Soils

Randall Schaetzl is a Professor of Geography at Michigan State University, East Lansing. He has trained as a physical geographer at some of the top departments in the USA, and has established himself as a leading figure in soil genesis and geomorphology research. He has published in all the leading soils, geomorphology and geography journals. Schaetzl is an associate editor for the Soil Science Society of America Journal. His expertise on podzolization and pedoturbation has led him to publish papers that have advanced the theory behind both these widespread soil processes. Sharon Anderson is an Associate Professor and Chair of Earth Systems Science and Policy, California State University, Monterey Bay. Anderson has a broad educational background in geology, chemistry, plant-soil relations, and soil chemistry, and has a publication record in all of these areas. Her research has spanned the areas of soil organic matter composition, soil mineralogy, pesticide fate in the environment, and water quality. As Chair of the Earth Systems Science and Policy Program, her current work focuses on developing rigorous yet applied and interdisciplinary curricula.

Part I. The Building Blocks of Soil: 1. Introduction; 2. Basic concepts: soil morphology; 3. Basic concepts: soil horizonation; 4. Basic concepts: soil mineralogy; 5. Basic concepts: soil physics; 6. Basic concepts: soil organisms; 7. Soil classification, mapping and maps; Part II. Soil Genesis: From Parent Material to Soil: 8. Soil parent materials; 9. Weathering; 10. Pedoturbation; 11. Models and concepts of soil formation; 12. Soil genesis and profile differentiation; Part III. Soil Geomorphology: 13. Soil geomorphology and hydrology; 14. Soil development and surface exposure dating; 15. Soils, paleosols and paleoenvironmental reconstruction; 16. Conclusions and perspectives; Literature cited; Glossary; Index.