The Sino-German Workshop on Sustainable Management of Mollisols was funded by the Sino-German Center, held in Harbin, July 26 to 31, 2014 to assess issues related to agricultural intensification. The workshop was co-organized by the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning (IARRP) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (HAAS). Over 40 senior scientists participated from Germany, China and other nations including about 80 local scientists. In a two-day presentation session, the participants mainly discussed four topics as: (1) Malfunctions of Mollisols and strategies for sustainable uses; (2) Physical degradation (soil erosion and compaction) and restoration; (3) Soil organic matter loss and sequestration; and (4) Soil microbial diversity change and promotion of microbial functioning. The workshop discussed and issued the ‘Harbin Declaration—for sustainable management of Mollisols in China during agricultural intensification’.

After the presentation session, all participants visited the Hailun Mollisol Experimental Station of CAS, the Mollisol Museum at HAAS, and some profiles of typical and degraded Mollisols.