Introduction to Soil Science

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Introduction to Soil Science

• By
• Genxing Pan
• Department of Soil Science ,
• Inst. Resources, Ecosystem Environment of
  Agriculture (IREEA)
• www.ireea.kyjg.njau.edu.cn

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Soil-Soils
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Introduction Contents

• What is Soil?
• What is soil science ?
• Why do we study soil (science)?

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What is Soil?
Soils in a changing Earth
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What is Soil ?
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What is a Soil?
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What is a soil?
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What is a soil?
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Definition

• Soft
• Natural body
• Sustaining life (incl.Support plant growth)
• Dynamically changing
• At the earth surface

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Soil Vs Land

• 1, soft growth media vs babitat media
• 2, Fertility vs productivity
• 3, natural Vs social-economical

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Soil Vs Land?
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Why do we study soil?
Decreasing capacity of natural resources
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????,?????
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Why do we study soil?

• Deterioration of ecosystem and environment (incl.
  Land degradation)

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Why do we study soil?

• The Changing Earth

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Why do we study soil?
Soil provides natural sink
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What do we study?
Soil provide meso- and micro- habitat for
organisms
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Why do we study soil?
Soil provides shelter and preserves cultural
heritage
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Why do we study soil?
Soil provides natural beauty
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Why do we study soil?

• Are we less dependent on soils?

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Why do we study soil?
Urbanization---Urban soils Hydroponic culture
Organic farming Plastics---cornstarch plastics,
polyesters or cottons
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What is Soil Science? What is the role of soil
science?

• Study of soil as an part of terrestrial
  ecosystem, environment, and integrated Earth
  surface System
• Study of soil by physical, chemical and
  biological means and others
• Study of soil in scales ranging from molecular to
  pedosphere
• Study of soil in interaction with water, air,
  biomes, and human,etc.

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Soil Science

• Soil - plant science - ion uptake, soil
  fertility, nutrient transport, bioavailability
  food quality
• Soil-water science water translocation, water
  use efficiency nutrient loading, drinking water
  quality
• Soil- air science gas exchange, emissions, GHE,
  Global change

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Soil Science

• Soil material science soil mechanics or
  dynamics, soil engineering
• Soil ecosystem science soil ecosystems,
  stability of ecosystem. Biodiversity and
  ecological safety
• Soil - landscape science soil associations, land
  use patterns, soil archeology ,etc

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Closely related science

• Food Science
• Medicine Health science
• Archaeology

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Role of Soil Science

• Basic discipline of natural sciences
• Fundamental science of agricultural sciences
• Core science of environmental and ecological
  sciences

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Role of Soil Science

• Impacts in
• Land use planning
• Help solve food supply,ex Sandro
• Policy making - agriculture and environment
  protection
• Consultancy standards, restrictions, etc. WHO
  project

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Role of Soil Science

• IUSS, a member of ICSU
• World Soil Day December 5 as proposed
• Soil projects among IGBP-Core projects
• Soil science department in the land grant
  universities
• Winner of food Prize Prof. Sanchez

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Overview of Soil Science History

• Ancient time
• End of 19 century
• Lipig, Mineral nutrition of plant,1840
• Docuchayev (1883, Chernozem in Russian Great
  Plain
• Waksman, 1930s, Soil colloids
• USDA, Soil Taxonomy,1975

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Soil Science in China

• Ancient time
• 1,????2,?? ???3, Dynasty Soil Mosaic
• Modern time
• 1930s, Soil Research Unit
• 1940s, Soil Survey,

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Soil Science in China

• 1950s, Soil Resource Survey and Rehabitation
  Soil Science Institute
• National Soil Survey(2 times), Chinese Soil
  Taxonomic Classification
• Late 1980s early 2000s Soil Science
  expanded
• State Discipline of Soil Science

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Soil Science System

• Soil fertility- Soil Quality
• Pedology-Soil Science
• Soil water- SPAC
• Ped Soil system- Soil ecosystem- Earth System

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Soil Science System
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Soil Science SYstem
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Unique Soils of China

• Soils of Loess
• Soils in Tibetan Plateau
• Soils of Paddy-Paddy soils
• Soils on limestone in southwestern China

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What will we learn from soil science?

• Nature
• Properties
• Behaviors (Functions)
• Trends in the changing environment
• Fundamental methodology of soil researches

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How do we study soil science?
Field studies precise sampling and detailed
observation
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How do we study soil science?
Macro to micro scale modern analytical facilities
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How do we study soil science?
Modern tracing and monitoring techniques
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Further reference
1, http/www.IUSS.org 2, http/www.SSSA.org 3,
http/www.njau.edu.cn/htm.index/ireea 4,
http/www.issas.ac.cn
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Welcome to join us!