The 5 Major Contributor Scientist of Soil Sciences

Written Report in Earth and Life Science 11

MS. LIZA AUTOR

Earth And Life Sciences Department

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in

Earth And Life Sciences

GROUP 2

De los Santos, Sophia Fenella D.

Rigor, Edlord V.
Mayor, Angelica G.
Gabiason, John Devlin R.
Comcom,Clarish miles G.
Guasa, Alexandra Hope B.
De Leon, Virgilio Jr. D.
Lamagna, Vyan Avrish S
Umali, Cyries L.
Contapay, Daniel R.
Dalisay, Christine Jen F.
Estuara, Chris Joshua D.

HUMSS111

FEBRUARY 2024
Mary C. Baltz (1923-2011): The First Woman To Officially Join The Soil Conservation Service
What made Mary C. Baltz famous?

Mary C. Baltz was an American soil scientist who graduated from Cornell University.
She is best known as one of the country’s first women to study soil science through her
research and publications. She first joined the forefront of mapping soil in Madison and New
York, the soil survey as a junior soil surveyor. During World War II, labor shortages created
an opportunity for her to work, however, during that time it appeared to be reserved for
men. Despite that, Baltz managed to work in that company until 1965.

Fast forward to 1951, Baltz was assigned for mapping in Madison and Oneida Countries
in New York, and later on, was given another responsibility of map measurement for the
entire state. Unlike today’s electronic devices and techniques, the work was harder because it
was done by cutting out the soil map delineations or the markings on copies of field sheets.
Areas that have the same classifications were weighed together, and a factor turned the
weight into acres. Soon after, she had the chance to hire women to work in a team to do the
conversion job during the winter months.

Mary C. Baltz is remarkable as people would say. Erwin Rice, a retired social scientist in
New York had the chance to map under Baltz’s direction. He recalls that Baltz is a confident
woman who enjoyed and was delighted to be mapping in the field. Rice described Baltz as a
‘splitter’, a scientist who divides the different concepts of soil just to lump them together and
put them in general categories of old soil names.

In addition, she is notable for being the Soil Conservation Service’s first female soil
scientist which was founded in 1993. Her work focused on the spatial variability of soil
properties, highlighting the importance of considering landscape patterns in soil studies.
Baltz's contributions to digital soil mapping and remote sensing techniques advanced the
field's capability to assess soil properties on a larger scale, providing valuable information for
land management and environmental planning.

Her emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches, incorporating geography, geology, and

environmental science, enriched the integration of soil science into broader earth system
studies. Her service’s main goal was to provide practical information on conservation issues
so farmers could improve their land.
Friedrich Albert Fallou (1794-1877): The Pioneer of Modern Pedology

Friedrich Albert Fallou, the “Father of Soil Science” started a professional career as a
lawyer after completing his studies at the University of Leipzig. He is Known as a German
lawyer who had an interest in soil science. He is considered the pioneer of pedology, which is
the study of soil formation and evolution. Fallou's work focused on various aspects of soil
science, including pedogenesis (the process of soil formation), soil profile (the vertical
arrangement of soil layers), and soil classification. His research and insights greatly
influenced the understanding of soil and its properties. He also proposed that soil science
should be recognized as a distinct field separate from geology. Fallou concluded that all of
the soil on Earth is a result of processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition that
occur over long periods. Fallou's ideas and concepts laid the foundation for Dokuchaev's
further developments in soil science, enabling scientists to categorize soils based on their
characteristics and formation processes.

Fallou significantly contributed to soil geography by developing the concept of soil

horizons, emphasizing the vertical layering of soils. He was also the one who introduced the
terms O, A, B, and C horizons, providing a systematic way to understand and describe soil
profiles. His emphasis on the importance of field observations and soil sampling techniques
helped advance the field of soil science, enhancing the accuracy of soil descriptions and
classifications. It played a crucial role in the development of modern soil taxonomy and
pedology, providing a framework for studying soil properties and their spatial distribution.

