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Module 1: Fundamental
Concepts, Definition of Terms
and History of Soil Science
Module Overview
Module 1 deals on the definition of terms and fundamental concepts in soil
science; discusses the components of the global ecosystems, essential soil
functions, and history in the development of soil science as an independent
field of science. This module also discusses the interrelationships of soil
science in other academic areas. Management of soils is crucial for
sustainable food production. It plays a vital role in mitigating the dramatic
impact of climate change on agriculture and the environment.

Motivation Questions
What is soil for you? As an individual, do you care about the soil around you?
Try to think of some of the benefits (directly or indirectly) you get from the soil.

Module Pretest

Instructions: (Please encircle the letter or word of your choice.)

1. Different people have different concepts of what a soil is depending
on their field of in interest. For a farmer, soil is____________
a. dirt b. medium for plant growth c. supports infrastructure
(e.g. buildings, roads,
etc)

2. The following are components of the global ecosystem except:

a. hydrosphere b. biosphere c. atmosphere d.
asthenosphere

3. A branch of Soil Science that deals with the supply of proper form and
amount of nutrients to the growing plants.
a. Soil Fertility b. Soil Physics c. Soil Microbiology

4. Soil profile refers to the horizontal section of the soil from the surface
down to the bedrock. True or False?

5. It refers to the study of the Earth.

a. Soil Science b. Geology c. Ecology
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6. One of the functions of soil is to filter contaminants before reaching

the water table.
a. True b. False c. Maybe

7. The presence of earthworms indicates

a. dirty soil b. healthy soil c. contaminated soil

8. The growth performance of plants could determine the characteristics

of the soils.
a. False b. True c. a & b

9. Soil is a three-dimensional body, it has length, breadth and ___________.

a. width b. depth c. color

10. It is an interacting system of the biologic community and its non-living

environment.
a. Biogeochemistry b. Ecology c. Ecosytem

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Lesson 1.1: Fundamental Concepts and

Definition of Terms

Lesson Summary
This lesson discusses fundamental concepts and terms in soil science which are
essential for the appreciation of soil as a non-renewable natural resource. It
emphasizes the pedosphere as the center of the earth’s significant ecosystems, as
well as the soil as the central component landscapes and terrestrial ecosystems.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Discuss the basic concept of soil being a vital part of the ecosystem.
2. Explain the soil dimensions and boundaries.
3. Explain the different functions of soil not only for crop production but to
environmental concerns and issues.

Motivation Question
Does soil play an important role in global warming?

Discussion
underground water, and water
Components of the Global Ecosystem: as glacier or snow.
4. Lithosphere: the upper (oceanic and
1. Atmosphere: the layer of gases continental) layer of the solid Earth. It
surrounding the. It filters the is composed of various types of rocks,
harmful ultraviolet radiation which are the parent material of so
and insulates the earth from
extreme temperatures.
2. Biosphere: the part of the earth
in which living organisms such Figure 1. Components
of the global
as microorganisms, plants, ecosystem.
animals, and humans are
found, and with which they
interact
3. Hydrosphere: all water bodies
that exist on or close to the
surface of the earth, such as
oceans, lakes, rivers,
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Table 1. The most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust

Rank Element Symbol % by weight

1 Oxygen O 46.67
2 Silicon Si 27.72
3 Aluminum Al 8.13
4 Iron Fe 5.00
5 Calcium Ca 3.60
6 Sodium Na 2.83
7 Potassium K 2.59
8 Magnesium Mg 2.09
9 Titanium Ti 0.44
10 Hydrogen H 0.14
11 Phosphorus P 0.12
12 Manganese Mn 0.10
13 Fluorine F 0.08
14 Sulfur S 0.05
15 Chlorine Cl 0.05

The table shows that O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, and Mg are the major components
of rocks and the soils derived from them. Take note that P is present in a small
amount only. This partly explains why P is generally the most limiting nutrient
in soils.

5. Pedosphere: the layer on top of the lithosphere where soils occur

and where soil-forming processes are active. The pedosphere is at the
interface of the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere.

