Introduction to Soil Science

SC-111
3(2+1)

Prepared by Professor
Dr. B.K. Pany

Course Details

Module-1 (15 classes)

Soilscience and its scope
Pedological and edaphological concepts,
Origin of the earth,
Earths crust: Composition:
Rocks and minerals,
Weathering, soil formation factors and processes,
Components of soils,
Soil profile,
Soil physical properties, like
Soil texture, textural classes, particle size analysis,
Soil structure, classification, soil aggregates, significance,
soil consistency, soil crusting,
Dencities of soil:Bulk density and particle density of soils ,
porosity, their significance and manipulation,
Soil compaction, soil colour,
Elementary knowledge of soil classification and soils of India;

Course Details...

Module-1I (9 classes)
Soil water,
Retention and potentials of soil water,
Soil moisture constants,
Movement of soil water, Infiltration, Percolation,
Permeability, Drainage,
Methods of determination of soil moisture.
Thermal properties of soil, soil temperature,
Soil air, Gaseous exchange,
Influence of soil temperature and air on plant
growth;
Soil colloids,
Properties, nature, Types & significance;
Layer silicate clays, their genesis and sources of
charges,

Course Details...

Module-1II (8 classes)
Adsorption of ions,
Ion exchange, CEC and AEC ,
Factors influencing ion exchange and
its significance.
Soil
organic
matter,
composition,
decomposability,
Humus, Fractionation of organic matter,
Carbon cycle, C:N ratio,
Soil biology, Biomass,
Soil Organisms & their beneficial &
harmful roles.

Practical

Module-1 (10 classes)

Determination of Bulk density
Determination of Particle density,
Aggregate analysis,
Soil strength,
Soil moisture determination,
Soil moisture constants-Field capacity,
Infiltration rate,
Water holding capacity,
Soil Texture : Mechanical analysisSoil temperature,
Analytical chemistry-Basic concepts, Techniques & calculationsModule-1I (6 classes)
Collection & processing of soil for analysisOrganic carbon,
pH and EC,
Soluble cations and anionsStudy of a soil profileIdentification of rocks and minerals.

L-1
Introduction to soil science,
Fields of application in soil
science
Soil
Function of Soil and
Major environmental issues
Scope of soil science,
Pedological
and
edaphological concepts,

Soil

Man is dependent on
soils and
To certain extent good
soils are dependent
upon man and the use
he makes of them

Soil Science

Soil science
Soil scienceis the study ofsoilas
anatural resourceon the surface
of
theearthincluding
soil formation,
classificationand
mapping;
physical,
chemical,
biological, and fertility properties
of soils; and these properties in
relation
to
the
use
and
management of soils
for
crop
production.

Fields of application in soil science

1.Soil survey

2.Soil management

3.Standard methods
of analysis

4.Soil fertility / Nutrient

management

5.Ecosystem studies

6.Climate change

7.Watershed and wetland 8.Pedotransfer function

studies

Soil

Soil is a dynamic natural body

developed
as
a
result
of
pedogenic processes during and
after
weathering
of
rocks,
consisting of mineral and organic
constituents, possessing definite
chemical, physical, mineralogical
and biological properties, having a
variable depth over the surface of
the earth and providing a medium
for plant growth for land plants

SOIL...
Soils lie at the interface of
Earth's , atmosphere,biosphere,
hydrosphereandlithosphere and interact
with the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
To understand soil requires some
knowledge of metrology, climatology,
ecology, biology, Hydrology,
geomorphology,geologyand many other
earth sciencesandnatural sciences
Soils play a vital role in the quality of our
environment.
For example, soil impact the quality and
quantity of our food, and serve as
foundations of our structures,

SOIL...

Soil can be a source, a sink, or an

interacting medium for many nutrients,
as well as contaminants that impact
humans, plants, wildlife, and other
organisms.
An understanding of soil properties and
processes is therefore critical to
evaluate soil management processes.
The word Soil is derived from Latin
word Solum means Floor or Ground
With out life, there is no soil and
without soil, there is no life on the
earth planet

Function of Soil

Soils perform
ecosystem.

six

key

functions

in

the

global

Soil serves as a
Medium for plant growth (provides nutrients), it
store and supply nutrients to plants.
As an anchor for plant roots enabling plants to
stand erect
Regulator of water supplies (water holding tank, it
absorb and store the moisture for later use),
Recycler of raw materials ( Decomposition)
Habitat for soil organisms
Landscaping and engineering medium (Soils are the
base material for roads, homes, buildings, and
other structures) and ,
It provide space for air which creates healthy
environment)

