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March 3, 2023
Join scientists at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee on Thursday 27th July for the 2023 edition of Fruit for the Future, the annual showcase of soft fruit research including scientific presentations, outdoor demonstrations, walks through...
February 2, 2023
The James Hutton Institute is issuing a last call for farmers and land managers across Scotland to enter its long-running soil competition, Best Soil in Show, which aims to highlight the importance of healthy soils across the country. Soil...
August 8, 2022
James Hutton is often regarded as the founder of modern geology, his research reset the world view on the Earth's processes and made possible other major theories such as continental drift and the theory of evolution. However, many people...
August 8, 2022
The James Hutton Institute, world leaders in soil science, will be showcasing a number of soil research initiatives at the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) which is taking place in Glasgow from 31 July - 5 August, this year the theme is...
July 7, 2022
The James Hutton Institute is calling for farmers and land managers across Scotland to enter its long-running soil competition, Best Soil in Show, which aims to highlight the importance of healthy soils across the country. This year's...
June 6, 2022
After a two-year enforced hiatus, the James Hutton Institute’s return to the Royal Highland Show was a success: a steady stream of visitors visited the marquee including farmers, research partners and families, as well as a significant...
June 6, 2022
TO ENTER BEST SOIL IN SHOW 2022, PLEASE REVIEW AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING FORMS:
June 6, 2022
Do you have any burning questions about the key issues influencing Scotland’s arable industry? Are you interested in sustainable farming practices and how best to achieve net-zero? Then why not visit Arable Scotland (Balruddery Farm near...
May 5, 2022
Dr Rebekka Artz, a senior scientist within the James Hutton Institute’s Ecological Sciences department, has been included in the inaugural ENDS Power List, which names the 100 UK environmental professionals who have made the greatest impact...
May 5, 2022
A Hutton scientific study summarising six years of agricultural research undertaken for the Scottish Government highlights the impact of the use of ecological principles in agriculture on sustainability, resilience, and provision of ecosystem...
April 4, 2022
Forensic scientists from across Europe are gathering in Aberdeen for the ninth meeting of the Animal, Plant and Soil Traces (APST) Working Group of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI). Around 50 experts are expected...
April 4, 2022
The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, visited the James Hutton Institute’s Glensaugh Research Farm, near Laurencekirk, site of our Climate-Positive Farming Initiative. Climate-...
April 4, 2022
A five-year, £3.7m research project involving scientists from across the UK and partners across Europe will assess the risk that climate change poses to our peatlands and create the capability to better manage these important ecosystems....
March 3, 2022
Join scientists at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee on Thursday 21 July for the 2022 edition of Fruit for the Future, the annual showcase of soft fruit research including scientific presentations, outdoors demonstrations and walks through...
January 1, 2022
The Crop Production in Northern Britain Conference, the foremost summit discussing environmental management and crop production in northern environments, is back this year as an online event on 1-2 March. CPNB 2022 brings together agronomists,...
December 12, 2021
Researchers at the James Hutton Institute and James Hutton Limited are exploring ways to reduce the losses caused by potato cyst nematodes (PCN) in commercial potato production. PCN is an increasing challenge to the UK fresh and processing potato...
December 12, 2021
By Mike Rivington Will there be turkeys for Christmas? In spite of some likely strains due to Brexit, labour shortages and the familiar yet ever-evolving disruptions of COVID-19, the answer is a fairly safe yes. Yet this is perhaps surprising....
December 12, 2021
Soil seed banks are a hidden stock for plant diversity and are critical for the recovery of disturbed ecosystems. A new study co-authored by Prof Robin Pakeman, a senior scientist within the James Hutton Institute’s Ecological Sciences...
December 12, 2021
By Ken Loades, Roy Neilson, Tracy Valentine and Nikki Baggaley COP26 highlighted more than ever that we must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and become more sustainable before it’s too late. Soil is a key component in this battle and...
October 10, 2021
Until July 2022, the James Hutton Institute’s Aberdeen site will host Compass, a sculpture by Scottish artist Annie Cattrell that draws inspiration from Scottish geology and James Hutton’s Theory of the Earth, specifically Siccar...
October 10, 2021
The National Soil Archive of Scotland, held at the Aberdeen campus of the James Hutton Institute, has added two large samples of Dopplerite to its collection by gift of the executors of Mr William Filshie. Dopplerite is a naturally occurring, but...
August 8, 2021
A major new project will tackle pests in potatoes through the protection of clean land and the management of land already infested with pests. The project will focus specifically on tackling potato cyst nematode (PCN), which is becoming an...
July 7, 2021
Would you like to climb a mountain in the Cairngorms this summer in the name of science? The James Hutton Institute have partnered with Plantlifeto discover more about the fungi that lie beneath the surface of the 58 Munros of the Cairngorms...
July 7, 2021
Join scientists at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee on Thursday 15th July for the 2021 edition of Fruit for the Future, the annual showcase of soft fruit research including scientific presentations, outdoors demonstrations and walks through...
June 6, 2021
Scotland has a legally binding commitment of being net-zero by 2045, and a 31% reduction is required in emissions from agriculture by 2032. This topic will be under discussion in the fourth Arable Conversations session on 29th June 2021 at 6:00...
June 6, 2021
Join us at Arable Scotland on 29th June for a virtual Arable Conversation with Pete Iannetta (James Hutton Institute), Ed Brown (Hutchinsons), Dick Neale (Hutchinsons), Christine Watson (SRUC) and Paul Hargreaves (SRUC), which will look at...
May 5, 2021
The critical role soil can play in forensic investigations has again been highlighted by the involvement of the James Hutton Institute's soil forensics team in a high-profile case, this time the inquiry by Police Scotland into the...
May 5, 2021
Legume plants can make ‘smart’ management decisions when it comes to interacting with their symbiotic bacterial partners to harness nitrogen from the atmosphere, a research team including a James Hutton Institute scientist has shown,...
April 4, 2021
Substantial cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved by raising water levels in agricultural peatlands, according to a new study co-authored by James Hutton Institute scientists and published in the journal Nature. Peatlands...
April 4, 2021
A partnership agreement has been signed between Utah State University and the James Hutton Institute to promote cooperation in agricultural and environmental research, with emphasis on climate change issues. The agreement was signed by...
April 4, 2021
A new mobile app has been launched to provide farmers, land managers and the public with a quick, easy way to learn about soil erosion in Scotland and contribute their own records and images to improve our current understanding and to...
April 4, 2021
A research project examining the potential of using crushed basic silicate rocks as a soil input, for enhanced carbon sequestration and soil biodiversity, has reported positive results.
April 4, 2021
First Milk, Nestlé and Agricarbon have announced the launch of a pioneering soil carbon capture project, with scientific guidance from leading soil ecologist and James Hutton Institute Honorary Associate, Dr Helaina Black. The project...
March 3, 2021
Scientists of the James Hutton Institute, working alongside partners at China Agriculture University, have discovered novel ways in which arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, bacteria and plant roots interact to influence the transfer of nutrients to...
December 12, 2020
By Pete Iannetta, Alison Karley, Cathy Hawes and David Michie
November 11, 2020
A new hydrological study co-authored by James Hutton Institute PhD student Camilla Negri and colleagues based in Italy has shown that winter flooding, the application of water onto agricultural lands to recharge groundwater aquifers during...
October 10, 2020
Scientists from the UK’s foremost agricultural research organisations, including the James Hutton Institute, have teamed up to create a new UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank (UK-CMCB) to safeguard future research and facilitate the sustainable...
September 9, 2020
As part of wide-ranging efforts to provide Scotland’s land managers, agencies and the public with open access resources, the James Hutton Institute has progressively been digitising the published one inch to the mile (1:63,360) and 1:50,000...
August 8, 2020
The James Hutton Institute is taking part in a project led by the Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA), the UK’s only membership body owning Scottish organic standards, which will examine a new product that could help Scottish...
July 7, 2020
Capturing carbon in soil is a frequent feature of climate change mitigation measures, but the variability in soils and greenhouse gas emissions makes it difficult to evaluate results. A new £1 million research project led by James Hutton...
July 7, 2020
This one-day event organised by the Dundee Roots Group and held at the West Park Conference Centre in Dundee, is aimed at scientists interested in root research and the plant-soil interface and will feature the 2020 ISRR Medal Lecture on Root...
June 6, 2020
Different groups of soil fungi control the interactions between seedlings and established trees and can play a key role in the development or restoration of forests, new research by James Hutton Institute scientists has found.
April 4, 2020
MycoNourish, an ambitious new biotechnology company and spin-out of the James Hutton Institute, announced today the completion of a £150K funding round led by Techstart Ventures. The funding, combined with a recent £125K Higgs Award...
April 4, 2020
The award-winning film Thank You For The Rain was the focus of the James Hutton Institute’s first ever collective 'online' film screening on the 6th of April, highlighting a range of issues including climate justice, urbanisation...
March 3, 2020
“Soil is life. We breathe the air, we drink the water and we eat the crops, we live on the soil. Soil stores twice as much carbon globally as the vegetation above ground and is a universe of microbial life working with plants to balance the...
February 2, 2020
An initiative supported by the James Hutton Institute has set its sights on developing methods for measuring soil carbon with a cost-effective commercial tool to help UK farmers tap into the carbon credits market. Agricarbon, led by Invergowrie...
December 12, 2019
‘Erosion’ is partly a natural process where soil particles are transported by our rivers and streams to the sea. ‘Accelerated erosion’ however, is caused by inappropriate land use or land management and this is a global...
December 12, 2019
Our soils are under threat from ever more intensive agriculture and climate changes. Extreme rainfall events such as Storm Frank in 2016 are predicted to become more common: a recent report from the Met Office suggested that there is a 34% chance...
