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In its first edition, Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology established itself as the leading textbook in the fields of pedology and soil geomorphology. Expanded and fully updated, this second edition maintains its highly organized and readable style. Suitable as a textbook and a research-grade reference, Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology's introductory chapters in soil morphology, mineralogy, chemistry, physics and organisms prepare the reader for the more advanced treatment that follows. Unlike its competitors, Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology devotes considerable space to discussions of soil parent materials and soil mixing, along with dating and paleoenvironmental reconstruction techniques applicable to soils. Although introductions to widely used soil classification systems are included, theory and processes of soil genesis and geomorphology form the backbone of Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology. Replete with more than 550 high-quality figures and photos and a detailed glossary, Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology will be invaluable for anyone studying soils, landforms and landscape change anywhere on the globe.
Part I. The Building Blocks of Soils
1. Introduction
2. Basic concepts: soil morphology
3. Basic concepts: soil horizonation... the alphabet of soils
4. Basic concepts: soil mineralogy
5. Basic concepts: soil chemistry
6. Basic concepts: soil physics
7. Basic concepts: soil organisms
8. Soil classification and mapping
9. Weathering
Part II. Soil Genesis: From Parent Material to Soil
10. Soil parent materials
11. Pedoturbation
12. Models and concepts of soil formation
13. Soil genesis and profile differentiation
Part III. Soil Geomorphology
14. Soil geomorphology and hydrology
15. Soil development and surface exposure dating
16. Soils, paleosols, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction
17. Conclusions
Randall Schaetzl is a Professor of Geography and Geosciences at Michigan State University. His research has been published in all the leading soils, geomorphology, and geography journals. He is the editor of the Soils section for the International Encyclopedia of Geography (Association of American Geographers) and a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. He is an expert in the soils and landforms of the Great Lakes region, and he is editor-in-chief of Michigan Geography and Geology (2012). His expertise on podzolization and pedoturbation has led him to publish numerous papers on these widespread soil processes.
Michael Thompson is a Professor of Soil Science at Iowa State University. For more than twenty years, he taught pedology and clay mineralogy courses, and for the past ten years he has taught courses in soil chemistry. Thompson's research has dealt with paleosols, soil organic matter, and the fate of actinides, heavy metals, and organic contaminants in waste-amended soils. His research seeks to identify the chemical and physical conditions that favor stability, transformations, and movement of soil organic matter, anthropogenic contaminants, and clay minerals in soils. He is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Reviews of the first edition:
"[...] a remarkably comprehensive and up-to-date review [...] The writing is clear and concise, and the authors' enthusiasm for their subject material is obvious. This book will appeal to individuals from a number of disciplines and sub-disciplines who find soils interesting, including pedology, soil geomorphology, earth system science, environmental science, and Quaternary geology [...] it will be an excellent textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate level courses in soil geography, pedology, and geomorphology."
– The Canadian Geographer
"This is a big book in size, concept, and ideas. The book is lavishly illustrated, with an extensive reference list providing the student reader with a ready gateway into the research literature. A large glossary of terms associated with both soils and geomorphology is also a welcome addition to the book. Each section is often approached in quite fresh and new ways [...] wonderful."
– Environmental Conservation
"The greatest strength of this text is that it offers a fresh look at soil genesis, blending a variety of concepts and paradigms of the science that are not traditionally addressed together. It serves as an excellent summary of pedogenic theory and should occupy the shelves of all pedologists and students of soil science. Likewise, it would serve as a very useful text for other disciplines, particularly the field sciences such as ecology, geology, range management, forestry, and geomorphology."
– Anthony O'Green, Vadose Zone Journal
"[...] a comprehensive new text that brings the excitement of discovery back into soil science [...] an enthusiastic presentation of the complexity and beauty of soils and the landscapes they occupy. The writing is clear without being simplistic and the numerous figures illustrate the concepts admirably [...] The book will be essential reading for teachers, students, researchers, field soil scientists and all who have an interest in soil geomorphology."
– Dan Muhs, US Geological Survey
"[...] a landmark publication in the study of soils [...] This book should be unusually versatile, suitable at advanced undergraduate and graduate levels for courses in pedology, soil geography, and soil geomorphology. It is a remarkable volume, quite unlike any other soils book out there."
– Vance Holliday, University of Arizona
"[...] a well written, refreshing, and sorely needed addition to the fields of soils, geomorphology, physical geography, ecology, archaeology, and Quaternary geology. This book has it all [...] I predict wide adoption in courses that treat these subjects [...] Kudos to the authors for a job well done."
– Donald Johnson, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
"This fresh treatment of the discipline of pedology is very welcome. Schaetzl and Anderson have crafted a book that is highly readable, utterly up to date and thorough, with dazzling illustrations."
– Alan Busacca, Washington State University
"[...] a very readable and well-illustrated text that covers all the bases. Finally, we can offer our students a single text that provides a thorough introduction to soil genesis, classification, and soil geomorphology. I'm sure this will become the standard text in the discipline for many years to come. I'm definitely going to adopt it for my Soil Genesis and Geomorphology class."
– Art Bettis, University of Iowa
"This is a rare textbook: well-written, comprehensive, up to date, thought-provoking, and refreshingly opinionated. Schaetzl and Anderson took on an ambitious task in writing a textbook that not only covers pedology and soil geomorphology but also provides some of the necessary background in related areas of soil science. They have completed this task in admirable fashion."
– Joseph A. Mason, University of Wisconsin, Madison
