Soil science

Soil science

That science dealing with soils as a natural resource on the surface of the earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils per se; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.

Industry: Earth science

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Soil science

Osmotic potential

Earth science; Soil science

The potential energy acting upon soil water due to the effect of solutes. Solution in contact with pure water will draw water from the reservoir of pure water due to the decrease in potential ...

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

Earth science; Soil science

The quantity of oxygen used in the biochemical oxidation of organic and inorganic matter in a specified time, at a specified temperature, and in specified conditions. An indirect measure of the ...

Tree-tip mound

Earth science; Soil science

The small mound of debris sloughed from the root plate (ball) of a tipped-over tree. Local soil horizons are commonly obliterated, which results in a heterogeneous mass of soil material.

Brucite

Earth science; Soil science

The mineral Mg(OH)2; it has a layer type structure with magnesium ions in octahedral coordination and is the structure model for the trioctahedral sheet in layer silicates.

Arbuscule

Earth science; Soil science

Specialised dendritic (highly branched) structure formed within root cortical cells by endomycorrhizal fungus.

LaPlace equation

Earth science; Soil science

The parial differential equation representing steady-state groundwater flow.

Internal friction

Earth science; Soil science

The portion of the shearing strength of a soil indicated by the term σ tan θ in Coulomb's equation τ = c + σ tan θ, where τ is shear stress, σ is normal stress, c is cohesion, and θ is friction ...