Editorial: JSS — J Soils & Sediments

JSS - A N e w J o u r n a l

Editorial

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Protection, Risk Assessment and Remediation: A New Journal

Turlough F. Guerin

T h o m a s Knacker

Werner K6rdel

J6rg Matschullat

Willie Peijnenburg

About JSS

Aims and Scope

After more than two years of preparatory development, our new periodical 'Journal of Soils and Sediments (JSS)' is born. JSS is an interdisciplinary journal intended to be of benefit to the scientist as well as to the practitioner. JSS is a peer-reviewed journal; at least two referees screen each article. JSS does not intend to compete with existing journals. There simply existed no journal hitherto, entirely devoted to both soils and sediments, which elucidates the common aspects as well as the differences between these two environmental compartments.

JSS deals with intact, disturbed and contaminated soils and sediments.

We, the three editors-in-chief, the two co-editors and the 60 members of the editorial board from all over the world (see p 1A to 2A), are looking forward to working on JSS. We shall strive to provide you with any information you need for your daily work; and we would greatly appreciate your support in the form of papers, criticism, advice and comments. JSS is part of the Scientific Journals published by ecomed ( w w ~ scientificjournals.com). The new journal is published as printed and online versions (JSS webeditions, wavw.scientificjournals.com/ webeditionstjss). Accepted articles are published OnlineFirst immediately after proofreading (www.scientificjournaIs.com/ onlinefirsffjss). They can be cited by way of the DOI (Digital Object Identifier, www.doi,org). Articles that are too long to be published in a printed journal, background and additional information, other contributions from the authors, even in other languages, and contributions that require the hypertext function can be published in the area of soil science in 'Gate to EHS (Environmental and Health Science)' (www.scientificjournals.com/ehsonline). JSS is not yet listed. It cannot be listed yet as the ISI evaluation process regularly takes three years. We have channeled JSS into this process beginning with the first issue. JSS will be refereed by Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), beginning with the second issue.

Soil: Within the scope of JSS, soil is the upper layer of the earth's crust with its liquid (soil solution) and gaseous components (soil air). Included are soil substrates, e.g., treated soils, ashes, slags, sewage sludge, composts and urban soils. Soils as the interface of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere present one of the most challenging topics for environmental research. The role of healthy soils to sustain life and generate food for humans and other biota alike is but one of their invaluable functions. We only start to understand soils as natural biochemical reactors, and JSS will contribute to a better comprehension of soil systems. Sediments: Within the scope of JSS, sediments encompass freshwater (limnic), estuarine, coastal, and harbour sediments, and related dredged material. Sediments can serve as a historical record of change due to both natural environmental causes and manmade pollution. In modern research on contaminated sediments, the identification of contaminants and their distribution, the evaluation of solid/solution relations, the study of transfer mechanisms to organisms, and the selection and development of remedial measures, in particular, of dredged materials, are important.

Target groups: Environmental scientists, chemists, biologists, hydrologists, limnologists, geographers, geologists, mineralogists, agriculturists, foresters, landscape designers, technologists, waste and remediation specialists, jurists, environmental managers Call for Papers

JSS publishes editorials/guest editorials, letters to the editors, research articles (experimental and theoretical), short original communications, review articles, discussions and commentaries, methods and concepts, management strategies, reports from research and technology, reports from policy and legislation, book reviews and announcements, software, conference reports and announcements.

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