Soils: Basic Concepts and Future Challenges

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
List of contributors......Page 13
Preface......Page 15
Acknowledgements......Page 18
1 Concepts of soils......Page 21
1.1 Some Greek and Roman concepts......Page 22
1.3 The awakening......Page 24
1.4 Genetic supremacy......Page 25
1.5 Sampling volumes......Page 27
1.7 The new millennium......Page 29
2.1 Horizonation processes......Page 31
2.2 Studies of soil genesis......Page 32
2.3 Surface horizons......Page 34
2.4 Subsurface horizons......Page 35
2.4.1 Subsoil features related to chemical reduction......Page 39
2.5 Formation of structural features in soil......Page 41
Primary and secondary minerals......Page 43
Common particle sizes in soils......Page 49
Surface areas......Page 50
Cation exchange capacities......Page 51
Distinctive physical properties......Page 52
Stability of minerals......Page 53
Alteration, formation, transformation in soils of main occurrence......Page 55
Associations in soils......Page 63
3.2 Future prospects......Page 64
4 Soil phases: the organic solid phase......Page 65
4.1 Soil organic matter complex composition......Page 66
4.1.1 Different approaches to characterize SOM components......Page 67
Particulate organic matter (POM)......Page 69
Humic substances......Page 70
4.2.1 Definitions and composition......Page 71
4.2.3 Consequences of organomineral associations......Page 73
4.3.2 Factors affecting soil organic matter dynamics......Page 74
5 Soil phases: the liquid phase......Page 77
5.1 The liquid phase of soils......Page 79
5.2 Methods of soil solution characterization......Page 83
5.3.1 Deciphering mechanisms of soil formation......Page 86
5.3.2 Identifying sources of soil acidity and nutrient leaching......Page 88
5.3.3 Ecosystem perturbations......Page 89
5.3.4 Weathering rates......Page 91
5.3.5 Vegetation effects......Page 92
5.4 Conclusions......Page 93
6.1 Gaseous components of soil......Page 95
6.2 Sources, sinks and transport of gases in the soil......Page 97
6.2.1 Biological consumption and generation of gaseous components......Page 99
6.2.2 Transport of gases and vapours in the soil......Page 101
6.3 Agroecological evaluation of the soil air......Page 104
6.4 Gases emissions and global ecological functions of the soil......Page 105
7 Soil phases: the living phase......Page 111
7.1 Physiological capabilities of soil organisms......Page 112
7.2 The role of organisms for soil functions......Page 115
7.3 Aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms in soil......Page 116
7.4 The living phase indicates soil quality......Page 118
7.5 Modification of biotic communities during soil degradation......Page 120
8 The State Factor theory of soil formation......Page 123
8.1 The soil system......Page 125
8.2 State factors......Page 128
8.3 Importance of State Factor theory......Page 131
9 Factors of soil formation: parent material. As exemplified by a comparison of granitic and basaltic soils......Page 133
Sand mineralogy......Page 134
Sand mineralogy......Page 135
Particle size......Page 136
Structure and aggregate stability......Page 137
Water retention/availability......Page 138
Soil acidity......Page 139
Organic matter status......Page 140
N status......Page 141
Trace element status......Page 142
Exchangeable cations and base saturation......Page 143
Cation/anion exchange capacity......Page 144
N status......Page 145
K status......Page 146
9.4 Conclusions......Page 147
10 Factors of soil formation: climate. As exemplified by volcanic ash soils......Page 151
10.1 Global climate and soil formation......Page 152
Chemical kinetics of weathering......Page 157
Database considerations on climate and soil formation......Page 158
10.2.2 Soil formation and characteristic weathering products......Page 161
Soil processes in young volcanic ash soils......Page 162
10.2.3 Palaeoclimates and soil formation......Page 167
11.1 Topographic elements of landscapes......Page 171
11.2 External factors mediated by topography......Page 175
11.3 Pedogenic processes linked to topography......Page 176
11.3.2 Soil production......Page 177
11.3.3 Soil organic matter......Page 178
11.3.4 Redox conditions......Page 179
11.3.5 Leaching and lessivage......Page 180
11.4 Topography-based models of soil distribution......Page 182
12 Factors of soil formation: biota. As exemplified by case studies on the direct imprint of trees on trace metal concentration......Page 185
12.1 Approach......Page 188
12.2.1 Rationale and objective......Page 189
12.2.2 Study sites......Page 190
12.2.3 Trace metal distribution at the soil–root interface......Page 191
12.2.4 Contribution to knowledge on soil formation......Page 192
12.3.1 Rationale and objective......Page 195
12.3.3 Trace metal patterns in organic horizons......Page 196
12.3.4 Contribution to knowledge on soil formation......Page 198
12.4 In conclusion......Page 199
13 Factors of soil formation: time......Page 201
13.1 Time for horizon differentiation......Page 202
13.2 Soil development......Page 203
13.4 Soil age and progressive change......Page 205
13.5 Time and soil classification......Page 210
14 Soil formation on Earth and beyond: the role of additional soil-forming factors......Page 213
14.1.2 Grazing......Page 214
14.1.3 Agriculture......Page 215
14.1.6 Lines of communication......Page 218
14.1.8 Electricity transmission......Page 220
14.1.10 Landfills......Page 221
14.1.12 Radioactivity......Page 222
14.1.13 Sports......Page 223
14.1.14 Wars......Page 224
14.2.1 Fire......Page 225
14.2.3 Volcanic activity......Page 227
14.3 Extraterrestrial soils......Page 228
15 Soil functions and land use......Page 231
15.1 How to deal with future demands on our soils......Page 232
15.2 To characterize soil functions better......Page 235
15.2.1 The production function......Page 236
15.2.2 The carrier function......Page 237
15.2.5 The habitat function......Page 238
15.3 Storylines: what can the soil tell us when we listen?......Page 239
15.4 In conclusion......Page 241
16 Physical degradation of soils......Page 243
16.1 Soil compaction......Page 244
16.2 Sealing and crusting......Page 247
16.3.1 Compaction......Page 249
16.3.2 Crusting and sealing......Page 250
16.4 Secondary effects......Page 251
16.5 Conclusions......Page 252
17 Chemical degradation of soils......Page 255
Direct effects on soil functions......Page 256
Indirect effects to the environment......Page 258
Causes......Page 260
Indirect effects to the environment......Page 261
Risk assessment......Page 262
Example 3: The problem with the natural background concentration......Page 264
17.1.3 Soil degradation by pesticides and organic contaminants......Page 265
Risk assessment......Page 266
Example 4: The preferential flow phenomenon and its implications......Page 267
Causes......Page 268
Risk assessment......Page 269
Risk assessment......Page 270
Indirect effects on the environment......Page 271
Indirect effects on the environment......Page 272
17.2 Our duty......Page 273
18 The future of soil research......Page 275
18.1 Soils and their buffering capacities......Page 277
18.3 Soil phosphorus......Page 278
18.4 Soil processes......Page 280
18.5 Nitrogen cycling......Page 281
18.6 The continued investigation of soil processes......Page 283
Naming genetic horizons......Page 285
Naming soil: classification systems......Page 288
References......Page 297
Index......Page 323