Dr. Tom Sims
Dr. Tom Sims
T. A. Baker Professor of Soil and Environmental Chemistry
Education
  • Ph.D. 1982, Michigan State University, Soil Chemistry
  • M.S. 1978, University of Georgia, Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
  • B.S. 1975, University of Georgia, Agronomy
Teaching
    Taught undergraduate and graduate courses in soil fertility and environmental soil science for 18 years. Faculty advisor to 30 graduate students and post-doctorates, and numerous undergraduate research projects including Science and Engineering scholars, Water Resource Center internships, and Degree with Distinction theses.
Research
  • Primary area of research is the cycling, fate, and transport of phosphorus and nitrogen in soils and the development of profitable, environmentally sound agricultural nutrient management practices. Other research areas include the development of environmental risk assessment protocols and soil tests for P and N; effects of dietary modification or chemical amendment on P speciation and availability in manures and biosolids; the use of municipal and industrial by-products (biosolids, coal fly ash, water treatment residuals) as beneficial soil amendments; and trace metal fate and cycling in soils.
Administrative Responsibilities:
  • Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Research
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware (2003-Present)
  • Director, Institute of Soil and Environmental Quality, University of Delaware (2002-Present)
  • Director, Delaware Water Resources Center, University of Delaware (1997-Present)
Professional Activities
  • Technical advisor at state, regional, national, and international levels for agencies responsible for water quality protection (Cooperative Extension, Delaware Nutrient Management Commission, DNREC, DDA, Conservation Districts, USDA-NRCS, USGS, USEPA) on development and implementation of nutrient management strategies and environmental policies that prevent nonpoint source pollution of surface and ground waters. International collaborative efforts with colleagues in Ireland, the U.K., the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden have focused on the development of environmentally sound practices to prevent agricultural phosphorus pollution of surface waters.
  • American Society of Agronomy
  • Soil Science Society of America
  • International Union of Soil Sciences
  • Gamma Sigma Delta
  • Sigma Xi
  • Selected Professional Activities and Honors:
  • President, Northeast Branch American Society of Agronomy & Soil Science Society of America (NE ASA&SSSA, 1991-1994)
  • F. D. Chester Distinguished Performance Award, College of Agricultural Sciences (1992)
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Environmental Quality (1994-2000)
  • Division Chair, S-11 (Soils & Environmental Quality), SSSA (1995-96)
  • Fellow, American Society of Agronomy (1995)
  • Fellow, & Soil Science Society of America (1996)
  • Outstanding Research Award, NE ASA&SSSA (1996)
  • American Society of Agronomy Excellence in Extension Education Award (1997, 1999)
  • Soil Science Society of America Applied Research Award (2000)
  • American Society of Agronomy Environmental Quality Research Award (2001)
  • Vice-Chair, Division 4 (Role of Soils in Sustaining Society and the Environment), International Union of Soil Sciences (2002-2006).
  • Technical Editor, Journal of Environmental Quality (2002)
  • President, & Soil Science Society of America (2002-2004)
  • American Society of Agronomy Executive Committee (2002-2004)
  • Agronomic Science Foundation, Board of Directors (2002-2008)
Recent Publications
More publications [ + ]
Recent Refereed Journal Articles

Sims, J. T., L. Bergstrom, B. T. Bowman, and O. Oenema.  2005.  Nutrient management for intensive animal agriculture: Policies and practices for sustainability.  Soil Use and Management (Special Edition).  21:141-151.

Bergstrom, L., B. T. Bowman, and J. T. Sims.  2005. Definition of sustainable and unsustainable issues in nutrient management of modern agriculture.  Soil Use and Management (Special Edition).  21:76-81.

Toor, G. S., J. Derek Peak, and J. Thomas Sims.  2005.  Phosphorus speciation in broiler litter and turkey manure produced from modified diets.  J. Environ. Qual.  34:687-697.

Toor, G. S., B. Cade-Menun, and J. T. Sims.  2005.  Establishing a linkage between phosphorus forms in dairy diets, feces, and manure.  J. Environ. Qual.  34:1380-1391.

McGrath, J. M., J. T. Sims, W. W. Saylor, C.R. Angel, and R.O. Maguire.  2005.  Broiler diet modification and litter storage: Impacts on phosphorus in litters, soils, and runoff.  J. Environ. Qual.  34:1896-1909.

Maguire, R. O., Z. Dou, J. T. Sims, J. Brake, and B.C Joern. 2005.  Dietary strategies for reduced phosphorus excretion and improved water quality.  J. Environ. Qual. 34:2093-2103.

Leytem, A. B. and J. Thomas Sims.  2005.  Changes in soil test phosphorus from broiler litter addition.  Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Analysis.  36:1-19.

