New Trends in Soil Micromorphology

The soil water retention curve, the saturated hydraulic conductivity and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function are basic soil hydraulic functions and parameters. Ample apprehension of the soil hydraulic functions and parameters is required for a successful formulation of the principles leading to sustainable soil management, agricultural production and environmental protection. From these, all the other parameters, required in the solution of the practical tasks, are derived. The basic soil hydraulic functions are strongly dependent upon the soil porous system. The development of models is characteristic by the gradual transition from the simplest concepts up to the sophisticated approaches, which should correspond to the visual reality studied by soil micromorphology. 2 Soil Porous System and Soil Micromorphometry 2.1 An Overview on the Quantification of the Soil Porous System Quanti? cation of the soil porous system consists of classi? cation of soil pores, ch- acterization of the soil pores shapes and the estimation of the pore size distribution function. When the hydraulic functions of the soil pores are considered, the following laws of hydrostatics and hydrodynamics are applied as best ? tting to the classi? cation criteria of the size of the pores (Kutilek and Nielsen 1994, p. 20, Kutilek 2004): A. Submicroscopic pores that are so small that they preclude clusters of water molecules from forming ? uid particles or continuous water ? ow paths.

"The book contains state of the art new research results in micromorphology as well as other disciplines of soil science. It provides very useful up-to-date information for researchers, educators, graduate students interested in microscopic and submicroscopic studies of soils and sediments. In the past, micromorphology has been considered almost solely as a descriptive and interpretative branch of science. Attempts are now made to obtain quantitative data. There has been much progress in applying soil micromorphology in Quaternary geology, in particular identifying and characterizing palaeosols. The new areas for soil micromorphology are soil ecology, materials sciences and archaeology. TOC:1. The role of soil micromorphology in the light of Euorpean thematic strategy for soil protection,- 2. Soil micromorphology and soil hydraulics,- 3. Micromorphology of a soil catena in Yucatán: pedogenesis and geomorphological processes in a tropical karst landscape,- 4. Soil evolution along a topsequence on glacial and periglacial materials in the Pyrenees range, Spain,- 5. A micromorphological study of Andosol genesis in Iceland,- 6. Improved paleopedological reconstruction of vertic paleosols at Novaya Etuliya, Moldova, via integration of soil micromorphology and environmental magnetism,- 7. Ferricretes in Tamil Nadu, Chennai, South Eastern India: from landscape to micromorphology, genesis and paleoenvrionmental significance,- 8. Palygorskite dominated vertisols of Southern Iran,- 9. Contribution of micromorphology to classification of aridic soils,- 10.Orientation and spacing of columnar peds in a sodic, tecture contrast soil in Australia,- 11. Physical fractionation or mormoder humus using cryo-coupes and micromorphological methods,- 12. Regional manifestation of the widespread disruption of soil-landscapes by the 4 kyr BP impact using pedo-sedimentary micro-fabrics,- 13. Clay illuviation in a Holocene palaeosol in the Chinese Loess Plateau,- 14. Soil microstructure and solution chemistry of a compacted forest soil in a sub-boreal spruce zone in Canada."

The Role of Soil Micromorphology in the Light of the European Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection.- Soil Micromorphology and Soil Hydraulics.- Micromorphology of a Soil Catena in Yucatán: Pedogenesis and Geomorphological Processes in a Tropical Karst Landscape.- Soil Evolution Along a Toposequence on Glacial and Periglacial Materials in the Pyrenees Range.- A Micromorphological Study of Andosol Genesis in Iceland.- Improved Paleopedological Reconstruction of Vertic Paleosols at Novaya Etuliya, Moldova Via Integration of Soil Micromorphology and Environmental Magnetism.- Ferricretes in Tamil Nadu, Chennai, South-Eastern India: From Landscape to Micromorphology, Genesis, and Paleoenvironmental Significance.- Palygorskite Dominated Vertisols of Southern Iran.- Contribution of Micromorphology to Classification of Aridic Soils.- Orientation and Spacing of Columnar Peds in a Sodic, Texture Contrast Soil in Australia.- Physical Fractionation and Cryo-Coupe Analysis of Mormoder Humus.- Regional Manifestation of the Widespread Disruption of Soil-Landscapes by the 4 kyr BP Impact-Linked Dust Event Using Pedo-Sedimentary Micro-Fabrics.- Clay Illuviation in a Holocene Palaeosol -Sequence in the Chinese Loess Plateau.- Soil Microstructure and Solution Chemistry of a Compacted Forest Soil in a Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone in Canada.