Properties of the pedosphere affect the other components of the global

ecosystem. For example, accelerated decomposition of organic matter in the
pedosphere causes abnormally high CO2 levels in the atmosphere (note CO2 is a
greenhouse gas).

SOIL
- a living, dynamic system that forms at the interface between the
atmosphere and lithosphere in reaction to forces exerted by climate
and living organisms acting on parent material as conditioned by
topography/relief over a period of time.
- Collection of porous natural bodies on the Earth's surface,
containing living matter, and supporting or capable of supporting
plants.
- An independent four-dimensional natural body occupying the
Earth’s surface and capable of supporting plant growth. Its
properties result from integrated effects of climate and living
organisms acting upon a parent material as conditioned by
topography and time.

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Dimensions involved in the study of soils:

1. Classic Concept:
- Soil is a 3-dimensional body
• Length
• Breadth
• Depth
Note: These are space dimensions
2. Modern Concept:
- Soil is a space-time structure ( a 4-dimensional body)
• Length
• Breadth
• Depth
• Time dimension

The modern concept implies that the soil varies (changes) in terms of length,
breadth, depth, and time. Understanding the spatial and temporal variations of
the soil is essential for the management of soils. For example, soil fertility
changes with distance in the field, and this should be considered in soil
sampling. Moreover, it also changes with time (weeks, months, or years
depending on the soil properties) primarily as a result of human activities.

Soil Boundaries

1. Upper Boundary - generally considered as an air-solid surface interface

(the boundary between the soil and the atmosphere or shallow water on
top of the soil)
2. Lateral boundary- deep water or barren areas of rock, ice, salt, or
shifting desert dunes.
• Sediments at depths greater than where emergent plants grow are not
considered as soil.
3. Lower Limit - difficult to define, but generally known as the common
rooting depth (shallow in arid regions, deep in humid tropics) of the
native perennial plant.

Soil as part of Landscapes & Ecosystems

Landscape -Three-dimensional section of the Earth’s surface with a
specific pattern of topography, rocks, soil, water, and flora
and fauna. As the medium for plant growth, the nature of soil
greatly influences the characteristics of the landscape.

Ecosystem - It is an interacting system of the biologic community and

its non-living environment. There are two general types of
ecosystems: aquatic ecosystem and terrestrial ecosystem.
The soil links all the terrestrial ecosystems. It means that the
soil serves its vital function in the forest, an agricultural area,
city or coastal area. Soil also affects the aquatic ecosystems
through the eroded soil and nutrients that are carried by
runoff water to the rivers, lakes, and the sea.

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Figure 2. Typical terrestrial ecosystems in Leyte (Source: V.B. Asio)

Functions of the Soil

1. Production Function

• Soil acts mainly as a medium for the growth of plants.

• Soil assures the supply of food, feeds, energy, and raw materials
2. Ecological Regulator

• Soil resists sudden change in its chemical balance, thereby protecting

the multitude of organisms living in it.
• Soils act as buffer, filter and transformer of various substances in or
that are added to the soil
3. Habitat and Living space

• Soil is a habitat of an array of flora and fauna.

• The largest quantity of organisms on the Earth is in the soil.
4. Engineering Function

• Support for infrastructure (buildings, roads, airports, etc.) foundations

• Construction materials for roads and dams
5. Cultural Heritage Function

• Conceals and preserves remnants of past civilizations, plants and

animal life which are of great value for the understanding history of
civilization and history of the Earth

Why Study Soils?

1. To understand how soil chemical and physical properties affect various

uses of soils
2. To learn how to conserve and utilize soils properly.
• Poorly managed soils lose up to 30 tons/acre/year to erosion
3. To understand how soil properties can be modified to improve their
quality for a particular use

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Two Broad Divisions of Soil Science:

1. Pedology – is the study of soil as a natural body, particularly its

genesis, characteristics, classification, and geography.

2. Edaphology – is the study of soil from the standpoint of plant growth.

This is the applied aspect of soil science, particularly in relation to
agriculture, forestry, and ecology.

A person's concept of soil greatly depends on his/her viewpoint and

experiences.

