Table of Contents
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Welcome to the fascinating realm of soil science - the study of the mysterious going's-on within the dirt right under our feet.
We'll look at how the science of soils plays into regenerative gardening, and how an understanding of soil can inform our decisions in the garden.
What is Soil Science?
Soil science is a vast field, encompassing biology, microbiology, chemistry, ecology, geology, agronomy, hydrology, silviculture, botany, horticulture, and more!
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Primary Branches of Soil Science
While many different scientific disciplines may all direct their study and focus towards soil, there are 2 primary branches that they can fit within:
Pedology
Pedology focuses on the formation of soil, on the makeup of the soil, and on its relationship to geology and Earth's natural processes.
Edaphology
Edaphology focuses on the interactions between soil and living things - with a strong focus on plants.
For our purposes as gardeners and farmers, edaphology is our primary focus because it encompasses study of how to get plants to grow best in soils, how to alter soils to suit crop production, and on which plants might be best-suited for a particular soil.
Pillars of Soil Science
Soil Biology
Soil biology focuses on the life within the soil, particularly on the microbiome. This is a primary focus in organic and regenerative mothodologies, because the biololgy of the soil is a critical piece of the puzzle for growing healthy plants.
Soil Composition
Check out our article on Soil Composition for a deep dive.
Soil Structure
Check out our article on Soil Structure to learn more.
Nutrient Cycling
Nutrient cycling focuses on the available nutrients within the soil and geology, and how those nutrients are liberated, accessed, used, and released as they travel through the soil food web.
Let's look at some specific nutrient cycles related to agriculture that are worth understanding if you grow plants organically:
*We'll be covering more nutrient cycles soon, so be sure to check back often*
Soil Carbon
Roll over to our Soil Organic Matter article to learn about soil carbon and how soil sequesters it.
Soil Regeneration
Head over to our post on Regenerative Gardening to learn about soil regeneration.
That's all for now, thanks for reading!
If you have any questions, comments, or would like to connect with fellow gardeners, head on over to the forum and post there.