Major environmental issues

Major environmental issues addressed

will be:
Soil stability and erosion
Soil hydrology
Biodiversity of soils
Plant nutrition
Quality of agricultural crops
Pollution by trace elements and
nutrients in excess
Climate change and global warming
Water quality
Role of micro and meso faune in soil

Scope of Soil Science

Soil Science has several well defined

and developed disciplines. Scope of soil
Science is reflected through these
disciplines.
1. Soil physics:Involves the study of
physical properties of soils as well as
the measurements and control of
physical processes that takes place in
and through the soil
2. Soil chemistry:Chemical constituents,
chemical properties and the chemical
reactions
3. Soil biology: Soil biology deals with

Scope of Soil Science.

4. Soil mineralogy: Soil mineralogy

deals with the minerals (primary
rock
minerals
and
secondary
minerals present in soil and their
contribution to the chemistry,
physics, biology and fertility of
soil and their relation to genesis
of soil
5.Soil fertility: Soil fertility deals
with the nutrient status or ability
of soil to supply nutrients for plant
growth
under
favorable

Scope of Soil Science.

6.
Soil
genesis
and
classification
(Pedology): It deals with weathering of
rocks and minerals, factors and processes
of soil formation, and classification of
soils in a recognized system
7. Soil survey: It is the systematic
examination of soil in the field and
laboratories,
their
description
and
classification, the mapping of kinds of an
area, and also interpretation of soils
according to adaptability to various crops
and their productivity under different
management systems.

Scope of Soil Science.

8. Soil Technology: It is an applied

science and deals with the principles
and practices of soil erosion and
conservation,
and
management
of
problem soils, viz. saline, sodic (alkali),
acid, waterlogged and other degraded
soils
9.
Soil
conservation:Dealing
with
protection of soil against physical loss
by
erosion
or
against
chemical
deterioration i.e. excessive loss of
nutrients either natural or artificial
means.

Pedological and edaphological concepts

Approaches of Soil Study: Two

approaches (Concepts)
There are two main branches/
divisions ofsoil science,
Pedology
Edaphology

(a) Pedology
(a) Pedology(From Greek wordpedon, means soil
or earth).
Pedologyis a branch of soil science that focusing
soil as a natural body on the formation (
pedogenesis-soil genesis), morphology,
classification (or studies the soil profile orsolum
in its natural setting) and distribution patterns
of soils worldwide that have developed along
with broader landforms, biogeochemical
environments, and habitats of living organisms of
soils as bodies within the natural landscape.
A soil: A soil (means- pedology) is studied as a
natural body from the point of view of pedology
(formation,
chemistry,
morphology
and
classification of soil), and as a part of the
landscape

(a) Pedology...
Pedogenic(soil-forming) processes act to
both create and destroy order within soils;
these processes can proceed simultaneously.
The resultingsoil profilereflects the balance
of these processes, present and past.
Pedological Approach
The origin of the soil, its classification and
its description are examined in Pedology.
Pedology is the study of soil as a natural
body and does not focus on the soils
immediate practical use.
A pedologist studies, examines and classifies
soil
as
they
occur
in
their
natural
environment.

(b) Edaphology

(b) Edaphology(from Greek wordedaphos, means

soil or ground and logia means science or study)
Edaphology is concerned with the influence ofsoils
as a medium of growth for
living things,
particularly plants, fungi, and other living things
The termEdaphologyis also applied to the study of
how the soil influences humans use of the land for
growing plants and overall use of the land of the
man.
General
subfields
within
edaphology
are
agricultural soil science
and
environmental soil science .
Soil: ( Sudy of soil means edaphology) Soil is a
material whos chemical, physical, mineralogical
and biological characteristics are studied in relation
to plant growth or to any other use (edaphology)

Edaphological Approach

Edaphology, studies the soil from the standpoint of

crop production of higher plants.
Edaphologists examin and consider the various
properties of soil in relation to plant production
(food, fiber and timber crops)
Edaphologists also studies the causes of the varia
tion in soil productivity and find means of
conserving and improving this productivity.
From theedaphologicalviewpoint, the soil has
certain functions in relation to plant life and these
are:
It serves as a medium in which seeds can germinate or
tubers and cuttings can start to take roots;
It provides support for vertically growing plants;
It serves as an absorber of moisture for the use of plants;
and
It furnishes most of the nutrients which sustain plant life.