Soil science deals with soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils per se; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils. Image File history File links Soil_sci. ... Image File history File links Soil_sci. ... Loess field in Germany Surface-water-gley developed in glacial till, Northern Ireland Technically, soil forms the pedosphere: the interface between the lithosphere (rocky part of the planet) and the biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Pedogenesis or soil evolution (formation) is the process by which soil is created. ... Soil classification deals with the systematic categorization of soils based on distinguishing characteristics as well as criteria that dictate choices in use. ...

Sometimes terms which refer to branches of soil science, such as pedology (formation, chemistry, morphology and classification of soil) and edaphology (influence of soil on organisms, especially plants), are used as if synonymous with soil science. The diversity of names associated with this discipline is related to the various associations concerned. Indeed, engineers, agronomists, chemists, geologists, geographers, biologists, microbiologists, sylviculturists, sanitarians, archaeologists, and specialists in regional planning, all contribute to further knowledge of soils and the advancement of the soil sciences. Pedology (pÄ›dÇ’lōgy), (from Russian: pedologiya, from the Greek pedon = soil, earth), is the study of soils and soil formation. ... The word edaphology is derived from the Greek words edaphos meaning ground or floor, and logy meaning word, or wisdom. ... Engineering is the applied science of acquiring and applying knowledge to design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes. ... Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with the study of crops and the soils in which they grow. ... For other uses, see Chemistry (disambiguation). ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Geography - (from the Greek words Geo (γη) or Gaea (γαία), both meaning Earth, and graphein (γράφειν) meaning to describe or to writeor to map) is the study of the earth and its features, inhabitants, and phenomena. ... A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of organisms. ... An agar plate streaked with microorganisms Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster microscopic organisms. ... Forestry (formally known as silviculture) is the art, science, and practice of studying and managing forests and related natural resources. ... Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Regional planning is a branch of land use planning and deals with the efficient placement of land use activities, infrastructure and settlement growth across a significantly larger area of land than an individual city or town. ...

Because an understanding of soil science is important to the correct practice of a wide variety of disciplines, it is not unusual to find soils specialists within related disciplines. Soils specialists within related disciplines sometimes choose to refer to themselves as soils scientists, leading to some confusion as to qualifications. To distinguish themselves from soil specialists, professional soil scientists in the USA can seek professional registration and certification.

Soil Science Practice

Academically, soil scientists tend to be drawn to one of five areas of specialization: microbiology, pedology, edaphology, physics or chemistry. Yet the work specifics are very much dictated by the challenges facing our civilization's desire to sustain the land that supports it, and the distinctions between the sub-disciplines of soil science often blur in the process. Soil science professionals commonly stay current in soil chemistry, soil physics, soil microbiology, pedology, and applied soil science in related disciplines Soil physics deals with the physics of soil systems. ... Soil chemistry studies the chemical characteristics of soil. ...

One interesting effort drawing in soil scientists in the USA as of 2004 is the Soil Quality Initiative. Central to the Soil Quality Initiative is developing indices of soil health and then monitoring them in a way that gives us long term (decade-to-decade) feedback on our performance as stewards of the planet. The effort includes understanding the functions of soil microbiotic crusts and exploring the potential to sequester atmospheric carbon in soil organic matter. The concept of soil quality, however, has not been without its share of controversy and criticism, including critiques by Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug and World Food Prize Winner Pedro Sanchez. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Norman Ernest Borlaug (born March 25, 1914) is an American agricultural scientist, humanitarian, Nobel laureate, and has been called the father of the Green Revolution. ... Pedro A. Sanchez, born in 1940 in Cuba, the son of an agronomist, is a leading soil scientist. ...

A more traditional role for soil scientists has been to map soils. Most every area in the United States now has a published soil survey, which includes interpretive tables as to how soil properties support or limit activities and uses. An internationally accepted soil taxonomy allows uniform communication of soil characteristics and functions. National and international soil survey efforts have given the profession unique insights into landscape scale functions. The landscape functions that soil scientists are called upon to address in the field seem to fall roughly into six areas: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

• Land-based treatment of wastes
  • Septic system
  • Manure
  • Municipal biosolids
  • Food and fiber processing waste
• Identification and protection of environmentally critical areas
  • Sensitive and unstable soils
  • Wetlands
  • Unique soil situations that support valuable habitat, and ecosystem diversity
• Management for optimum land productivity
  • Silviculture
  • Agronomy
    • Nutrient management
    • Water management
  • Native vegetation
  • Grazing
• Management for optimum water quality
  • Stormwater management
  • Sediment and erosion control
• Remediation and restoration of damaged lands
  • Mine reclamation
  • Flood and storm damage
  • Contamination
• Sustainability of desired uses
  • Soil conservation

