British Society of Soil Science 2026 Annual Conference
Dates: 2 - 4 December 2026
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
The 2026 BSSS Annual Conference will take place from Tuesday 1 to Friday 4 December in Aberdeen. The overall conference theme is Soils at the Centre of Change: Innovation, Adaptation and Action. The packed multi-disciplinary event spanning the built, natural environment and agricultural sectors, set at the University of Aberdeen, will provide delegates with a fantastic opportunity to see the latest research and developments within soil science. The exciting and diverse programme will feature keynote speakers and experts across the week. The main part of the conference (2-3 December) will include an impact session, discussion panel sessions, the invited keynote, oral and posters presentations across the 5 themes, quickfire presentations, parallel CPD sessions, and an art and culture exhibition. We will also be hosting further social events, gala dinner and tours during the week which are explained below.
Call for abstracts
The abstract review panel is accepting oral and poster abstracts in one of five topics, which link to the conference theme, Soils at the Centre of Change: Innovation, Adaptation and Action:
Soils for Life[Soil Health, Soil Functions, Indicators, Metrics, Ecosystem Service Delivery, Soil Biodiversity, and Sustainable Soils in Different Land Uses.]
Soils for Climate[Net Zero, Carbon Sequestration, Peatlands, Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fluxes]
Soils for Water[Nutrient and Water management, Soil Erosion, and Nutrient and Water Use Efficiency.]
Soils for a Digital Age[Sensors and Instrumentation, New techniques, AI and Data, Forensics, Modelling, and Decision Support Tools]
Soils for People[Social Sciences and Culture, Interdisciplinary Work, Stakeholder Engagement, Participatory Research and Citizen Science, and Art]
Oral abstract deadline: Monday 31 August
Poster abstract deadline: Friday 23 October
Tickets will be available in due course so keep an eye out on the BSSS website for more details.
Social Events and Tours
We have several exciting social events and tours scheduled during the week for you to get involved with.
Tuesday 1 December – Soil Classification and Description Practical Workshop (targeted towards Early Career members) and also a civic reception at the Aberdeen Town House with the Lord Provost of Aberdeen.
Wednesday 2 December – Gala Dinner and Ceilidh Band at Union Kirk
Thursday 3 December – Drinks reception at University of Aberdeen
Friday 4 December – a choice between a scientific field tour, visit to the James Hutton Institute visualisation suite and archive, or a cultural city tour.