November 11, 2019
Research by agricultural scientists in Scotland and beyond has shown that intercropping, i.e. growing two or more crop species together in ‘plant teams’, can improve agricultural sustainability by stabilising or increasing crop yields...
November 11, 2019
Scientists of the James Hutton Institute recently visited China on a fact-finding mission to see how the Institute might collaborate with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) to improve soybean cropping in China through better...
November 11, 2019
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) and the James Hutton Institute to promote cooperation in research on plant crop and soil science, agriculture,...
October 10, 2019
Given the urgency of the climate crisis, it is past time to start driving large-scale change and the James Hutton Institute is well-placed to focus on the implementation of land management options that we know are beneficial for soil organic...
September 9, 2019
Soils delay runoff, store and redistribute water and provide a supply of moisture for plant growth. These soil functions are fundamental for the understanding of how pollutants travel from land to waters and to evaluate ecosystem services. Dr...
August 8, 2019
A ground-breaking research trial conducted by the James Hutton Institute and Kings Crops, a division of Frontier Agriculture, into the impact of green cover crops in Scotland has demonstrated notable benefits for spring barley yields, soil and...
August 8, 2019
Maize is the most important cereal crop in southern Africa but without new management practices and with the increased risk of drought, yields which are already low are predicted to further decline. It is therefore critical that new approaches...
July 7, 2019
Ground-breaking research into the soil beneath our feet, just published in the journal Nature, transforms current understanding of life on land by revealing that the world’s largest animal populations are found in high-latitude sub-arctic...
June 6, 2019
Richard Gospel, of Hassiewells Farm near Rothienorman, has been announced as the winner of Best Soil in Show at the Royal Highland Show 2019, with Alistair Brunton, of Balmonth Farm by Carnbee in Fife, scooping the Young Farmers prize for a...
May 5, 2019
Scientists of the James Hutton Institute have provided evidence for an investigation conducted by the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee into the quality and reliability of forensic science within the UK legal system, as part...
May 5, 2019
Professor Lorna Dawson, Head of Soil Forensics at the James Hutton Institute and SEFARI Advisor on the Scottish Government‘s Strategic Research Programme 2016-2021, has been recognised with an Expert Witness Award 2019 by specialist...
May 5, 2019
This one-day event organised by the Dundee Roots Group and held at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, is aimed at scientists interested in root research and the plant-soil interface and will feature the 2019 ISRR Medal Lecture on Root Research...
May 5, 2019
Fruit for the Future is one of the James Hutton Institute’s most successful and long-running industry events and is aimed at farmers, agronomists, representatives of the food and drink industries, researchers and others interested in soft...
April 4, 2019
Come and spend a fun family day at Mylnefield Farm! The Institute will be taking part in Open Farm Sunday 2019 on 9 June.
March 3, 2019
A course delivered by James Hutton Institute specialist staff with contributions by honorary associate Tony Fraser.
March 3, 2019
Professor Lorna Dawson, head of Forensic Soil Science at the James Hutton Institute and advisor to the SEFARI Strategic Research Programme, has been made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE),...
February 2, 2019
CLICK BELOW FOR APPLICATION FORM AND RELATED DOCUMENTATION - DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 10TH MAY 2019 Supported by the Glenside Group
December 12, 2018
November 11, 2018
A new report by James Hutton Institute scientists has found that climate change, along with variations in machinery and farming practices, is likely to increase the susceptibility of Scottish soils to erosion or damage by compaction. The...
November 11, 2018
A new research study aims to demonstrate how the combination of digital X-ray signatures with data-driven approaches can replace the time-consuming elements of expert led mineral identification and allow for new insights into the role of soil...
October 10, 2018
Introduction The riparian zone occupies the critical interface between land and watercourses where processes have great potential to influence stream and river biogeochemical and ecological conditions and is a key management location. Riparian...
September 9, 2018
Hutton scientist Peter Orrell and his product MycoNourish have been announced as runners-up in the 2018 Converge Challenge, Scotland's leading higher education company creation programme, at a ceremony held yesterday in Edinburgh’s...
September 9, 2018
MycoNourish, a product designed by Hutton scientist Peter Orrell, has been announced as finalist of the Converge Challenge 2018, Scotland's leading higher education company creation programme.
June 6, 2018
Here you will find details of past meetings of the UK Alpine Ecology Network along with links to workshop reports and presentations where available. Return to main Alpine Ecology Network page Inaugural meeting January 2018, James Hutton...
June 6, 2018
Hutton scientist Dr Peter Orrell has won the ‘Ready Steady Pitch’ award of the Converge Challenge 2018 with his MycoNourish product, which uses fungi to act as a secondary root system and improve plant health. The result came after...
May 5, 2018
Scientists from the James Hutton Institute are supporting the Asian Agricultural Long-Term Experiment (ALTER) with the aim of providing scientific basis and management options for soil sequestration and agricultural sustainability in Asia and...
May 5, 2018
This one-day event organised by the Dundee Roots Group and held at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, is aimed at scientists interested in root research and the plant-soil interface and will feature the 2018 ISRR Medal Lecture on Root Research...
April 4, 2018
Mr Fergus Ewing MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, today visited the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen to hear about our world leading scientific research in crops and climate change, as well as its commercial impact in...
April 4, 2018
A course delivered by James Hutton Institute specialist staff with contributions by honorary associate Tony Fraser.
April 4, 2018
April 4, 2018
The James Hutton Institute has partnered with Syngenta and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to develop and test a run-off tool app. The tool will advise land managers on the best management practices to reduce run-off and trap...
March 3, 2018
Come and spend a fun family day at Glensaugh Farm! The Institute will be taking part in Open Farm Sunday 2018 on 10 June.
February 2, 2018
Scientists from the James Hutton Institute have developed a screening system which uses transparent soil technology to help fight nematodes - microscopic worms that are harmful to plants, damaging about 10% of susceptible crops and causing...
January 1, 2018
China's North Plain is one of the country's most important - and densely populated - agricultural regions, producing crops such as corn, cereals, vegetables and cotton. A research project led by the James Hutton Institute and China...
January 1, 2018
Blowing up landmines and other undetonated explosives may be safer and more environmentally friendly than physically removing them from contaminated land, according to new research carried out by the University of Dundee, in partnership with...
January 1, 2018
Euan Caldwell, Head of Farm, Field and Glasshouses at the James Hutton Institute, has been recognised with the prestigious Royal Agricultural Society of England’s Technology Award at the Society’s 2017 award presentation for his and...
December 12, 2017
The Conference represents a wide spectrum of life science interests in and around the city, from the ‘red end’ of medical sciences to the ‘green end’ with plant and crop science. This year's accompanying Networking...
December 12, 2017
Matt Aitkenhead & Cathy Hawes Soil is vital to our survival. We need it to grow our crops, feed our livestock, maintain our water supply and provide a home for biodiversity. However, because we do not see it doing these things, we forget...
December 12, 2017
Soil scientists from the James Hutton Institute, along with colleagues at Cranfield University, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, have contributed to the development of the first Global Soil Organic...
October 10, 2017
The SIFSS (Soil Indicators for Scottish Soils) app has recently been updated to improve usability. Aimed at growers, farmers and land managers in Scotland, the app allows them to quickly identify soil type in their area.
September 9, 2017
Researchers at the James Hutton Institute and the University of Aberdeen are exploring the relationship between ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi and native tree species in Scotland. The study will also determine which climatic and environmental...
September 9, 2017
Research into organic phosphorus is key to ensure future food security and environmental sustainability, according to an international group of scientists led by researchers at the James Hutton Institute, Lancaster University’s Environment...
September 9, 2017
Soil scientists at the James Hutton Institute are working to create the first unified digital map of soil properties within Great Britain, a development which will contribute to worldwide Global Soil Map projects and improve the data available to...
August 8, 2017
Glensaugh and three other research farms managed by the James Hutton Institute provide a valuable long term platform to meet the research needs of the Scottish Government's Strategic Research Programme.
July 7, 2017
The important role soil can play in forensic investigations has again been highlighted by the involvement of the James Hutton Institute’s soil forensics team in a high-profile case, this time the enquiry by South Yorkshire Police into the...
June 6, 2017
The GROW Observatory (GROW) is a European-wide project engaging thousands of growers, scientists and others passionate about the land. We will discover together, using simple tools to better manage soil and grow food, while contributing to vital...
June 6, 2017
Context
May 5, 2017
  Soils provide a range of benefits for society including growing crops and timber, regulating water flow, and storing carbon. However, these functions face threats from soil erosion, compaction, contamination, and losses to urban...
May 5, 2017
May 5, 2017
May 5, 2017
May 5, 2017
This one-day event organised by the Dundee Roots Group and held at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, is aimed at scientists interested in root research and the plant-soil interface and will feature the 2017 ISRR Medal Lecture on Root Research...
May 5, 2017
  Come and spend a fun family day on the farm!
March 3, 2017
Our soils provide many services or functions,  for example soils are essential for crop production but they also play an unseen role in limiting diffuse pollution to waters, storing organic carbon and reducing Green House Gas emissions to...
February 2, 2017
Samples from Scotland’s National Soil Archive hosted at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen have been used for the art/science project Geologic Intimacy (Yu no Hana) by artist Ilana Halperin, which highlights the historical connections...
December 12, 2016
Professor Jeff Wilson, Honorary Research Fellow of the James Hutton Institute, has been presented with the Collins Medal at the President’s Lunch of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
December 12, 2016