There are also practical applications of soil science that might not be apparent from looking at a published soil survey. On-site septic disposal systems are common in rural areas where public sewage treatment systems do not exist. ... Animal manure is often a mixture of animals feces and bedding straw, as in this example from a stable. ... The Water Environment Federation (WEF) formally recognized the term biosolids in 1991 and it is in common use thoughout the world as of 2004. ... A subtropical wetland in Florida, USA, with an endangered American Crocodile. ... To conserve habitat for wild species and prevent their extinction or reduction in range is a priority of a great many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology. ... Ecosystem diversity refers to the diversity of a place at the level of ecosystems. ... Silviculture is the art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values of landowners, society and the many cultures throughout the globe // Forest regeneration is the act of renewing tree cover by establishing young trees naturally or artificially, generally... Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with the study of crops and the soils in which they grow. ... Spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (also spelled fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops. ... Grazing To feed on growing herbage, attached algae, or phytoplankton. ... Stormwater is a term used to describe water that originates during precipitation events. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion (morphology). ... Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, usually the top six to eight inches. ...

• Age dating: specifically a knowledge of local pedology is used to date prior activity at the site
  • Stratification (archeology) where soil formation processes and preservative qualities can inform the study of archaeological sites
  • Geological phenomena
    • Landslides
    • Earthquakes faults
• Altering soils to achieve new uses
  • Vitrification to contain radioactive wastes
  • Enhancing soil microbial capabilities in degrading contaminants (bioremediation).
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Environmental soil science
• Pedology
  • Soil genesis
  • Pedometrics
  • Soil morphology
    • Soil micromorphology
  • Soil classification
    • USDA soil taxonomy
• Soil biology
  • Soil microbiology
• Soil chemistry
  • Soil biochemistry
  • Soil mineralogy
• Soil physics
  • Pedotransfer function
  • Soil mechanics and engineering
• Soil hydrology, hydropedology

Radiometric dating (often called radioactive dating) is a technique used to date materials, based on a comparison between the observed abundance of particular naturally occurring radioactive isotopes and their known decay rates. ... In archaeology, especially in the course of excavation, stratification is of major interest and significance. ... An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been investigated using the discipline of archaeology. ... A Geological phenomenon is a phenomenon which is explained by or sheds light on the science of geology. ... Landslide of soil and regolith in Pakistan A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows. ... Geologic faults, fault lines or simply faults are planar rock fractures, which show evidence of relative movement. ... A vitrification experiment for the study of nuclear waste disposal at Pacific Northwest National Labs Vitrification is a process of converting a material into a glass-like amorphous solid which is free of any crystalline structure, either by the quick removal or addition of heat, or by mixing with an... Radioactive waste are waste types containing radioactive chemical elements that do not have a practical purpose. ... Soil life or soil biota is a collective term for all the organisms living within the soil. ... Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return the environment altered by contaminants to its original condition. ... Carbon sequestration from a fossil-fuel power station A carbon dioxide sink or CO2 sink is a carbon reservoir that is increasing in size, and is the opposite of a carbon source. The main sinks are the oceans and growing vegetation. ... Environmental soil science is the study of the interaction of humans with the pedosphere as well as critical aspects of the biosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. ... Pedology (pědǒlōgy), (from Russian: pedologiya, from the Greek pedon = soil, earth), is the study of soils and soil formation. ... Pedogenesis or soil evolution (formation) is the process by which soil is created. ... Pedometrics is defined as the application of mathematical and statistical methods for the study of the distribution and genesis of soils. ... // Soil Macromorphology Soil morphology is the field observable attributes of the soil within the various soil horizons and the description of the kind and arrangement of the horizons (Buol et al 2003). ... Soil classification deals with the systematic categorization of soils based on distinguishing characteristics as well as criteria that dictate choices in use. ... USDA Soil Taxonomy developed by United States Department of Agriculture and the National Cooperative Soil Survey provides an elaborate classification of soil types according to several parameters (most commonly their properties) and in several levels: Order, Suborder, Great Group, Subgroup, Family, and Series. ... Soil life or soil biota is a collective term for all the organisms living within the soil. ... Soil chemistry studies the chemical characteristics of soil. ... Soil physics deals with the physics of soil systems. ... Pedotransfer functions (PTF) is a term used in soil science literature, which can be defined as predictive functions of certain soil properties from other easily-, routinely-, or cheaply-measured properties. ... Soil mechanics is a discipline that applies the principles of engineering mechanics to soil to predict the mechanical behavior of soil. ... Hydropedology is an emerging field formed from the intertwining branches of soil science and hydrology. ...