Heckman, J. R., T. Morris, D. R. Beegle, J. T. Sims, W. Jokela, F. Coal, S. Herbert, S. Erich, T. Griffin, B. Hoskins, J. Jemison, S. Reid, W. M. Sullivan, D. Bhumbla, and G. Estes.  2006.  Soil test calibration for predicting corn response to phosphorus in the Northeast USA.  Agron. J. 98:280-288.

He, Z., Toor, G.S., Honeycutt, C.W., Sims, J.T. 2006. Amild enzymatic hydrolysis approach for characterizing labile phosphorus forms in animal manure. Bioresource Technology.  97:1660-1668.

Shober, A. L., D. L. Hesterberg, and J. T. Sims.  2006.  Characterization of phosphorus species in biosolids and manures by XANES spectroscopy. J. Environ. Qual.  35:1983-1993.

Shober, A. L. and J. T. Sims.  2007.  Integrating phosphorus source and soil properties into risk assessments for phosphorus loss to water.  Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 71:551-560.

He, Z., B. J. Cade-Menun, G. S. Toor, A. Fortuna, C. W. Honeycutt, and J. T. Sims. 2007.  Comparison of phosphorus forms in wet and dried animal manures by solution P31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and enzymatic hydrolysis.  J. Environ. Qual.  36:1086-1095.

Arnscheidt, J., P. Jordan, R. Leeming, S. McCormick, R. McFaul, H. J. McGrogan, M. Neal, and J. T. Sims.  2007.  Defining the sources of low phosphorus transfer in complex catchments. Science of Total Environ.  In Press

Recent Books and Book Chapters

Sims, J. T. and A. N. Sharpley (eds.) 2005.  Phosphorus: Agriculture and the Environment.  ASA-CSSA-SSSA Book Series.

Pierzynski, G. M., J. T. Sims, and G. F. Vance.  2005.  Soils and Environmental Quality. 3rd Ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Gold, A. J. and J. T.Sims.  2005.  Eutrophication. p. 486-494. Encyclopedia of Environmental Soil Science, Elsevier Science.

Vadas, P. A. and J. T. Sims.  2005.  Soil Fertility: Phosphorus in Soils. p. 202-210. Encyclopedia of Environmental Soil Science, Elsevier Science.

Sims, J. T. and P. J. A. Kleinman.  2005.  Managing agricultural phosphorus for environmental protection.  p. 1021-1068.  In J. T. Sims and A. N. Sharpely (eds.) Phosphorus: Agriculture and the Environment.  ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Madison, WI.

Pierzynski, G. M., R. McDowell, and J .T. Sims.  2005.  Chemistry, cycling and potential movement of inorganic phosphorus in soils. p. 53-86. In J. T. Sims and A. N. Sharpely (eds.) Phosphorus: Agriculture and the Environment.  ASA-CSSA-SSSA, Madison, WI.

Sims, J. T. and G. M. Pierrzynksi.  2005.  Chemistry of phosphorus in soils. p. 151-192. In: M. A. Tabatabai and D. L. Sparks (eds.). Chemical Processes in Soils.  SSSA, Madison, WI.

Toor, G. S., J. D. Peak, S. Hunger, J. T. Sims, and D. L. Sparks.  2006.  Advances in the characterization of phosphorus in organic wastes: Environmental and agronomic applications.  Advances in Agronomy. 89:1-72.

Selected Cooperative Extension Publications:

Sims, J. T. and K. L. Gartley.  1996.  Nutrient Management Handbook for Delaware.  Cooperative Bulletin No. 59.  555 pp.  University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Sims, J. T., A. B. Leytem, and F. J. Coale.  2002. The Delaware Phosphorus Site Index: A Training Manual. 65 pp.  University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

 

Sims, J. T. and A.B. Leytem.  2002.  The Phosphorus Index: A Phosphorus Management Strategy for Delaware’s Agricultural Soils. Fact Sheet ST-05 (revised). College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Sims, J. T. , A.B. Leytem, and K. L. Gartley.  2002.  Interpreting soil phosphorus tests. Fact Sheet NM-04. College Agric. Nat. Res., University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Sims, J. T., and J. L. Campagnini.  2002.  Fertigating with groundwater nitrogen. Fact Sheet NM-05. College Agric. Nat. Res., University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Sims, J. T., and J. L. Campagnini.  2002.  Phosphorus removal by Delaware crops. Fact Sheet NM-06. College Agric. Nat. Res., University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Hansen, D., J. Nelson, G. Binford, J. T. Sims, and W. W. Saylor.  2005.  Phosphorus in Poultry Litter: New Guidelines from the University of Delaware. Fact Sheet NM-07. College Agric. Nat. Res., University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

Toor, G. S., J. T. Sims, and R. O. Maguire.  2005.  Grazing management.  Fact Sheet for SERA-17 Best Management Practices for Phosphorus series.

 

Contact Information:

Dr. Tom Sims
Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Research
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
116 Townsend Hall
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware 19716-1303
Email:jtsims@udel.edu
Phone:302-831-2698

 

 

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