Soil Formation

This text deals with qualitative and quantitative aspects of soil formation, underlying chemical, biological, and physical processes, and their measurable results.

The starting point of the text is not soil classification, but weathering of parent materials, mobilization, transport, and immobilization of dissolved and suspended compounds, placed in the context of biosphere and geosphere.

Connections between processes and diagnostic horizons of soil classification are discussed.

Emphasis is laid on the universality of soil-forming processes and on the soil as a dynamic entity that forms part of the total environment.

The complex genesis of many soils gets its deserved attention.

The text is full of examples from literature and the student is guided through the book by a large number of questions and problems, the answers to which are also given.