Soil

The naturally occurring unconsolidated material on the surface of the earth that has been influenced
by parent material, climate (including the effects of moisture and temperature), macro- and micro-
organisms, and relief, all acting over a period of time to produce soil that may differ from the
material from which it was derived in many physical, chemical, mineralogical, biological, and
morphological properties. Glossary of Soil Science Terms. (Madison, WI: ASA, CSSA, and SSSA
2010)

Soil structure
The arrangement of soil particles into small clumps, called peds. Much like ingredients in a cake
batter bind together to form a cake, soil particles (sand, silt, clay, and even organic matter) bind
together to form peds. Peds have various shapes depending on their "ingredients" and on the
conditions in which the peds formed: getting wet and drying out or freezing and thawing-or even
people walking on or farming the soil. Ped shapes roughly resemble balls, blocks, columns, and
plates. Between the peds are spaces, or pores, in which air, water, and organisms can move. The
sizes of pores and their shapes vary from soil structure to soil structure. Glossary of Soil Science
Terms. (Madison, WI: ASA, CSSA, and SSSA 2010).

Soil texture
The particles that make up soil are categorized into three groups by size-sand, silt, and clay. Sand
particles are the largest and clay particles the smallest. Although a soil could be all sand, all clay,
or all silt, that is rare. Instead most soils are a combination of the three. The relative percentages
of sand, silt, and clay are what give soil its texture. A loamy texture soil, for example, has nearly
equal parts of sand, silt, and clay. Glossary of Soil Science Terms. (Madison, WI: ASA, CSSA, and SSSA 2010).

Soil science
Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil
formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of
soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.
Soil Taxonomy
The current definition of soil in Soil Taxonomy is “Soil is a natural body comprised of solids
(mineral and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space,
and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable
from the initial material (how plants uptake from soil).
What is Soil?
From agricultural point of view, soil is defined as the non-consolidated upper part of
the earth's crust that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants. In
short, soil is a habitat for plants.
But for different disciplines of science, the definition of soil is different, for instance,
a geologist or mining engineer may call "the fragmented rocks or debris covering the
rocks” and a civil engineer may call it "earth or the foundation material for
constructing houses and roads”; and an economist may call it as 'land'.
In this article, we will be limiting only to the definition and branches of soil science.

Relation of soil science with other scientific disciplines

Soil science is an applied scientific discipline of comprehensive nature because of its
relationships with so many other sciences

Branches of Soil Science

1. Soil Chemistry
It deals with the chemical constitution, chemical properties and processes taking place in the soil.
2. Soil Biology
It refers to the soil inhabiting organisms and their biology, functions and activities. For
examples, insects and nematodes.
3. Soil Mineralogy
This branch deals with the primary and secondary soil minerals and their contribution to the
chemistry, physics, fertility and biology of the soils and their relation to soil genesis.
4. Soil Genesis and Classification (Pedology)
Soil genesis deals with the weathering of rocks and minerals and factors and processes of soil
formation whereas, soil classification is the systematic rearrangements of soils into groups or
categories on the basis of their characteristics.
5. Soil Physics
It concerns with the mechanical behavior of the soil mass, that is, the physical properties of soils
with emphasis on the state and transport of matter especially water and energy in the soil.
6. Soil Fertility
It concerns the ability of a soil to supply the essential plant nutrients for plant growth.
7. Soil Salinity
It concerns with the excess soluble salts present in the oil their reclamation and soil management
for saline agriculture.
8. Soil Survey
The systematic examination of the soils in the field and lab, their description, classification,
mapping and interpretation according to their suitability for different management systems is
dealt with in soil surveys.
9. Soil Conservation
It deals with the protection of soil from the physical loss by erosion (by wind and water) or
chemical deterioration. Thus, soil conservation is concerned with a combination of all
management and land use method that safeguard the soil against deterioration by natural or
human induced factors.
10. Soil Microbiology
This important field, deals with the microbial communities in the soil, their roles and
characteristics with respect to soil fertility and land reclamation and especially it concerns with
the nutrition of plant through root nodulation or diseases caused by plant pathogenic microbes in
the soil.