Introduction to Soil Science: From Formation and Classification to Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties, Fertility and Nutrient Management, ... and Conservation (Sustainable Agriculture)

Interested in soil science? Michael Barton covers everything you want to know about it – and more to deepen your understanding of the hidden world beneath the ground you walk on. The book makes learning fun, like one of your favorite enjoyable textbooks from high school science class with major points in bold print for you to easily absorb. The text promotes an easy understanding of soil science and why it’s important for various applications affecting your daily life, including the health of the ecosystem. Each chapter summary is a great tool to enhance your comprehension: highlighting what the author thinks is most important in case you missed something.The role of fertility and plant growth and the role of nutrients in the soil is paramount for supporting healthy plant growth, which can help you maintain more robust house plants and enrich your backyard garden by following the author’s techniques to create fertile ground. Causes and impacts of soil erosion and conservation tips might help you design and maintain a better plot of land in your neighborhood by controlling and preventing soil erosion. Understanding soil management in agriculture aids sustainable farming, which can affect the price of food on your table and your decisions at the grocery store.

Introduction to Soil Science serves as a comprehensive educational resource, effectively highlighting the critical role of soil in our ecosystem. The author meticulously covers the classification, properties, management, and conservation of soil, making it an enlightening read for those new to the subject and those with some background.While the book excels in providing a broad understanding of soil science and deepening appreciation for soil health, it may fall short for readers seeking practical steps for measuring and improving soil quality in personal gardens. Some chapters tend to reiterate high-level concepts, which can feel repetitive.Despite minor issues with repetition and occasional typos, the book offers valuable insights and systematic explanations, making it accessible and informative. Overall, it's a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the significance of soil health, though it could benefit from more practical, hands-on guidance.

Introduction to Soil Science: From Formation and Classification to Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties, Fertility and Nutrient Management, and Conservation (Sustainable Agriculture) by Michael Barton teaches you everything you need to know about soil. The book is highly detailed yet the information is presented in a quite readable way, easy to understand and learn. Even if you have no prior knowledge about soil science this is a perfect introduction, while people who are more knowledgeable in this area will also benefit from reading this. Highly recommend it for great insight into a surprisingly important topic.

An introduction to Soil Science is exactly that: a layperson’s short intro to a very wide and well-established science that is especially important today. The author covers the (very) basics in well-written prose, but tends to repeat himself as he leads us through the different aspects of the science, and the lack of context or engaging narrative makes for a very dry read. The book does not mention any of the world-famous soil scientists, their discoveries, or their impact. There is nothing about specific types of soils (e.g. the prairies, the Amazon, the deltas) and no mention of some of the massive programs and exciting projects dealing with soil restoration and conservation (the New Deal’s conservation work, the reforestation on the edges of the Sahara, the detoxification of soils with fungi). There are several lacunae in the book, with no explanation of nitrogen-fixing legumes or the importance of mycorrhizae in soil health, for example. The book is a quick read (a bit like a condensed version of an introductory college textbook), but it seems to have been written quickly as well.

Keeping our soil in the best condition possible on our precarious planet should be a serious matter of concern not just to farmers, gardeners or land managers but for everybody. Our future nutrition depends on it. And in that respect Michael Barton provides all the knowledge in a short and comprehensive book, that is an easy read for anybody. It gives us all the necessary facts and information to awaken our responsibility, because we all can contribute to keep our soil healthy for us and our children's future.

This book is a comprehensive but not overly long description of soil science. While it doesn't serve as a reference, it does cover many of the important aspects of soil management, including, but not limited to, the soil's PH and what nutrients are usually present under certain conditions, what might need to be added for the desired result. I found myself wishing I had used this book as complementary to my book on soil and gardening. If the book had been lengthier, the reader may have become disinterested in too much detail. This book is a great read for anyone who might want to delve into gardening, agriculture, or landscaping, as it introduces the reader to what may be found in their soil.