Children's book authors Dr. Ben Ellert and Katelyn Lutes

By Dori Modney with files from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Pair of Lethbridge researchers nab international recognition for children’s book about – soil science

Jan 7, 2021 | 3:00 PM

OTTAWA, Ont. — On the face of things, it may not seem like a topic that’s likely to engage children. However, it all depends on the presentation and a couple of Lethbridge Research scientists nailed it.

In honor of World Soil Day (WSD) 2020, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) launched a scientific children’s book contest on soil biodiversity with the motto “keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity”

A call went out to researchers around the world, and caught the attention of Dr. Ben Ellert of the Lethbridge Alberta Research Center, who knew just the right colleague collaborator with – Katelyn Lutes, a soil technician with an aptitude for illustration.

Both scientists have extensive experience and insight into soil biodiversity, and they saw the contest as an opportunity to create something of lasting value to promote an interest in their field.

The Ellert and Lutes team, placed second in the contest. Their submission, entitled Soil Biodiversity: What’s Most Important? ranked second out of 100 entries from 60 countries.

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Soil Biodiversity: What’s Most Important?

“Win or lose, we knew we would come out of this with a book that could be used to help inspire an interest in soil science for years to come,” says Lutes. “It’s wonderful to know that our work will be used to help spark the careers of future soil scientists and researchers and to promote the importance of protecting our soil.”

Soil health and biodiversity help ensure the sustainability of agricultural operations across Canada. Understanding the role that soil plays in production is critical to farmers, and AAFC scientists are committed to advancing soil science through a variety of intensive studies and ongoing research projects. The book put together by Ellert and Lutes outlines the many different fields of expertise that go into the study of soil, including entomology, botany, microbiology and more.

The premise of the book is that six diverse scientists gather to discuss the most important features of soil biodiversity, but each, coming from a distinct discipline, has their own idea. The book is lushly illustrated and includes many attention-getting drawings to highlight life in the soil.

Scientists Profiles:

Katelyn Lutes is a soil research technician working in the biogeochemistry lab at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research and Development Centre in Lethbridge. She earned a Master’s Degree focused on soil science, and has considerable experience in field, greenhouse and laboratory research. She applies her expertise in analytical chemistry to environmental gas and water samples, as well as plant tissues and especially soils.

Benjamin Ellert is a research scientist in biogeochemistry, also with the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research and Development Centre at Lethbridge. He earned a Ph. D. in soil science, and has considerable experience in research on the cycling of carbon, nitrogen and other biogeochemicals in agroecosystems. He studies the land-atmosphere exchanges of greenhouse gases associated with biogeochemical cycling, applies isotopic techniques to trace element flows in the environment, and gleans insights from assorted long-term field experiments. Ellert’s interest in agriculture stems from his early years on a small mixed farm at Milk River in southern Alberta.