories, countries and regions. Presentations by Floria Bertsch (University of Costa Rica) and Rosa Cuevas (REDLABS).

1. Experiences of soil laboratory
networks in Latin America
and the“LACSOLAN” proposal
Floria Bertsch
Pillar 5 CA-Mex-Car RSP and Costa Rica Soil Science Society
Rosa Cuevas
REDLABS, Mexico

2. Experiences before 2017
Floria Bertsch
(floriabh@gmail.com)
13-Nov-17 2
Recent experiences
Rosa Cuevas
(rosochkaa@gmail.com)

3. Experiences before 2017
1-First network initiative
• It was launched in Nov 2009 during the XVIII CLACS
(Latin American Congress of Soil Science), San José,
Costa Rica
• In this event SISLAC (first step of Pillar 4 in Latin
America) was also launched
• ACCS (Costa Rican Soil Science Society) set the
compromise to impulse the idea into its
national program, and called PILAS
13-Nov-17 3

4. Activities of PILAS
(Latin American Soil Analysis Interchange Program)
2-Costa Rican LAB COMMISSION of ACCS:
• Prepared the homogeneous samples
• Distribuited the FIRST ROUND during CLACS, Nov
2009 (3 soil samples)
• Exposed and discussed PILAS report in March
2012 during the next CLACS 2012, Mar del Plata,
Argentina
• Sent by courier mail the SECOND ROUND in Feb
2012 (4 soil samples)

5. Countries involved
Costa Rica
Panamá
Honduras
Uruguay
México
Honduras
Costa Rica
Panamá
Colombia
Venezuela
Brasil
Perú
Chile
Uruguay
Argentina

6. List of participants
País Contacto Laboratorio
Argentina Miriam Ostinelli INTA
Brasil Cleide Abreu IAC-SP
Chile Rosa Espinoza AGROLAB
Costa Rica Floria Bertsch LSF/CIA-UCR
Colombia Edna Margarita Garzón CENIPALMA
Honduras Gloria de Gauggel ZAMORANO
México Juliana Padilla COLPOS
Panamá José Ezequiel Villarreal IDIAP
Perú Braulio de la Torre LA MOLINA
Perú Marhleni Cerda AGROLAB
Uruguay Roberto Docampo INIA
Venezuela Manuel Antonio Henríquez UCLA
Venezuela Isabel Elena Arrieche INIA-Yaracuy
Venezuela Juan Carlos Aciego UCV
Venezuela Zenaida Lozano UCV
Venezuela Eveyn Cabrera CENIAP

7. P/V pH Ca,Mg,K P
Argentina INTA PESO B&K I
Brasil IAC-SP VOL CaCl2 RESINAS
Chile AGROLAB
Chile IRRIFER PESO 1:2.5 ACET AMONIO
Colombia CENIPALMA PESO 1:1 ACET AMONIO BRAY 2
Colombia LAB PESO 1:1 ACET AMONIO BRAY 2
Costa Rica PINAS-PINAF VOL 1:2.5 KCl OLSEN MOD
Honduras ZAMORANO PESO 1:1 MEHLICH 3 MEHLICH 3
México COLPOS
Panamá IDIAP PESO 1:2.5 KCl MEHLICH 1
Perú AGROLAB PESO 1:1 ACET AMONIO ?
Perú LA MOLINA PESO 1:1 ? ?
Uruguay INIA
Venezuela UCLA PESO 02:00.0 ACET AMONIO OLSEN MOD
Venezuela INIA-Yaracuy PESO 1:2.5 ACET Na (Morgan) OLSEN MOD
Venezuela UCV PESO 1:2 ACET AMONIO
Venezuela CENIAP PESO 1:2.5 OLSEN MOD
M
E
T
H
O
D
O
L
O
G
I
E
S

8. 13-Nov-17 8
pH
5%
S2010.1
PILAS
19
20
21
22
23
25
27 29
30
31
32 33 35
36
5.0
5.4
5.8
6.2
6.6
7.0
7.4
18 23 28 33 38
19
20
21
22 23
25
27
29
30
31
35 36
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
18 23 28 33 38
22 23
25
29
35
36
2.50
3.00
19
20
21
22
23
25
27
29 30
31
35
36
8
13
18
23
28
33
18 23 28 33 38
19
20 21
22
23
25
30 35
36
7.5
9.5
11.5
19
20
21
22
23 25
27
29
30
31
35
36
1
2
3
4
18 23 28 33 38
21
22
1.3
1.5
1.7
S2010.1
PILAS
S2010.2
PILAS
S2010.3
PILAS
Ca
cmol+/L-kg

9. 3- In 2012, after the creation of GSP a new
organization started under the pillars concept
13-Nov-17 9
4- The regional Alliances (CAmMxCar and SA) were
established and began to write their IPs
(Implementations Plans) during 2013-2014
5- In June 2015, in Cuba, the Pillar 5 IP was
finalized, and the person in charge for the
coordination of the CAmMxCar RSP was
elected (F Bertsch from Costa Rica)

