Contact: Bob Ratliff
The importance of soil acidity research will be the topic of the 2002 Lyle Nelson Lecture Series at Mississippi State University Feb. 28.
The 2 p.m. lecture in 140 Dorman Hall will feature Daniel Richter, professor of soils and forest ecology and co-director of the Southern Center for Sustainable Forests at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Seating is limited, but the public is invited.
Richter's presentation, "Why Soil Acidity Matters: From Ruffin to Acid Rain," will cover the history of soil acidity research from its beginnings in the 19th century to its more recent focus on issues such as acid rain. The title refers to Edmund Ruffin, the first soil scientist to study acidity, who also earned an infamous niche in history for purportedly firing the opening shot of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, S.C.
The Lyle Nelson Lecture Series was established by its namesake, who is a retired MSU soil fertility specialist and Starkville resident.
Richter earned his bachelor's degree at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., and a doctorate at Duke University. He also has done graduate work at Mississippi State. His primary area of expertise is the science and management of Southern forests and watersheds, including the effects of atmospheric acid on soils, forests and water.