1. Engineer – the loose or broken rock material at the Earth's

surface that can be used for building purposes.

2. Geologist - highly weathered rock. Part of the material that

makes up the outer mantle of the Earth.

3. Horticulturist - material that needs sterilizing and modification

before using for plant growth in greenhouses.

4. Agronomist – the material at the Earth's surface with

biological, chemical, and physical properties that enable it to
support plant growth

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Lesson 1.2: History of Soil Science

Lesson Summary
This lesson focuses on the historical development of soil science from the
ancient period to the early soil science period. It highlights the important
contributions of many early scientists to the development of soil science. The
different branches of soil science are also introduced.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Be aware of the previous works and discoveries of Soil Scientists.
2. Understand the different fields or divisions of Soil Science.

Motivation Questions
Who is your favorite scientist, and why did you choose him? Do you want to
become a scientist somebody?

Discussion
Brief History of Soil Science

• Soil science branched out of geology in the 19th century. Scientists in

other fields such as chemistry, physics, biology, and agronomy also
contributed to the development of soil science.
• In 1862, the term pedology was suggested for the study of soil. In the
early part of the 20th century, the leading European scientists started
to organize international agrogeology conferences. In 1924, the name
of the conference was changed from agrogeology to pedology. But in
that same conference, when the organization was finally organized,
the term “soil science” won and the organization became known as
the International Society of Soil Science (ISSS).
• So this is what happened: Soil Science became the name of our
science, especially in English-speaking countries. However, in many
parts of the world, Soil Science is still synonymous with Pedology, the
original term coined by Fallou.
• Significant applications of soil science were initially toward
addressing agricultural concerns and have contributed significantly to
increased food production worldwide.

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• Worsening environmental problems and the increased realization that

the soil can treat contaminants has dramatically changed the focus of
soil science in the 21st century.
Three Periods in the Development of Soil Science

1. Ancient Period

4,000 years ago – the Chinese attempted to classify the soil

2,000 years ago – Greeks and Romans started simple soil
studies
Theophrastus (371-286 BC) --gave the soil the name
“edaphos” and described soil properties
that affect growth
Cato (234-149 BC) ---developed a classification system
of arable soils and emphasized the
suitability of soils for farming.

2. Pre-Soil Science Period

J. von Liebig (1803-1873) --established agricultural

chemistry and formulated The Law of Minimum and
the Mineral Theory.
G. Schuebler (1787-1835) - the first to conduct
extensive studies on the physical characteristics of
Liebig soils which eventually led to the development of soil
physics
A. von Humboldt (1769-1859) - founded geography and
plant ecology; his climate-vegetation zones became
the basis of our understanding of the global
distribution of soils; he also conducted experiments
with soil properties and developed a method for
quantifying soil respiration.
Humboldt H. Darcy (1803-1929) – an engineer who developed the
fundamental law in hydrogeology and soil physics
called Darcy’s Law that describes water flow in soils.

3. Early Soil Science Period

F. A. Fallou (1794 – 1877)

In his book “Pedology or General and Special Soil

Science” (1862), he integrated all the available
knowledge about the soil into one natural science
which he called pedology; he argued for the
recognition of soil science as an independent natural
science. The latter is wrongly attributed to
Dokuchaev.

-Founder of Soil Science

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V. V. Dokuchaev (1846-1903)

In his book “Russian Chernozem” (1883), he

discussed the factors of soil formation, and he
introduced the ABC horizon nomenclature system

-Father of Modern Soil Science

E.W. Hilgard (1833-1893)

One of the first to apply soil science to solve
problems in agriculture and is considered the “Father
of American Soil Science.”

H. Jenny (1899-1992)
He was born and educated in Switzerland. Originally
an agronomist, he later became an assistant of the
leading and pioneer colloid chemist Georg Wiegner
(studied in Leipzig and Goettingen). Jenny assisted
Wiegner in conducting field soil studies, although his
dissertation was on soil colloids. He also benefitted
from his association with the leading European soil
scientists at the time. After his doctoral degree, he
went to California, where he became a world-
renowned pedologist through his 1941 book “Factors
of Soil Formation.”

