Principles and Practice of Soil Science: The Soil as a Natural Resource

Principles and Practice of Soil Science......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Preface to the Fourth Edition......Page 10
Units of Measurement and Abbreviations used in this Book......Page 12
Part 1 The Soil Habitat......Page 16
1.2 Concepts of soil......Page 18
1.3 Components of the soil......Page 23
1.4 Summary......Page 24
2.1 The size range......Page 26
2.2 The importance of soil texture......Page 29
2.3 Mineralogy of the sand and silt fractions......Page 31
2.4 Mineralogy of the clay fraction......Page 37
2.5 Surface area and surface charge......Page 44
2.6 Summary......Page 46
3.1 Origin of soil organic matter......Page 49
3.2 Soil organisms......Page 52
3.3 Changes in plant remains due to the activities of soil organisms......Page 61
3.4 Properties of soil organic matter......Page 64
3.5 Factors affecting the rate of organic matter decomposition......Page 67
3.6 Summary......Page 71
4.1 Soil structure......Page 74
4.2 Levels of structural organization......Page 75
4.3 Soil micromorphology......Page 79
4.4 The creation and stabilization of soil structure......Page 82
4.5 Soil porosity......Page 87
4.6 Summary......Page 91
Part 2 Processes in the Soil Environment......Page 94
5.1 The soil-forming factors......Page 96
5.2 Parent material......Page 98
5.3 Climate......Page 105
5.4 Organisms......Page 108
5.5 Relief......Page 110
5.6 Time......Page 113
5.7 Summary......Page 114
6.1 The hydrologic cycle......Page 118
6.2 Properties of soil water......Page 122
6.3 Infiltration, runoff and redistribution of soil water......Page 127
6.4 Soil water retention relationship......Page 134
6.5 Evaporation......Page 137
6.6 Soil temperature......Page 142
6.7 Summary......Page 144
7.1 Charges on soil particles......Page 148
7.2 Cation exchange......Page 156
7.3 Anion adsorption and exchange......Page 162
7.4 Particle interaction and swelling......Page 164
7.5 Clay–organic matter interactions......Page 167
7.6 Summary......Page 169
8.1 Soil respiration......Page 173
8.2 Mechanisms of gas exchange......Page 175
8.3 Effects of poor soil aeration on root and microbial activity......Page 179
8.4 Oxidation–reduction reactions in soil......Page 184
8.5 Summary......Page 187
9.1 The soil profile......Page 191
9.2 Pedogenic processes......Page 194
9.3 Freely drained soils of humid temperate regions......Page 200
9.4 Soils of the tropics and subtropics......Page 203
9.5 Hydromorphic soils......Page 207
9.6 Salt-affected soils......Page 210
9.7 Summary......Page 212
10.1 Nutrients for plant growth......Page 215
10.2 The pathway of nitrogen......Page 217
10.3 Phosphorus and sulphur......Page 226
10.4 Potassium, calcium and magnesium......Page 234
10.5 Trace elements......Page 236
10.6 Summary......Page 241
Part 3 Soil Management......Page 246
11.1 Traditional methods......Page 248
11.2 Productivity and soil fertility......Page 253
11.3 Soil acidity and liming......Page 257
11.4 The importance of soil structure......Page 260
11.5 Soil erosion......Page 266
11.6 Summary......Page 274
12.2 Nitrogen fertilizers......Page 279
12.3 Phosphate fertilizers......Page 286
12.4 Other fertilizers including micronutrient fertilizers......Page 292
12.5 Plant protection chemicals in soil......Page 294
12.6 Summary......Page 302
13.2 Water management for salinity control......Page 306
13.3 Management and reclamation of salt-affected soils......Page 316
13.4 Soil drainage......Page 320
13.5 Summary......Page 324
14.1 Communication about soil......Page 329
14.2 Traditional classification......Page 330
14.3 Soil survey methods......Page 332
14.4 Soil information systems......Page 339
14.5 Summary......Page 344
15.1 What is soil quality?......Page 348
15.2 Concepts of sustainability......Page 350
15.3 Sustainable land management......Page 354
15.4 Summary......Page 359
Answers to questions and problems......Page 363
Index......Page 369