Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils: Pearson New International Edition

For undergraduate courses in Introduction to Soils, Fundamentals of Soil Science, and Soil Management. With an emphasis on the fundamentals, this book explores the important world of soils and the principles that can be used to minimize the degradation and destruction of one of our most important natural resources. Fully updated in this edition, it includes the latest information on soil colloids; nutrient cycles and soil fertility; and soils and chemical pollution. This edition is filled with hundreds of new figures and photos and continues to use examples from many fields, including agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. Taking an ecological approach, it emphasizes how the soil system is interconnected and the principles behind each soil concept. Cover 1 Table of Contents 4 Glossary of Soil Science Terms 6 1. The Soils Around Us 26 2. Formation of Soils from Parent Materials 54 3. Soil Classification 91 4. Soil Architecture and Physical Properties 137 5. Soil Water: Characteristics and Behavior 179 6. Soil and the Hydrologic Cycle 214 7. Soil Aeration and Temperature 252 8. The Colloidal Fraction: Seat of Soil Chemical and Physical Activity 290 9. Soil Acidity, Alkalinity, Aridity, and Salinity 326 10. Organisms and Ecology of the Soil 385 11. Soil Organic Matter 426 12. Nutrient Cycles and Soil Fertility 463 13. Practical Nutrient Management 526 14. Soil Erosion and Its Control 572 15. Soils and Chemical Pollution 610 Appendix: World Reference Base, Canadian, and Australian Soil Classification Systems 643 Appendix: SI Units, Conversion Factors, Periodic Table of the Elements, and Plant Names 648 Global Soil Regions 655 Index 658 A 658 B 658 C 659 D 660 E 661 F 661 G 662 H 663 I 663 J 663 K 663 L 663 M 664 N 665 O 665 P 665 Q 667 R 667 S 667 T 669 U 670 V 670 W 670 X 671 Y 671 Z 671