An Introduction to Soils for Environmental Professionals

An Introduction to Soils for Environmental Professionals assembles and presents the basic principles of each of the major soil science fields. It introduces fundamental concepts and shows the interrelationships between the various branches of soil science – from mineralogy to soil physics. Each chapter was reviewed by a professional in the particular field, and expert contributions were made throughout the text. This well-written and interdisciplinary book begins with introductory material, covering the fundamentals of soils, soil science, and soil classification systems. The presentation of soil mineralogy contains contributions from a lecturer in the field of mineralogy and so constitutes an excellent source of introductory material on the subject. Soil mechanics and soil physics are described in detail, incorporating interesting discussions related to applied problems in soil science studies and research. The coverage of soil chemistry emphasizes environmental aspects and contains information that has been used and reviewed by students in environmental science courses. The coverage of microbiology reflects the input of a specialist in biodegradation and bioremediation of contaminated sites. Sampling techniques and selection of appropriate procedures for soil analysis are reviewed, and contributions from specialists in both of these fields are included. The chapter on agricultural considerations presents the basic concepts of plant and soil interactions. The management and interpretation of data obtained in soil studies is discussed, emphasizing the need for proper handling and presentation of data. The book closes with a presentation of case histories from published articles, public data, and the personal experiences of the author. These presentations illustrate the application of many of the important concepts highlighted in An Introduction to Soils for Environmental Professionals.