Peat Surveys: Knock Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Knock Moss, Wigtownshire
December 12, 2016

Peat Surveys: Elsie Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Elsie Moss, Aberdeenshire
December 12, 2016
Peat Deposit: Fiag Plantation, Highland
December 12, 2016
Peat Deposit: Wyndford Moss, Aberdeenshire
December 12, 2016
November 11, 2016
The inventiveness and effort of staff at the James Hutton Institute were recognised with a score of awards - including the top prize - at the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Business Star Awards, held at the Crieff Hydro with over 300 guests from...
November 11, 2016
Summary of Peat Deposit Depths, and Land Cover in 1988
November 11, 2016
Peat Deposit: Blacklaw Bog, South Lanarkshire
November 11, 2016
A practical ‘magic margins’ solution to soil erosion devised by the James Hutton Institute’s Farm, Field & Glasshouse team won the Innovation Award at the RSPB Nature of Scotland 2016 Awards prizegiving ceremony, held at the...
November 11, 2016
Peat Deposit: Awhirk Moss, Wigtownshire
October 10, 2016
Peat Deposit: Drumbreck Moss, North Lanarkshire
October 10, 2016
Peat Deposit: Drumbow Moss, North Lanarkshire
October 10, 2016
Drs Hazel Bull and Lionel Dupuy, from the James Hutton Institute, joined fellow scientists from across the UK in sharing crop research updates at the New Frontiers in Crop Research Conference, organised by the Biotechnology and Biological...
October 10, 2016
Peat Deposit: Dirskelpin Moss, Wigtownshire
October 10, 2016
Women who are current or former students of agriculture and related courses (including agricultural economics, rural business management, equine and horse care, and large animal veterinary practice) at college or university level in Scotland are...
October 10, 2016
A new look version of the Scotland’s Soils website has been launched, in a drive to promote access to information on one of Scotland’s most valuable natural assets.
September 9, 2016
Peat Deposit: Nutberry Moss and Dornock Flow, Dumfriesshire Survey: 1967
September 9, 2016
Soil isn’t just dirt: it’s the ideal trace material, as it sticks when wet and can be highly distinctive. That’s what Professor Lorna Dawson, Head of Soil Forensic Science at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, said after...
September 9, 2016
Summary The Land Capability Classification for Forestry [PDF, 25KB] aims to present detailed information on soil, climate and relief in a form which will be of value to land use planners, foresters, consultants and others involved in optimising...
September 9, 2016