The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)

• The global scientific organization of soil scientists and soil science

practitioners with more than 60,000 members. It is a full member of
the International Council for Sciences (the governing body for the
sciences composed of 25 international science unions).

• IUSS traces its origin to the first International Agrogeology Conference

in Budapest, Hungary, in 1909. During the 4th International Pedology
Conference in Rome in 1924, the International Society of Soil Science
(ISSS) was organized. In 1998, ISSS was renamed IUSS during the
world congress in Montpellier, France.

• IUSS, which is currently based in Vienna, Austria, organizes the World

Congress of Soil Science every four years in different parts of the
globe.

Branches of Soil Science

1. Soil genesis, morphology, and classification (Pedology)

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3. Soil physics (Environmental physics)

4. Soil biology (and microbiology)
5. Soil ecology
6. Soil fertility and management
7. Soil chemistry (and biochemistry)
8. Soil and water conservation
9. Soil survey and land evaluation

Review Questions:

1. What is the pedosphere?

2. Define the soil that includes all the five factors of soil formation.
3. Why study soils?
4. Differentiate the pedological and edaphological concepts of the study
of the soil.
5. Who is the Founder of Soil Science? The Father of Modern Soil
Science?
6. What the contributions to Soil Science of Liebig, Gilbert, Jenny and
Darcy?
7. What are the different divisions of soil science?

Learning Tasks/Activities
Identify the essential functions of soils in an ecosystem.

Follow the steps below:

1. Choose an ecosystem (e.g., forest, rice field, residential areas).
2. Examine or investigate the functions of soil in that ecosystem.
For example, The area is mainly devoted to rice production; therefore,
its function is for food production.
3. Check if there is a water body (rivers or lakes or deep well) near the
ecosystem you have chosen.

Assessment
Answer the question below.
From the activity given above, specify the functions of soils and suggest
management activities to maintain a healthy soil (a soil that can fully provide
its full potential or function both to the plants and animals and the
environment). 25 points

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Instructions on how to submit student output

Answer/perform the tasks indicated in the “Learning Tasks/Activities” and
“Assessment” Section. Send your outputs by email to __________@vsu.edu.ph
(email of your lecturer). Submit your outputs by uploading to Google/Moodle
Classroom. For those with no access to the internet, you may drop your
outputs in the university designated VSU-Learning drop boxes in your
respective LGUs. Your outputs should be written in a short bond paper.
Moreover, the following information should be provided in your output:

Module Posttest

Instructions: (Please encircle the letter or word of your choice.)

1. Different people have different concepts of what soil is depending on
their field of interest. For a farmer, soil is____________
b. dirt b. medium for plant growth c. supports infrastructure
(e.g., buildings, roads, etc.)
2. The following are components of the global ecosystem except:
b. hydrosphere b. biosphere c. atmosphere d. asthenosphere

3. A division in Soil Science that deals with the supply of proper form and
amount of nutrients to the growing plants.
b. Soil Fertility b. Soil Physics c. Soil Microbiology

4. Soil profile refers to the horizontal section of the soil from the surface
down to the bedrock. True or False?

5. It refers to the study of the Earth.

b. Soil Science b. Geology c. Ecology

6. One of the functions of soil is to filter contaminants before reaching

the water table.
b. True b. False c. Maybe

7. The presence of earthworms indicates

b. dirty soil b. healthy soil c. contaminated soil

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8. The growth performance of plants could determine the characteristics

of the soils.
a. False b. True c. a & b

9. Soil is a three-dimensional body, it has length, breadth and ___________.

a. width b. depth c. color

10. It is an interacting system of the biologic community and its non-living

environment.
a. Biogeochemistry b. Ecology c. Ecosystem

References and Additional Resources

1. Brady, N.C. and Weil R.R. 2017. The Nature and Properties of Soils 15th Edition.
Pearson Education Limited, England. 1105p

Answers to the Pretest and Posttest

1. b 4. False 7. b 10. c
2. d 5. b 8. b
3. b 6. b 9. b

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