10. 6-Proposed activities of CAmMxCar Pillar 5 IP
• Inventory of soil labs and sampling/analysis
methodologies through a survey
• Consolidation of the survey results
• Organization of regional workshops with technical
leaders of labs towards the standardization
procedures and a network consolidation
• Selection of soil quality indicators previously
harmonized
• Testing of selected indicators in existing regional
projects
13-Nov-17 10

11. 7-First results (2015-2016)
• Few labs answered the survey (only public ones)
• To date, the organization of the First Workshop
with Labs leaders is still under way (mainly due
to budget restrictions)
• In Nov 2016, in Quito/Ecuador during the last
Latin American Congress, Mexico offered
collaboration to lead this process
13-Nov-17 11

12. 8- In 2017, start the contact with mexican group
that have experience in a National Network,
REDLABS, and have organized the production of
MRC or soil control samples
13-Nov-17 12

13. REDLABS - MEXICO
National Network of Laboratories for Analysis, Use,
Conservation and Soil Management
• Reduce the uncertainty associated with carbon estimates in Mexican soils.
• Contribute to the sustainable management of soils.
• Contribute to the establishment of national information systems.
• Become an advisory body with a leadership position in the analysis and
measurement of soils.
Main advances
• Generation of a standardized consensual manual to provide access to analytical
methodologies associated to carbon and other physicochemical soil properties.
• Reduction of the uncertainty associated to analytical measurements through the
regular participation of the REDLABS in the Intercomparison Program for Plant and
Soil Analysis (ISP).
• Analysis of the National Forestry and Soils Inventory samples through harmonized
and standardized processes.
13-Nov-17 13

14. 13-Nov-17 14
Main advances
• Generation of the SOC map of
México: Sampling, analysis, field
and laboratory standardized
protocols, quality control and
spatial data propagation
techniques, iterative processes to
assess and reduce uncertainties.
• Recognition as a Research Network
within the framework of National
Networks of Research,
Development of Forestry
Technology Transfer of CONAFOR
and as a Research Network of the
National Council for Science and
Technology of México.

15. 15
LACSOLAN
Latin American and Caribbean Soil
Laboratory Network
2017: Fifth Plenary Assembly of the GSP
ratified the establishment GLOSOLAN
as part of the first implementation
activities of the Pilar 5.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
• Establish a Regional Program for
Standardization and Analytical
Harmonization in LAC to generate consistent
and comparable soil information.
• Improve, strengthen and update the Soil
Information System of Latin America
(SISLAC) with quality information.
• Develop guidelines for determining
functional properties of soils with
harmonized approaches.
01-Nov-2017

16. 01-Nov-2017 16
Proposal for all the countries
that integrate LAC
• Short term: Establishment of the Regional
Program for Standardization and
Analytical Harmonization in LAC.
• Long term: Strengthen and update the
SISLAC with quality information.
Short term, we are planning specific
activities as:
• Regional workshop of harmonization and
standardization.
• Compilation of the methodologies of
sampling and analysis on the LACSOLAN.
• Quality assurance and quality control
(QA/QC).

17. Regional workshop of harmonization and
standardization
1701-Nov-2017
• 20 countries: 10 for CAMC and 10 for SA .
• The workshop will be held in Mexico in March:
COLPOS.
• Regional information that allows the
identification of the state of the art of each
country: Inventories, protocols and QC
processes implemented .
• Theoretical-practical courses will be given.
Training and capacity building
• Methodologies related to: sampling, preparation, analysis and storage of the samples.
• 14 analytical harmonized protocols: CEC, IC, OOC, pH, texture, BD, salinity, Total C & N.
• QC processes: Use of certified reference materials, accreditation and intercomparison
programs.

18. Preparation of the sample
Physical integrity of the sample and
data quality of the sample:
"THE LABORATORY" should verify the
integrity of the sample, checking that
the sample is in good condition to be
viable for drying, not having an
advanced state of decomposition (plant
samples), as well as having the
complete identifier.
If the sample does not meet these
specifications, it can not be analyzed.
SOME EXAMPLES OF
METHODOLOGICAL
PROTOCOLS

19. Compilation of the methodologies of
sampling and analysis on the LACSOLAN
Each member of the LACSOLAN will define
their level of information based on the
following criteria:
• National forest or agricultural inventories:
Characterization of the Inventory, the
sampling units and the type of samples
collected.
• Protocols used: Sampling, reception,
preparation, analysis and storage of the
sample.
• Quality control processes implemented:
Inventory level and protocols used.
Have a diagnosis that will identify areas of
opportunity that require standardization and
harmonization in each member country.
13-Nov-17 19

20. Quality assurance and quality control
(QA/QC)
Compilation
• To Identify the areas of opportunity that require strengthening the QA / QC of the
LACSOLAN.
Certified reference materials
• To ensure the quality of the data generated by LACSOLAN.
• Have a certified value for each of the physicochemical variables defined: content in
the corresponding unit, associated uncertainty and matrix used.
• Use of the CRM as quality control in all analyzes.
Intercomparison Program for Analysis of Soils and Plants (ISP)
• Regular participation of LACSOLAN in the ISP.
• Verify performance, improve the analytical quality of the results and increase the
veracity of the analyzes.
• Exercises 2018: REDLABS will finance the participation of LACSOLAN.
13-Nov-17 20

21. ¡THANKS FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION!