Pedology is the study of soil formation and its environmental factors. It includes pedogenesis, soil morphology, landforms, and soil classification. The origins of pedology are attributed to Hilgard and Dokuchaev. Anthropopedogenesis studies human impact on soil development and condition.
Pedology is the scientific study of soil, primarily focusing on the natural formation and arrangement of soil. Pedologists examine and classify soil, as well as conduct research to determine the environmental factors that influence it. Since soil conditions can greatly affect agriculture and plant life, soil science is typically concerned with finding out how to maintain optimal soil conditions.
Pedogenesis is one of the main areas of science. Pedologists who specialize in pedogenesis study the process of soil creation, studying the effects of various environmental characteristics on the soil. Pedogenesis often focuses on studying how different climates and organisms alter soil conditions.
Soil morphology is another section of soil science and involves the study of soil characteristics, such as color, texture, roots, and texture to determine soil differences in different areas. It includes two subcategories: micromorphology and field morphology. Micromorphology is the examination of soil samples under a laboratory microscope.
Pedologists working in the field of landforms study the soil outdoors in its natural environment. Field landforms use vertical soil samples to expose the different soil layers. Pedologists can dig a hole to fully expose the various horizontal layers, then look for differences within the layers.
Pedology also includes soil classification. Each country or region typically has its own soil classification systems. For example, the United States uses the Conservation of Natural Resources Service (NRCS) Soil Classification System, while France uses the French Soil Reference System. There is also an international soil classification system: the World Soil Classification, created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO World Soil Classification divides soil into categories based on the phases, textures and slopes of the area.
The origins of pedology are generally attributed to 19th century scientists Eugene Hilgard and Vasily Dokuchaev. Hilgard was an American scientist who began studying soil conditions when he examined and wrote a report on the soils of Mississippi in 1860. In 1883, Dokuchaev, a Russian scientist, developed five categories to classify soil formation: climate, organisms, material geological, geomorphology, and weather. Many modern pedologists base their soil categorization on Dokuchaev’s ideas.
During the 1960s, soil research attention began to focus on the effects of human actions on soil development and condition. This area of research was initially referred to as metapedogenesis, but is more typically known as anthropopedogenesis. For example, soil scientists who focus on anthropogenesis can observe the appearance and condition of the soil in industrial areas to determine how air pollution affects the soil.
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