Soil Science & Management, 4E

by Plaster, Edward

• ISBN13: 9780766839359
• ISBN10: 0766839354
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-12-16
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

Essential to the understanding of sustainable agriculture, the effect of human activity on soil, and the management of soil and water resources including soil nutrition and other influences, this is a solid reference and learning tool. Non-technical, and easy-to-understand, Soil Science and Management, 4E teaches the essentials of soils from the perspective of farmers, horticulturists, environmentalists, and others who are concerned about how soils work and how they are used most effectively. An emphasis on management and the sustainable use of soils and water resources make it especially relevant to these audiences. Nutrient management, best practices and relevant legal issues and government programs related to soil management make this book a popular addition to the bookshelves of farmers, horticulturists and government agricultural personnel alike.

Table of Contents

Preface	viii
Author's Acknowledgments	x
The Importance of Soil	1	(15)
Soil Shapes Human History	2	(1)
Soil Is a Life-Supporting Layer of Material	3	(1)
Soil Is a Medium for Plant Growth	4	(3)
Soil: A Three-Phase System	7	(2)
Agricultural Uses of Soil	9	(1)
Nonagricultural Uses of Soil	10	(2)
Land Use in the United States	12	(1)
Soil Quality	12	(4)
Soil Origin and Development	16	(17)
The Soil Body	17	(2)
Rocks and Minerals	19	(2)
Parent Material	21	(4)
Climate	25	(1)
Organisms	25	(1)
Topography	26	(1)
Time	26	(1)
Humans	27	(1)
The Soil Profile	27	(6)
Soil Classification and Survey	33	(14)
Soil Classification	34	(2)
Soil Survey	36	(4)
Land Capability Classes	40	(7)
Physical Properties of Soil	47	(22)
Soil Texture	48	(6)
Soil Density and Permeability	54	(2)
Soil Structure	56	(3)
Soil Consistence	59	(1)
Soil Tilth	59	(5)
Soil Pans	64	(1)
Soil Temperature	64	(1)
Soil Color	65	(4)
Life in the Soil	69	(20)
The Soil Food Chain and Carbon Cycle	70	(1)
Microorganisms	71	(4)
Distribution and Functions of Microorganisms	75	(7)
Promoting Soil Organisms	82	(2)
Soil Animals	84	(5)
Organic Matter	89	(15)
The Nature of Organic Matter	90	(2)
Functions of Organic Matter	92	(1)
Maintaining Soil Matter	93	(4)
Nitrogen Tie-Up and Composting	97	(2)
Organic Soils	99	(3)
Organic Matter and Global Climate	102	(2)
Soil Water	104	(18)
How Plants Use Water	105	(1)
Forces on Soil Water	106	(3)
Types of Soil Water	109	(2)
Water Retention and Movement	111	(4)
How Roots Gather Water	115	(2)
Measuring Soil Water	117	(5)
Water Conservation	122	(14)
The Hydrologic Cycle	123	(1)
Water Resources in the United States	124	(2)
Capturing Water in Soil	126	(4)
Reducing Consumptive Use	130	(2)
Water Quality	132	(4)
Drainage and Irrigation	136	(19)
The Importance of Drainage	137	(1)
Wetland and Wet Soils	138	(2)
Artificial Drainage	140	(3)
Irrigation Systems	143	(6)
Using Irrigation	149	(2)
Water Quality	151	(4)
Soil Fertility	155	(18)
Plant Nutrients	156	(2)
Sources of Elements in Soil	158	(1)
Soil Colloids	159	(6)
Cation Exchange	165	(3)
Nutrient Uptake	168	(5)
Soil pH and Salinity	173	(23)
Soil pH	174	(1)
Development of Soil pH	175	(2)
Effects of pH on Plants	177	(3)
Liming Soil	180	(7)
Acidifying Soil	187	(1)
Soil Salinity	188	(8)
Plant Nutrition	196	(19)
Nitrogen	197	(5)
Phosphorus	202	(2)
Potassium	204	(3)
Secondary Nutrients	207	(2)
Trace Elements	209	(6)
Soil Sampling and Testing	215	(11)
Why Test Soils?	216	(1)
Soil Sampling	217	(3)
Soil Testing	220	(3)
Tissue Testing	223	(3)
Fertilizers	226	(19)
Fertilizer Materials	229	(5)
Mixed Fertilizers	234	(3)
Selecting Fertilizer	237	(1)
Applying Fertilizer	237	(5)
Fertilizer Effects on Soils	242	(3)
Organic Amendments	245	(13)
Animal Manure	246	(4)
Biosolids	250	(2)
Compost	252	(2)
Fertilizer and the Environment	254	(4)
Tillage and Cropping Systems	258	(17)
Uses of Tillage	259	(1)
Conventional Tillage	260	(4)
Conservation Tillage	264	(3)
Differences Between Conventional and Conservation Tillage	267	(1)
Cropping Systems	268	(2)
Dryland Farming	270	(1)
Sustainable Agriculture	271	(4)
Horticultural Uses of Soil	275	(20)
Vegetable Culture	276	(1)
Fruit Culture	277	(2)
Nursery Field Culture	279	(2)
Container Growing	281	(4)
Landscaping	285	(10)
Soil Conservation	295	(23)
Erosion	296	(2)
How Water Erosion Occurs	298	(4)
Predicting Soil Loss: The Universal Soil Loss Equation	302	(4)
Controlling Water Erosion	306	(6)
Wind Erosion	312	(6)
Urban Soil	318	(12)
Characteristics of Urban Soils	319	(3)
Modified and Structured Soils	322	(1)
Urban Erosion	323	(3)
Zero-Runoff Urban Sites	326	(4)
Government Agencies and Programs	330	(7)
USDA Agencies	331	(2)
USDA Conservation Programs	333	(2)
State and Local Efforts	335	(2)
Appendix 1 Some Basic Chemistry	337	(5)
Appendix 2 Sedimentation Test of Soil Texture	342	(1)
Appendix 3 Soil Orders of the United States	343	(1)
Appendix 4 Soil Horizon Symbol Suffixes	344	(2)
Appendix 5 Land Evaluation	346	(5)
Appendix 6 Preferred Soil Characteristics for Selected Trees	351	(4)
Glossary	355	(16)
Index	371