1985 - B.Sc. in Soil science from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
1989 - M.Sc. in Soil chemistry and plant nutrition from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
1995 - Ph.D. in Soil chemistry, siderophore reactions, plant nutrition from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Soil Chemistry and Soil Fertility, related to Plant Nutrition and Environmental aspects.
Modeling plant response to deficit irrigation: Separating water and salt effects in the uptake function, and its use to minimize leaching
Heavy metals in soils and their uptake by plants
Phosphorus reactions and availability in soils amended with sewage sludge
Development and examination of new approaches to evaluate nutrient availability for plants
Hydro-geochemistry of phosphorus in re-wetted peat-soils
Course Level: undergraduate
Course Description: Chemical, physicochemical and biological aspects of soil fertility. Plant nutrition and nutrients uptake by the roots. Properties of the root environment and the main processes taking place near the root surface. Fertilizers and current knowledge of the basic technologies of fertilizers used in modern agriculture.
Course Level: undergraduate
Course Description: Wastes from agricultural, industrial and municipal sources - origin, properties and quantities; Solid waste handling in Israel; Methods for collection; Treatment and recycling of the organic matter component of wastes: (i) Composting: process; technology; transformation of organic matter; microorganisms; (ii) methanogenic fermentation: process; energy production; wastes; (iii) recycling of lignocellulose; (iv) recycling of yard waste. Utilization of organic wastes in agriculture: agricultural fields, gardening, parks, forests, container media in greenhouses, animal feed. Recycling of wastes of specific value: paper, glass, plastic. Economic and legislative aspects of recycling.
Course Level: graduate
Course Description: General composition of the three soil phases and chemical equilibria of silicates, aluminosilicates, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, metal hydroxides, and other minerals. Soil weathering. Handling calculations of equilibria in heterogeneous systems. Chemical reactions in soil - equilibrium versus kinetic approach. Relevance to plant nutrition, fertilizers use, soil weathering, and the environment.
Chen Y. and M. Shenker. 2002. Agronomic approaches for increasing iron availability to food crops. In: Impacts of Agriculture on Human Health and Nutrition. Ross M. Welch and Ismail Cakmak (eds.), in Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), Developed under the auspices of UNESCO, EOLSS Publishers, Oxford,UK http://www.eolss.net [Retrieved May 18, 2006]. Invited review.
Litaor, M.I., O. Reichmann, A. Nishri, K. Auerswald, and M. Shenker. 2008. The geochemistry of phosphorus in the histosols of the Hula Valley, Israel. In: Gofen M. (ed.). The Hula Book. Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands (in press).
Litaor, M.I., K. Auerswald, O. Reichmann, A. Nishri, and M. Shenker.2008. The soils of the Hula Valley: classification and genesis. In: Gofen M. (ed.). The Hula Book. Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands (in press).
Nathan, Y., D. Soudry, C. Glenn, M. Shenker, X.L. Huang, and B. Schilman. 2008. Organic C to organic P ratios in sediments from a Cretaceous-Eocene sequence in an upwelling continental margin, in the Negev, Israel: Implications for the C/P(organic)ratio in marine sediments. IAS Special Publication. Authigenic minerals: sedimentology, geochemistry, origins, distribution and applications (in press).
Litaor, M.I., O. Reichman, M. Belzer, K. Auerswald, A. Nishri, and M. Shenker. 2003. Spatial analysis of phosphorus sorption capacity in a semi-arid altered wetland. J. Environ. Qual. 32: 335-343.
Shenker, M., A. Ben-Gal, and U. Shani. 2003. Sweet corn response to combined nitrogen and salinity environmental stresses. Plant and Soil 256: 139-147.
Shenker, M., O.E. Plessner, and E. Tel-Or. 2004. Manganese nutrition effects on tomato growth, chlorophyll content, and superoxide dismutase activity. J. Plant Physiol.161: 197-202.
Otabbong, E., P. Leinweber, A. Schlichting, R. Meissner, M. Shenker, I. Litaor, A. Sapek, S. Robinson, H. Hacin, and I.R. Otabbong. 2004. Comparison of ammonium lactate, sodium bicarbonate and double calcium lactate methods for extraction of phosphorus from wetland peat soils. Acta Agric. Scand. 54: 9-13.
Huang, X. and M. Shenker. 2004. Water-soluble and solid-state speciation of phosphorus in stabilized sewage sludge. J. Environ. Qual. 33: 1895-1903.
Litaor, M.I., O. Reichmann, K. Auerswald, A. Haim, and M. Shenker. 2004. The geochemistry of phosphorus in peat soils of a semi-arid altered wetland. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 68: 2078-2085.
Huang, X., Y. Chen, and M. Shenker. 2005. Rapid whole-plant bioassay for phosphorus phytoavailability in soils. Plant and Soil 271: 365-376.