Peat Surveys: Creca Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Creca Moss, Dumfriesshire
September 9, 2016

Scotland's Soil Data (Research Page)

To view a wide range of soil and land capability maps online please visit Scotland's Soils website or the National Library of Scotland where you can view a selection of the published 1:63,360 (1 inch to the mile) scale maps. A number of soil...
September 9, 2016
Peat Deposit: Gartur Moss, Stirlingshire
September 9, 2016

Our Science (Research Page)

Our work covers much of the terrestrial environment and involves soils, water and crop production. Soils Physical, chemical and biological processes within soils underpin a vast range of ecosystem services. Our work deals with the fundamental...
September 9, 2016
As part of the Bloody Scotland Festival, our Head of Soil Forensics, Professor Lorna Dawson, will participate in a discussion of forensic fact and fiction together with crime writer Lin Anderson.
September 9, 2016
As part of Byres Road Book Festival, our Head of Soil Forensics, Professor Lorna Dawson, will participate in a discussion of forensic fact and fiction together with crime writer Lin Anderson.
September 9, 2016
The launch of a massive, European-wide project aiming to involve tens of thousands of ‘citizen scientists’ in a drive to empower growers with knowledge on sustainable practices and make a vital contribution to global environmental...
September 9, 2016
Peat Deposit: Cranley Bog, South Lanarkshire
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Harburn and Cobbinshaw Bogs, West Lothian
August 8, 2016
LCA - Further information
August 8, 2016

