Soils are a basic resource upon which most other biological resources depend. They are the source of water and nutrients for plants in most terrestrial environments, and plants are the source, either directly or indirectly, of sustenance and most shelter for virtually all animal life, humans included.
Soils are important.
Forest Service soils research is centered on two main areas of work. First is the work on nutrient cycling, plant nutrition, soil moisture, plant growth relationships, soil microbiological functions and soil quality. For more on LTSP see the brochure on this home page. Second is work in the general area of pollution. This involves erosion, sedimentation, and chemical deposition cycling and flow through ecosystems.