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

Standard cone

Earth science; Soil science

The cone-shaped tip used at the insertion end of soil penetrometer probes, following design criteria prescribed by the ASAE standard. Briefly, a 30 degree stainless steel cone having a basal ...

Mottles

Earth science; Soil science

Spots or blotches of different colour or shades of colour interspersed with the dominant color.

Aquic moisture regime

Earth science; Soil science

A reducing moisture regime in a soil that is virtually free of dissolved oxygen because it is saturated by ground water or by water of the capillary fringe.

Bulk specific gravity

Earth science; Soil science

The ratio of the mass of a unit volume of dry soil to the mass of the same unit volume of water.

Equipotential line

Earth science; Soil science

A line in a two-dimensional flow field of equal hydraulic head.

Caliche

Earth science; Soil science

(i) A zone near the surface, more or less cemented by secondary carbonates of Ca or Mg precipitated from the soil solution. It may occur as a soft thin soil horizon, as a hard thick bed, or as a ...

Smectite

Earth science; Soil science

A group of 2:1 layer silicates with a high cation exchange capacity, about 110 cmolc kg-1for soil smectites, and variable interlayer spacing. Formerly called the montmorillonite group. The group ...