1:25 000 Soil Map (Research Page)

1:25 000 Soil Map - Further information
August 8, 2016
1:250 000 National Soil Map - Further information
August 8, 2016
How are Soils Classified? Fundamental to soil characterisation and mapping, is soil classification where like soils can be grouped according to key characteristics. Soil classification in Scotland is based on the recognition of morphological...
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Backhill of Bush Moss, Kirkudbrightshire
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Mindork Moss, Wigtownshire
August 8, 2016

Peat Surveys: Glims Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Glims Moss, Orkney
August 8, 2016

Peat Surveys: White Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: White Moss, Orkney
August 8, 2016

Peat Surveys: Dornal Bog (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Dornal Bog, Wigtownshire
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Threepwood Moss, Roxburghshire
July 7, 2016
Four new projects addressing challenges in soil and water management across whole rotations have been awarded £1.2m in funding from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). The interrelated projects will form a five-year...
June 6, 2016
The aim of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem subgroup is to understand how human driven global and local changes impact on the network of interactions between animals, microbes and plants in natural and semi-natural habitats to predict change and...
June 6, 2016
The James Hutton Institute is delighted to once again be inviting visitors to join them at their marquee during the Royal Highland Show where we will be showcasing the contribution our science and research makes to the continuing success of...
June 6, 2016
Maps of the distribution of surveys of peat deposits by the Scottish Peat Committee and Macaulay Institute Peat Surveys (since 1984)
June 6, 2016
Scientists at the James Hutton institute have welcomed the findings of a report published by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on the health of UK soils. Soil is of fundamental importance to society yet remains one of our most...
April 4, 2016
Ongoing research by the James Hutton Institute, Rothamsted Research and Lancaster University is shedding light into the dark world of roots and soils, by focusing on the potential of plants to harness the phosphorus (P) already present in soils...
March 3, 2016
UK soils are a non-renewable resource and they underpin our food security, water management, biodiversity and carbon storage. However, are the right policies and incentives in place to ensure their long-term health? The question is at the centre...
February 2, 2016
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 29 (Research Page)

HOST Class 29
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 28 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 27 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 26 (Research Page)

HOST Class 26 Geology:
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 24 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 22 (Research Page)

HOST Class 22 Geology: hard, coherent rock within 0.5 m of the soil surface. Landform:
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 19 (Research Page)

Geology: hard, coherent rock within one metre of the soil surface. Landforms: undulating, glacially scoured lowlands, in the high undulating mountain plateaux, and on summits with shallow frost-shattered debris and patterned ground. A...
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 18 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 17 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 16 (Research Page)

Geology: water modified glacial till underlain by the slowly permeable fine-textured till at depths greater than one metre. water modified tills have had fine particles of clay and silt removed from their upper layers by water from melting...
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 15 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 14 (Research Page)

Geology: loamy drift, locally colluvial, some moraine. Landforms: concave slopes or depressional sites in the foothills, valley sides and lowlands. Occasional areas of irregular topography or hummocky moraine. Generally found below...
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 13 (Research Page)

Geology: loamy drift deposits, some moundy moraine. Landforms: gently to strongly undulating lowland and foothills, some valley-side and hummocky moraines. Soils: weakly gleyed brown earths and humus-iron podzols (wetness class...
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 12 (Research Page)

Geology: peat and alluvial deposits. Landforms: Low lying hollows amongst fluvioglacial ridges and mounds, dune slacks, gently undulating raised beaches and outwash plains. Basin and valley peats formed in confined and partially...
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 10 (Research Page)

Geology: alluvial deposits and saltings. Landforms: found in low lying areas around lochs, between fluvioglacial mounds, along rivers and on raised beaches. Also saltings and dune slacks. Soils:
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 9 (Research Page)

HOST Class 9 Geology: fine textured (silty or clayey) lacustrine or riverine alluvium.
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 8 (Research Page)

HOST Class 8 Geology: alluvial deposits. Landforms: alluvial areas in close proximity to rivers. Soils: immature free and imperfectly drained, loamy textured alluvial soils (wetness class I-Ill). Vegetation:
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 7 (Research Page)
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 6 (Research Page)

Geology: loamy textured drift underlain by porous rocks such as sandstones. They are found throughout the lowlands of Scotland but most extensively in the east, Caithness and Sutherland. Landforms: the landforms associated with this...
February 2, 2016

HOST Class 4 (Research Page)

Geology:
February 2, 2016

HOST Applications (Research Page)

Further Details and How to obtain Host Distribution of Host Classes Provisional Groundwater Vulnerability Loch Katrine Standard Percentage Runoff Land Classification for Sewage Sludge
February 2, 2016
February 2, 2016

How to obtain HOST (Research Page)

HOST is available for lease either as a 1 Km2 raster grid version which covers the whole of Great Britain and has the proportions of HOST classes indicated for each grid cell or as a simple lookup table to convert existing soil maps. Either can...
February 2, 2016
February 2, 2016
February 2, 2016
This map is based on the soil and substrate properties incorporated into HOST. More detailed maps are available.
February 2, 2016
The HOST classes in the Loch Katrine catchment were used to determine the Standard Percentage Runoff values in broad classes.
February 2, 2016
Land classification for sewage sludge utilization
February 2, 2016
Flow pathways of data and information
February 2, 2016

Soil posters (Research Page)

