Vegetation restoration following large-scale geological disturbance is often limited by nutrient availability and the coarse texture of debris. Soil chronosequences develop on volcanic deposits, sand dunes, glacier forelands, and other consequences of catastrophic disturbance. Studies of these chronosequences have demonstrated how pedogenic processes interact with plant and microbial succession to regenerate soil nutrient cycling and vegetation during long-term ecosystem development. Understanding these synergetic processes can help to facilitate vegetation restoration on pedogenically compromised areas such as landslides, mining wasteland and alpine barelands.

The 1st International Symposium on Soil Nutrient Cycling along Chronosequences and its Implications for Ecological Restoration will be held between 6-11 May 2024 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. Organized by Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the meeting will bring together scientists studying soil chronosequences and ecosystem restoration to present findings and discuss state-of-the-art concepts in the discipline.