Description
An evolving, living organic/inorganic covering, soil is in dynamic equilibrium with the atmosphere above, the biosphere within, and the geology below. It acts as an anchor for roots, a purveyor of water and nutrients, a residence for a vast community of microorganisms and animals, a sanitizer of the environment, and a source of raw materials for construction and manufacturing. To develop lasting solutions to the challenges of balanced use and stewardship of the Earth, we require a fundamental understanding of soilfrom its elastic, porous three-phase system to its components, processes, and reactions.
Now in two volumes, Handbook of Soil Sciences, Second Edition is a comprehensive and cohesive reference on the discipline of soil science. It contains definitive descriptions of each major area in the discipline, including fundamental principles, appropriate methods to measure each property, variations in properties in different soils throughout the world,