This series of posters around Scottish soils was originally designed in collaboration with Geography teachers from Scottish schools. In light of the enlightened public interest in soils as a result of 2015 being the International Year of Soils,...
December 12, 2015
Dr Matt Aitkenhead, Information and Computational Sciences, James Hutton Institute
December 12, 2015
Professor Lorna Dawson, Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute
December 12, 2015
Blair McKenzie, Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute
December 12, 2015
Willie Towers, Environmental and Biochemical Sciences; Dr Katrin Prager, Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences, James Hutton Institute
December 12, 2015
Professor Philip J. White, Ecological Sciences, James Hutton Institute
December 12, 2015
Dr Andrew Nolan, Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute, and Bill Rayner, Forest Research, Forestry Commission
December 12, 2015
Dr A.G. Bengough, James Hutton Institute and University of Dundee
December 12, 2015
Dr Kenneth Loades, Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute; Dr Gráinne El Mountassir, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde
December 12, 2015
Dr Alison Bennett, Dr Tim Daniell, Dr Timothy George, Ecological Sciences, James Hutton Institute The “green revolution” led to an increase in crop yield at least three times greater than the previous century, and this increase...
December 12, 2015
Dr Rupert Hough, Information and Computational Sciences, James Hutton Institute; Jon Stubberfield, Ph.D. student Soils are one of the most complex and dynamic natural systems studied by scientists. Although usually out of sight, everything in...
December 12, 2015
Dr Matt Aitkenhead, Information and Computational Sciences; Dr Helaina Black, Ecological Sciences; and Willie Towers, Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute
December 12, 2015
The MRES report provides a review of recent and ongoing work relevant to ecosystem service mapping in Scotland. It provides a reference resource for future research and a list of example methodologies used in this area, while at the same time...
October 10, 2015
In collaboration with Police Scotland detectives, Professor Lorna Dawson and her team from the James Hutton Institute has helped narrow down the number of possible locations where the remains of schoolgirl Moira Anderson, missing since 1957,...
October 10, 2015
October 10, 2015
September 9, 2015
As part of activities planned to mark the International Year of Soils, the James Hutton Institute and the National Library of Scotland have teamed up to offer access to the Institute’s historical one inch to 1 mile (1:63,360) Soil Survey of...
August 8, 2015
The James Hutton Institute will host this one-day seminar on constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. The morning session will consist of a series of short talks on various aspects of constructed wetlands including overall effectiveness,...
August 8, 2015
Register now for the opening of Soil, the Earth's Tender Skin Exhibition at Summerhall to mark the UN International Year of Soil and to celebrate the health and diversity of Scotland's soils today and in the future.
August 8, 2015
Reflections of James Hutton Institute scientists on the concept of soil, tools for digital soil monitoring and the implications of soil for policymaking, forensic science, engineering, health and nutrition, have been featured in the latest issue...
August 8, 2015
A Macaulay Development Trust funded PhD student, based between the James Hutton Institute and Cranfield University, is seeking information from individuals and organisations about their utilisation of soils data, in a drive to improve decision-...
June 6, 2015
Although frequently out of sight, everything in our lives is underpinned by soil — our roads, our homes, the food we eat, and the water we drink. At the Royal Highland Show (18-21 June 2015), and as part of the International Year of Soil...
May 5, 2015
Do you know just how important plant roots are? Everybody knows they provide plants with the nutrients they need to produce the food we eat, but they also have a few surprising uses you might not have heard about.
May 5, 2015
The James Hutton Institute is delighted to once again be inviting visitors to join them at their marquee during the Royal Highland Show where we will be showcasing the contribution our science and research makes to the continuing success of...
April 4, 2015
Prestigious scientific publication Nature has published a profile of Professor Lorna Dawson, Head of Soil Forensics at the James Hutton Institute. The story, titled Forensic science: The soil sleuth, describes Professor Dawson’s journey...
March 3, 2015
Dr Jack A Gilbert, leader of the Hospital Microbiome Project, Earth Microbiome Project, Home Microbiome Project, and co-founder of American Gut will be visiting Dundee to deliver the 2015 CLS/Hutton Distinguished Lecture on Tuesday 21 April...
March 3, 2015
A James Hutton Institute scientist has been awarded a highly prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant to undertake research on a new generation of artificial soils; it is hoped that this would allow researchers to better...
March 3, 2015
Professor Liz Baggs (Head of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen) will give an overview of what we now know about how the contributions of biological and chemical processes to nitrous oxide emission have evolved over time. Abstract
February 2, 2015
The soil around roots of plants such as barley – one of our most important crops - is a battleground where only certain bacteria can survive, suggests evidence gathered by an international team including a scientist based at the James...
January 1, 2015
SOCiT soil carbon app
January 1, 2015

Books and Book Chapters (Research Page)

Water Ecosystem Services - A Global Perspective
January 1, 2015

Workshops (Research Page)

Scotland’s peat bogs - rural community perceptions on Lewis (PDF File: 5,798KB)
December 12, 2014
Schoolchildren and university students joined forces with soil scientists in Aberdeen to plant 15 trees and mark the launch of the International Year of Soils (IYS) 2015 and World Soil Day. The trees were planted at schools across the Aberdeen...
November 11, 2014

Soils Maps of Scotland (Research Page)

To celebrate World Soils Day on the 5th December and the start of the International Year of Soils, we have made available for download scanned copies of the original seven 1:250,000 scale soil maps of Scotland and the accompanying handbooks. The...
November 11, 2014
The UK Soils Observatory (UKSO), an initiative supported by the James Hutton Institute and other leading soil research institutions to provide a point of access to UK soils data and underpinning research, has been awarded the Excellence with...
October 10, 2014
National Soil Inventory for Scotland
October 10, 2014
National Soils Database
October 10, 2014
Scotland's soil resources
October 10, 2014
Learn more about soils & climate change
October 10, 2014

