Soils [electronic resource] : Principles, Properties and Management /
Osman, Khan Towhid.author.
Aimed at taking the mystery out of soil science, Soils: Principles, Properties and Management is a text for undergraduate/graduate students who study soil as a natural resource. Written in a reader-friendly style, with a host of examples, figures and tables, the book leads the reader from the basics of soil science through to complex situations, covering such topics as: the origin, development and classification of soil physical, chemical and biological properties of soil water and nutrient management management of problem soils, wetland soils and forest soils soil degradation Further, the ecological and agrological functions of soil are emphasized in the context of food security, biodiversity and climate change. The interactions between the environment and soil management are highlighted. Soil is viewed as an ecosystem itself and as a part of larger terrestrial ecosystems. Each chapter is prefaced by a summary and closes with a series of study questions to reinforce concepts.  Students in soil science, as well as those in agricultural, biological and environmental sciences, will find this book invaluable. Professionals, including horticulturalists, geologists and silviculturists, will also find this book of interest.
Description based upon print version of record.
Soils; Preface; Acknowledgements; Contents; List of Abbreviations; 1: Concepts of Soil; 1.1 Different People Have Different Concepts of Soil; 1.2  There Are Many Different Definitions of Soil; 1.3 All Loose Materials on the Surface of the Earth Are Not Soils; 1.4 Soil Is Not Land Itself;  It Is a Part of Land; 1.5 Soil Is a Natural Body; 1.6 Soil Is a Three-Dimensional Body; 1.7 Soil Is a Dynamic Body; 1.8 Soil Is a Transformer of Energy; 1.9 Soil Is a Recycler of Materials; 1.10  Soil Is a Purifier of Water; 1.11 Soil Is an Ecosystem; 1.12 Soil Is a Component of the Environment
1.13 Major Components of Soils Vary in Volume Proportions1.14 Soil Is a Medium of Plant Growth; Study Questions; References; 2: Soil as a Part of the Lithosphere; 2.1 Lithosphere Is the Outermost Part of the Earth; 2.2 Lithosphere Interacts with Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere to Form the Pedosphere; 2.3 Eight Chemical Elements Constitute the Bulk of the Earth's Crust; 2.4 Chemical Elements in the Earth's Crust Form Minerals Under Natural Conditions; 2.5 Silicate Minerals Are Important Rock and Soil Constituents; 2.6 Some Other Minerals Are Also Abundant in Soil
2.7 A Few Minerals Constitute the Bulk of the Earth's Crust2.8 Rocks Are Aggregates of Minerals; 2.9  Igneous Rocks Are Formed by Solidification of Magma and Lava; 2.10  Sedimentary Rocks Are Mainly Formed by Lithification of Sediments; 2.11 Metamorphic Rocks Are Formed from Preexisting Rocks by Change in Solid State; 2.12 Sedimentary Rocks Predominate in the Earth's Surface While Igneous Rocks in the Crust; 2.13 Soil Characteristics Differ on Rock and Mineral Sources; 2.14 Weathering Is the Disintegration and Decomposition of Rocks and Minerals
2.14.1 Thermal Weathering Is Caused by Variation in Temperature2.14.2 Mechanical Weathering Is Caused by Water, Glacier, Wind, and Organisms; 2.14.3 Chemical Weathering Brings Chemical Changes in Rocks and Minerals; 2.14.3.1 Examples of Geochemical/Biochemical/Biogeochemical Weathering; 2.14.4 Physical and Chemical Weathering May Enhance Each Other; 2.14.5 The Rate of Weathering Varies with Minerals and Climate; Study Questions; References; 3: Factors and Processes of Soil Formation; 3.1 A Soil Pro fi le May Be Differentiated into Several Horizons
3.1.1 There May Be Subordinate Distinctions of Master Horizons3.2 Soil-Forming Factors Are Framed in the Fundamental Soil-Forming Equation; 3.3 Soil Formation Depends on the Interaction of Soil-Forming Factors; 3.4 There Are Diverse Effects of Climate on Soil Formation; 3.4.1 Pedoclimate May Be More Important than Atmospheric Climate; 3.4.2 Climate Changes with Time; 3.5 Organisms Provide Organic Inputs and Biochemical Transformations; 3.5.1 Human Affects Soil Formation; 3.6 Parent Material Provides Raw Materials for Soil Development
3.6.1 Parent Materials Are Diverse in Origin and Characteristics
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Aimed at taking the mystery out of soil science, Soils: Principles, Properties and Management is a text for undergraduate/graduate students who study soil as a natural resource. Written in a reader-friendly style, with a host of examples, figures and tables, the book leads the reader from the basics of soil science through to complex situations, covering such topics as: the origin, development and classification of soil physical, chemical and biological properties of soil water and nutrient management management of problem soils, wetland soils and forest soils soil degradation Further, the ecological and agrological functions of soil are emphasized in the context of food security, biodiversity and climate change. The interactions between the environment and soil management are highlighted. Soil is viewed as an ecosystem itself and as a part of larger terrestrial ecosystems. Each chapter is prefaced by a summary and closes with a series of study questions to reinforce concepts.  Students in soil science, as well as those in agricultural, biological and environmental sciences, will find this book invaluable. Professionals, including horticulturalists, geologists and silviculturists, will also find this book of interest.
Soil science.
Soil conservation.
Agriculture.
Earth sciences.
Forestry.
Soil Science & Conservation.
Agriculture.
Earth Sciences, general.
Forestry.
Environmental sciences.
Agriculture.
Soil Science & Conservation.