This book presents a comprehensive description of the soils of Israel, offering complete details of their distribution, chemical, physical, and mineralogical characteristics and agricultural attributes. The pathways to the formation of each soil type are discussed against the background of such various soil-forming factors as climate, lithology and physiography. The distribution of the different soil types is explained, based on the relationships between soils and soil-forming factors. The description of the contemporaneous surface soils is supplemented by a review of the numerous paleosols with their paleogeographic significance. An ample bibliography backs up this exposition, supplemented by numerous figures, tables, colour plates and maps. This book offers the first comprehensive study of Israel since 1948.
1 Factors of Soil Formation.- 2 Soils of the Coastal Plain and the Shefela.- 3 Soils of the Negev.- 4 Soils of the Hills and Mountain Range.- 5 Soils of the Yizreel and Jordan Valleys.- 6 Soils of the Eastern Galilee and the Golan Heights: Basalt and Pyroclastics derived soils.- 7 Paleosols in Israel.- Saline and alkaline soils in Israel.- 9 Soil Classification in Israel.- References.- Index.
From the reviews: "The Soils of Israel is a most welcome comprehensive addition to our literature. It is profusely illustrated with numerous figures, tables, colour plates and maps which result from more than 40 years of research. I can whole-heartedly recommend it to teachers, research scientists, advanced students and professionals in soil science, and to others in related disciplines such as geography, environmental science, geobotany, geology and civil engineering who have an interest in the soils of countries with a Mediterranean climate." (J. Bech, European Journal of Soil Science, Vol. 59, 2008)