Soils@Hutton (Research Page)

Soils & natural capital
August 8, 2014
Data from spatial monitoring of water quality provided parameter sets for validation of catchment scale models. These have been used in a number of externally funded research projects including REFRESH.
August 8, 2014
Management to mitigate pollutant swapping Buffer strips are useful for mitigating diffuse pollution. As riparian buffers perform their role in sediment trapping, P accumulates with no loss mechanism (as in wetland denitrification for N)....
August 8, 2014
Dr Paul Williams from Queen's University Belfast will be giving a seminar entitled 'High resolution 2D imaging of trace elements in soils by diffusive gradient thin-film (DGT) and laser ablation (LA) ICP-MS' at the James Hutton...
August 8, 2014
A scientist from the James Hutton Institute has been named the best young mycologist in Europe and joined an elite group of only six researchers around the world to be awarded a similar accolade for their continent. Dr Alison Bennett, a...
August 8, 2014
Frederic Rees, Researcher and PhD student at the University of Lorraine in Nancy, France, will give this seminar titled "Using biochar as an amendment to control the mobility of heavy metals in contaminated soils" at the James Hutton...
July 7, 2014
July 7, 2014
A young horticultural scientist who has implemented changes to growing practices, which are already bringing financial benefits as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership, has been nominated for the prestigious Business Leader of Tomorrow Awards...
June 6, 2014
The future of Scotland’s national drink is being boosted by scientists at the James Hutton Institute. Their work across many fronts aims to ensure the sustainability and continued success of Scotch whisky, one of the world’s best-...
June 6, 2014
On the whole, Scotland’s environment is of good quality and there have been many significant improvements in recent years. However, the 2014 State of the Environment Report clearly shows that some habitats and species are under threat, and...
June 6, 2014
The James Hutton Institute will once again be inviting visitors to join them at their marquee during the Royal Highland Show where we will be showcasing the contribution our science and research makes to the continuing success of the Scotch...
May 5, 2014
May 5, 2014
Background Over 85% of land plants are obligate associated with mycorrhizal fungi illustrating the importance of the symbiosis. Fungi provide water and essential nutrients to their host plants in exchange for carbohydrates derived from...
May 5, 2014
Dr Duncan Cameron of the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield will give this seminar entitled "Next generation solutions for current generation problems: Enhancing mycorrhizal function in wheat" at the...
May 5, 2014
Farmers could improve the efficiency of phosphorus in crop production by coupling plants with complementary traits, which would allow them to harness the ‘phosphorus bank’ already present in soils.
March 3, 2014
Researchers at the James Hutton Institute and partner organisations are working to understand how seed potato becomes infected with Pectobacterium atrosepticum, the pathogen that causes blackleg; a disease that has been one of the most...
February 2, 2014
Do your own experiments to see what you could add to soil to help plants grow better, and learn about pH – with spectacular results. Join scientists from Scotland’s leading land use and crop research institute, the James Hutton...
February 2, 2014
Introduction
January 1, 2014

LandSFACTS downloads (Research Page)

The LandSFACTS software is available in several formats: with graphical interface, helpfile and tutorial [XP, W7], cf. below command-line [XP, W7, W7 x64, Linux x64], by request dynamic libraries [XP, W7, W7 x64, Linux x64], by request...
January 1, 2014
You might not think of microbes when you consider biodiversity, but it turns out that even a moderate loss of less than 5% of soil microbes may compromise some key ecosystem functions and could lead to lower degradation of toxins in the...
January 1, 2014

LandSFACTS publications (Research Page)

Publications relating to the LandSFACTS model.
January 1, 2014
The LandsFACTS model was originally (v1.6) set up to simulate cropping systems at the landscape scale. Since 2007, it was further developed to allow modelling land uses at multiple scales within an evolving environment. The diagram below presents...
January 1, 2014

LandSFACTS (Research Page)

LANDscape Scale Functional Allocation of Crops Temporally and Spatially
January 1, 2014
Environmental, economic and social issues associated with agriculture are often fundamental for rural prosperity and sustainability, with consequent implications for any debate about future land use. A key to supporting the planning of change is...
January 1, 2014
Stakeholder engagement events relating to theme topics Health and wellbeing conferences and workshops Date Title Theme role Venue 25 November 2013
January 1, 2014
Soil mapping
December 12, 2013
A newly discovered species of nitrogen-fixing bacterium named after a James Hutton Institute Honorary Research Fellow is part of a thrust for the development of sustainable agriculture on poor soils.
December 12, 2013
A new website, which brings together information on one of Scotland’s most valuable natural assets, has gone live. The website is the result of a collaboration between the Scottish Government, the James Hutton Institute, SEPA, SNH, the...
November 11, 2013
November 11, 2013
Exploiting genetic variation in the ability of plants to resist or tolerate attack by pests and pathogens has long been a focus of crop breeding programmes, although the genetic basis for plant resistance is often poorly-understood. However,...
November 11, 2013

Ecosystem services (Research Page)

Natural Capital is the resource from which Ecosystem Services, i.e. what an ecosystem 'does' or provides that ultimately gives some benefit to humans, are generated. We often think of these services in 4 categories:
October 10, 2013
Expertise and capability at the James Hutton institute, Dundee
September 9, 2013
September 9, 2013
Professor Lorna Dawson of the James Hutton Institute will be giving one of the keynote speeches at the Soil Association's National Soil Symposium in Bristol this November. She will give a talk entitled "The importance of soil in an...
June 6, 2013
A free, new soil carbon app has been launched to provide farmers with a quick, cost-effective source of information about the organic matter content of their soil. The app, known as SOCiT (Soil Organic Carbon information), provides information...
June 6, 2013

