Smith Lecture - Jane Willenbring, Stanford University

Landscapes are often viewed as the scenic backdrop on which life grows; when the landscape changes, biota responds passively to this change. A new view is emerging in which landscapes represent an ever-changing canvas shaped by dynamic interactions between life and landscape, through erosion, sediment transport, and alteration of rock to produce soil. In this talk, I will discuss my group’s research regarding soil erosion and soil production and some devastating consequences for our understanding of soil sustainability.