The Nature and Properties of Soils - Tapa dura

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Dr. Raymond Weil, Professor, University of Maryland College Park

B.S. in Crop Science from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 1970.

M.S. in Soil Science from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 1973.

Ph.D. in Soil Ecology from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 1977.

Elected Fellow in 2003 of both the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy.

Weil has been active in soil science research since 1972 and has made many contributions in the areas of nutrient cycling and management, environmental impact of soil management, and assessment of soil quality. His current research is focused on the assessment and improvement of soil quality and organic matter.  He has conducted research in several countries outside the United States, including Ethiopia, Chad, Brazil, Honduras, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania.  In addition to his teaching at the University of Maryland, he has conducted many training workshops for such agencies as the USDA, The World Bank, The Rodale Research Institute, and the International Food Policy Center.

Dr. Weil has authored or coauthored more than 100 scientific publications in soil science and related areas.

Dr. Nyle Brady

Dr. Brady has, since 1947, worked in education, research and research administration, focusing on both international and U.S. issues. He is past president of the SSSA and served six years as Editor-in-Chief of the SSSA Proceedings and is Emeritus Professor at Cornell University. He has served in leadership positions with Cornell University, the International Rice Research Institute, USAID, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank. He is recognized around the world as author and co-author of eleven editions of the world's most widely used soil science textbook, The Nature and Properties of Soils.

De la contraportada

• A comprehensive approach to soils with a focus on six major ecological roles of soil including growth of plants, climate change, recycling function, biodiversity, water, and soil properties and behavior.
• New full-color illustrations and the use of color throughout the text highlights the new and refined figures and illustrations to help make the study of soils more efficient, engaging, and relevant.
• Updated with the latest advances, concepts, and applications including hundreds of key references.
• New coverage of cutting edge soil science. Examples include coverage of the pedosphere concept, new insights into humus and soil carbon accumulation, subaqueous soils, soil effects on human health, principles and practice of organic farming, urban and human engineered soils, new understandings of the nitrogen cycle, water-saving irrigation techniques, hydraulic redistribution, soil food-web ecology, disease suppressive soils, soil microbial genomics, soil interactions with global climate change, digital soil maps, and many others
• Applications boxes and case study vignettes bring important soils topics to life. Examples include "Subaqueous Soils--Underwater Pedogenesis," "Practical Applications of Unsaturated Water Flow in Contrasting Layers," "Soil Microbiology in the Molecular Age," and "Where have All the Humics Gone?"
• Calculations and practical numerical problems boxes help students explore and understand detailed calculations and practical numerical problems. Examples include "Calculating Lime Needs Based on pH Buffering," "Leaching Requirement for Saline Soils," "Toward a Global Soil Information System," "Calculation of Nitrogen Mineralization," and "Calculation of Percent Pore Space in Soils."