Shenker, M., S. Seitelbach, S. Brand, A. Haim, and M.I. Litaor. 2005. Redox reactions and phosphorus release from re-flooded soils of an altered wetland. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 56: 515-525.
Shenker, M. and Y. Chen. 2005. Increasing iron availability to crops: fertilizers, organo-fertilizers, and biological approaches. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 51: 1-17.
Litaor, M.I., O. Reichmann, A. Haim, K. Auerswald, and M. Shenker. 2005. Sorption characteristics of phosphorus in peat soils of a semi-arid altered wetland. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 69: 1658-1665.
Netzer, Y., C. Yao, M. Shenker, B. Bravdo, S. Cohen, and A. Schwartz. 2005. Water consumption of 'Superior' grapevines grown in a semiarid region. Acta Hort.689: 399-405.
Shenker, M. and P.R. Bloom. 2005. Comments on “Amounts, forms, and solubility of phosphorus in soils receiving manure”. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 69: 1353-1354.
Adhikari, T., E. Tel-Or, Y. Libal, and M. Shenker. 2006. Effect of cadmium and iron on rice (Oryza Sativa L.) plant in chelator-buffered nutrient solution. J. Plant Nutr. 29: 1919-1940.
Litaor, M.I., G. Eshel, O. Reichmann, and M. Shenker. 2006. Hydrological control of phosphorus mobility in altered wetland. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 70: 1975-1982.
Huang, X., Y. Chen, and M. Shenker. 2007 Solid phosphorus phase in aluminum- and iron-treated biosolids. J. Environ. Qual. 36: 549-556.
Brand-Klibanski, S., M.I. Litaor, and M. Shenker. 2007. Overestimation of P adsorption capacity in reduced soils: An artifact of typical batch adsorption experiments. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 71: 1128-1136.
Meissner, R., P. Leinweber, H. Rupp, M. Shenker, M.I. Litaor, S. Robinson, and A. Schlichting. 2008. Mitigation of diffuse phosphorus pollution during re-wetting of fen peat soils: a trans-European case study. Water Air Soil Poll. 188: 111-126.
Litaor, M.I., G. Eshel, R. Sade, A. Rimmer, and M. Shenker. 2008. Hydrogeological characterization of an altered wetland. J. Hydrol. 349: 333-349.
Clapp, C.E., M. Shenker, M.H.B. Hayes, R. Liu, V.W. Cline, A.J. Palazzo, and Y. Chen. 2008. Microsystems for rapid evaluation of plant growth response to organic amendments. Soil Sci. 173:342-349.
Huang, X., Y. Chen, and M. Shenker. 2008. Chemical fractionation of phosphorus in stabilized biosolids. J. Environ. Qual. 37: 1949-1958.
Netzer, Y., C. Yao, M. Shenker, B. Bravdo, and A. Schwartz. 2008. Water use and the development of seasonal crop coefficients for Superior Seedless grapevines trained to an open-gable trellis system. Irrigation Science. DOI 10.1007/s00271-008-0124-1.
Hanna Komisarchik – M.Sc. student (2008-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Yona Chen.
Maya Goldshtein – M.Sc. student (2008-2011). Co-supervisor: Prof. Yona Chen.
Yehoshav Ben Meir – M.Sc. student (2008-2013). Co-supervisor: Prof. Yona Chen.
Ran Yakir – M.Sc. student (2009-2013). Co-supervisor: Prof. Benny Chefetz.
Daniel Berstein – M.Sc. student (2009-). Co-supervisor: Dr. Menahem Edelstein.
Aviad Moncaz – Ph.D. student (2010-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Alon Warbueg.
Itamar Shabtai – M.Sc. student (2010-). Co-supervisor: Dr. Meni Ben-Hur.
Itai Dolinsky – M.Sc. student (2010-). Continue supervision after the passing away of Dr. Eli Wakshal.
Evelyn Colón de Mello – M.Sc. student (2011-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Benny Chefetz.
Maya Goldshtein – Ph.D. student (2011-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Benny Hefetz.
Dror Dotan – M.Sc. student (2011-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Amnon Schwartz.
Noga Meir – M.Sc. student (2011-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Iggy Litaor.
Tomer Malchi – M.Sc. student (2011-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Benny Chefetz.
David Yalin – M.Sc. student (2012-).
Naama Zimerman - M.Sc. student (2012-). Co-supervisor: Prof. Saul Burdman.
Alexander Pohilenko - M.Sc. student (2012-). Co-supervisor: Dr. Elen Graber.
Anna Zhuravel - M.Sc. student (2012-). Co-supervisor: Dr. Meni Ben-Hur. Elen Graber.