Fields of application in soil science

• Soil survey
• Soil management
• Standard methods of analysis
• Soil fertility / Nutrient management
• Ecosystem studies
• Climate change
• Watershed and wetland studies
• Pedotransfer function

Soil survey is the process of determining the soil types or other properties of the soil cover over a landscape, and mapping them for others to understand and use. ... Spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (also spelled fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... A coral reef near the Hawaiian islands is an example of a complex marine ecosystem. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... A subtropical wetland in Florida, USA, with an endangered American Crocodile. ... Pedotransfer functions (PTF) is a term used in soil science literature, which can be defined as predictive functions of certain soil properties from other easily-, routinely-, or cheaply-measured properties. ...

Related disciplines

• Agricultural sciences
  • Irrigation management
• Anthropology
  • archaeological stratigraphy
• Environmental science
  • Landscape ecology
• Geography
  • Physical geography
• Geology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Geomicrobiology
  • Geomorphology
• Hydrology
  • Hydrogeology
• Waste management
• Wetland science

Agricultural science (also called agronomy) is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic, and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. ... Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops. ... Anthropology (from Greek: ἀνθρωπος, anthropos, human being; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study of humanity. ... In archaeology, especially in the course of excavation, stratification is of major interest and significance. ... Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment; with a focus on pollution and degradation of the environment related to human activities; and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability from local and global development. ... Landscape ecology is a sub-discipline of ecology and geography that address how spatial variation in the landscape affects ecological processes such as the distribution and flow of energy, materials and individuals in the environment (which, in turn, may influence the distribution of landscape elements themselves such as hedgerows). ... True-color image of the Earths surface and atmosphere Physical geography (also know as geosystems or physiography) is a subfield of geography that focuses on the systematic study of patterns and processes within the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... The field of biogeochemistry involves scientific study of the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment (including the biosphere, the hydrosphere, the pedosphere, the atmosphere, and the lithosphere), and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earths chemical... Geomicrobiology is a science that combines geology and microbiology, and studies the interaction of microscopic organisms with their inorganic environment, such as in sedimentary rocks. ... Surface of the Earth Geomorphology is the study of landforms, including their origin and evolution, and the processes that shape them. ... Water covers 70% of the Earths surface. ... Hydrogeology (hydro- meaning water, and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the part of hydrology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earths crust, (commonly in aquifers). ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Waste For the company, see Waste Management, Inc. ... A subtropical wetland in Florida, USA, with an endangered American Crocodile. ...

See also

• Agrology
• International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)
• Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)
• Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated (ASSSI)
• World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS)
• List of Universities with Soil Science Curriculum
• List of State Soil Science Licensing Boards
• List of State Soil Science Associations

The word agrology is derived from the Greek words agros meaning land, or farm, and logy meaning word, or wisdom. ... The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) founded in 1924, is a Scientific Union member of the International Council for Science (ICSU), which it recognizes as the coordinating body for the international organization of science. ... The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), is a scientific and professional society of soil scientists, principally in the U.S. but with a large number of non-U.S. members as well. ... The Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated (ASSSI) was founded 1955 to advance soil science in the professional, academic, and technical fields[1]. The Society consists of a federation of branches operating the umbrella of the ASSSI Federal Council. ... World Congress of Soil Science held in Philadelphia, USA in 2006 The World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) is a conference held every four years (although interrupted by WWII) under the guidance of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). ... This is an comprehensive list of universities and learning institutions which maintain soil science curriculum. ... This is a complete list of soil science licensing boards. ... This is a comprehensive list of state-level professional soil science associations in the United States. ...

References

Soil Survey Staff (1993). Soil Survey: Early Concepts of Soil. (html) Soil Survey Manual USDA Handbook 18, Soil Conservation Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture. URL accessed on 2004-11-30.

External links

• Certified Professional Soil Scientist
• Registered Professional Soil Scientist (PDF)
• Soil-Science.info
• The Soil Science Daily