Biodiversity (Research Page)

The term biodiversity describes the diversity of life on Earth. Diversity can occur at a number of levels of biological organisation, from genes, through to individuals, populations, species, communities and entire ecosystems.
June 6, 2013

Soil Capital (Research Page)

Soils underpin a multitude of ecosystem goods and services that are not only vital to peoples’ livelihoods and Society in general, but also to Earth’s regulating systems.
April 4, 2013

Hydrology of Soil Types (Research Page)

Hydrologists are often required to predict river flows, for example, when designing flood protection or river management schemes. Where historical records exist, flow indices can be calculated statistically but where there are none, or few...
April 4, 2013

HYPRES updates (Research Page)

Version 1 of HYPRES is now complete and comprises approximately 1800 soil profiles with about 5500 individual soil samples with hydrological data. These data are from over 120 soil units (according to the modified FAO soil legend, CEC, 1985)....
April 4, 2013

HYPRES final report (Research Page)

Final Report on the European Union Funded project, 1998 Using existing soil data to derive hydraulic parameters for simulation models in environmental studies and in land use planning copies of the original report can be download from the...
April 4, 2013
Water Retention
April 4, 2013
April 4, 2013
Overview of the structure of the European soil hydraulic properties database HYPRES. Each column represents a separate table linked by geo-reference and horizon. HYPRES Version 1.1 has 5 additional fields in the BASICDATA table; FAO (1994 soil...
April 4, 2013
 
April 4, 2013
HYPRES Database:
April 4, 2013

BaBU Review (Research Page)

The Biotic and Biophysical Underpinning of Ecosystem Services in the Scottish Context  review was carried out to help deliver increased understanding of the linkages between the primary ecological and evolutionary processes, ecosystem...
October 10, 2012
August 8, 2012
We have a global reputation for our work crops, and in particular using high-throughput phenotyping approaches, such as metabolomics and transcriptomics, to assess a range of quality characteristics and their genetic control.
July 7, 2012

Transparent soils (Research Page)
May 5, 2012
The soil section provides a range of analytical services dedicated to the analysis of soils, peats, sediments and related materials. Dedicated staff and equipment provide high quality, accredited (ISO 17025), analytical data. Supporting both the...
April 4, 2012
Isotopes
April 4, 2012
The MOORCO project studies how woodland expansion onto moorland affects biodiversity and ecosystem services. MOORCO stands for moorland colonisation and is an umbrella project encompassing four different experimental platforms that study...
March 3, 2012

Environmental Chemistry (Research Page)
March 3, 2012
February 2, 2012

Soil diversity (Research Page)

The complexity of the soil system with many large gradients including nutrients and gases such as oxygen drive a massive diversity below ground. It has been estimated that there are over 40,000 different organisms contained within a gram of soil...
February 2, 2012
Soil plays a vital role in controlling the flow of water and chemicals between the atmosphere and the earth. As water passes through the soil it is filtered by plants, bacteria, fungi and soil particles, which remove various minerals and...
February 2, 2012

Soils and climate change (Research Page)

The climate is changing in response to the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While the burning of fossil fuels has made a major contribution to the levels of carbon dioxide, soils have been responsible for part...
February 2, 2012

Soils Database (Research Page)

What happens to the information recorded in the field by soil surveyors, and the results of all the analysis carried out on the samples they collect? Once it has been collated, it is stored securely so people from all over the world can use it as...
February 2, 2012

Soil science (Research Page)

We conduct a wide range of soil-related research. Read more on the following pages.
December 12, 2011
Currently, most plant root architectural models use computer simulations to mimic the developmental processes of root apical meristems and to construct virtual root architectures: single roots are assembled incrementally through the growth of a...
December 12, 2011

Tools (Research Page)

We are developing systems for live imaging of plant processes. We develop new substrate that facilitate observation of roots and apply a range of imaging techniques to make quantitative measurements. We have developed OPT and...
December 12, 2011

Multicellular models (Research Page)

Although plants are complex organisms, the position and shapes of cells, tissues, meristems and organs establish themselves through regular and repeated processes. The cell constitutes the elementary structural and functional unit of these...
December 12, 2011

Architectural models (Research Page)

It is essential for future models to provide predictive outputs that can be applied to agronomic, ecologic or environmental issues. In the future, models will be asked to address more diverse challenges such as; how can crops tolerate weeds? what...
December 12, 2011

Meristematic waves (Research Page)
December 12, 2011

Plant Soil Ecology (Research Page)

The mechanistic understanding of below-ground processes from gene to landscape scale is fundamental to our ability to deliver excellent science in managed and (semi)natural environments. It is an imperative to address agricultural sustainability...
November 11, 2011

Soil forensics (Research Page)
November 11, 2011

Land capability (Research Page)

Soil is a fundamental part of land and is key in determining what activities can be undertaken and supported on different types of land; how capable is land is sustaining different farming systems, different woodland types, valued habitats, as a...
November 11, 2011

Root-soil interactions (Research Page)

This interdisciplinary research examines below ground interactions between plants and soil, focusing on root growth and the rhizosphere. Research includes root growth processes in relation to environmental stresses, nutrient and water capture by...
November 11, 2011
September 9, 2011
June 6, 2011
Two top scientists at The James Hutton Institute have been appointed to Visiting Professor positions at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Dr Lorna Dawson, Principal Soil Scientist and Head of Soil Forensics, and Dr Wolfram Meier-Augenstein...
March 3, 2011

Lorna Dawson (Member of Staff)

Professor Lorna Dawson is Head of the Soil Forensics Group within the Environmental and Biochemical Sciences group at the James Hutton Institute, and has over 30 years’ experience in managing and conducting research in soil and plant...

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The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.