New “The Soils of the USA” book published under editorship of Alfred Hartemink
A new book, “The Soils of the USA,” has been published under the editorship of Alfred Hartemink, professor and chair of the Department of Soil Science. The book is the first comprehensive coverage of the soils in the U.S. since 1936. It is richly illustrated and covers comprehensive information on the properties, distribution and genesis of soils; describes the relationships between soils, landscapes and soil function; and includes an analysis of human influences on soil resources and future challenges for soil science.
There will be an official book launch on Nov. 8 during the ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
Here’s a fuller description of the book from the publisher:
This book provides an overview of the distribution, properties, and function of soils in the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, and its Caribbean territories. It discusses the history of soil surveys and pedological research in the U.S., and offers general descriptions of the country’s climate, geology and geomorphology. For each Land Resource Region (LRR) – a geographic/ecological region of the country characterized by its own climate, geology, landscapes, soils, and agricultural practices – there is a chapter with details of the climate, geology, geomorphology, pre-settlement and current vegetation, and land use, as well as the distribution and properties of major soils including their genesis, classification, and management challenges. The final chapters address topics such as soils and humans, and the future challenges for soil science and soil surveys in the U.S. Maps of soil distribution, pedon descriptions, profile images, and tables of properties are included throughout the text.