Soon after Fallou published his book, Pedologie oder allgemeine und besondere
Bodenkunde (Pedology or General and Special Soil Science) in 1862. He justified that soil
science needs to be studied and recognized because it is a natural body. It was then that
people started recognizing that each region has its own unique set of minerals and other
materials in its soil. Despite Fallou’s hardwork and effort in research, his book was
discredited as the first book to discover soil science. Dokuchaev’s book which was published
two (2) decades after the publication of Fallou’s book was believed to be the first book
recognizing soil science. The confusion arose when K.D Glinka acknowledged Fallou’s work
in 1927 during the first International Congress of Social Science but gave credit to his
teacher, Dokuchaev. However, the confusion was corrected when people and professionals
found out that Dokuchaev was only sixteen(16) years old when Fallou published his sixth
book. Up until now, only a few of the information from his book is known. Due to his huge
contribution to the recognition of soil science, he with Dokuchaev and Liebig is considered to
be the co-founders of soil science.
Dr. Curtis F. Marbut (1863-1935): A Pioneer in Soil Classification

Born in 1863 and dying in 1935, Curtis F. Marbut is an American soil scientist who was
a famous figure in the field known for his innovative contributions. He is also an Illinois
native, who joined the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) after receiving his Ph.D. in
geology from the University of Chicago in 1895. In 1913, Marbut was appointed Chief of the
Bureau of Soils, a post he kept until his passing in 1935.

He significantly contributed to the advancement of soil classification and knowledge

during his tenure. Marbut played a key role in the development of the soil survey method,
which entailed mapping and methodically analyzing soils across the country. His work also
contributed to advancements in soil classification, agriculture, and geography. This
established the framework for efficient land utilization.

Marbut’s efforts to advance the field of soil science did not go unnoticed as soil science
underwent a significant transformation during his tenure at the USDA. Because of his great
impact and great contribution, The American Geographical Society awarded him the Cullum
Medal in 1935 “for services of a special distinction in the field of exploration and geographic
research.” It was thought more than half of the agricultural land in the United States had
been surveyed during Marbut’s time as head of the Bureau of Soils by the time he received
the award. Marbut did not limit himself to studying the work of other scientists. Over the
next few decades, he conducted fieldwork across the Great Plains, Central and South
America, and Canada. Marbut published his findings in scientific journals and government
reports. Perhaps his most important contribution to soil science was the development of the
Great Soil Groups Map of the United States.

Marbut left a lasting impact on the discipline, especially in the study of soil horizons.
The idea of soil horizons was developed and articulated, which was one of his major
achievements. The several zones or layers that make up the soil profile—each with its own
special physical, chemical, and biological characteristics—are referred to as soil horizons.
Marbut realized that comprehending the mechanisms involved in soil formation required an
understanding of these horizons. He was able to recognize and categorize various soil strata
according to characteristics like color, texture, structure, and composition by using a
technique that comprised in-depth field research and precise descriptions of soil profiles. His
careful observations established beneficial knowledge for farmers as it helped them determine
the best crops to grow on their land based on their composition and characteristics.
James Hutton: The Father of Modern Geology

James Hutton is a well-known Scottish geologist, chemist, naturalist, and originator of

one of the fundamental principles of geology—uniformitarianism which explains the features
of the Earth’s crust utilizing natural processes over geologic time. He made important
advances to our knowledge of soil. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 3, 1976, he passed
away on March 26, 1797, at the age of 70. His contributions laid the groundwork for soil
science and classification. He is also the originator of one of the fundamental principles of
geology, uniformitarianism, which elaborates on the features of the Earth’s crust.

Based on Hutton’s principle, soil classification is based on the properties you can sense
with your eyes around the field, and in another aspect, it involves grouping soils based on key
characteristics. In Scotland, this classification considers morphological features and the
sequence of different layers or horizons within the soil.

The Divisions Of Scottish Soil Classification according to him:

1. Immature Soils (Lithosols, Rock, Brown Lithosols, Humic Lithosols, Peaty Lithosols,
Rankers, Magnesian Rankers, Brown Rankers, Podzolic Rankers)
2. Non-Leached Soils
3. Leached Soils
4. Gleys
5. Organic Soils

The classification system has 13 Major Soil Groups (MSG) and 49 Major Soil Sub-Groups
(MSSG), along with many more anthropogenic soil types. This categorization helps with the
mapping and characterization of soil and offers important information for environmental
management and land use planning. Hutton devoted his time to extensive scientific reading
and traveled widely to inspect rocks and observe the actions of natural processes. His chief
contribution to scientific knowledge, the uniformitarian principle, was put forward in his
papers presented to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1785. One of these papers is “the
theory of the Earth” which laid the foundations of the earth. By the late 18th century, much
knowledge had been gained about rocks, strata, and fossils, but none of this wealth of data
had been synthesized into a workable general theory of geology
George Nelson Coffey (1875-1967): A Pioneer in Soil Taxonomy
What makes George Nelson Coffey famous?

George Nelson Coffey was an American pedologist who made the first US soil map.
Coffey's early work shifted the focus of soil classification from geology to properties,
marking a departure from the conventional approach. His efforts revolutionized soil
taxonomy by proposing a system that categorized soil based on its properties rather than its
geological origins.

He joined the Bureau of Soils in 1900, the second year of its existence, and worked in the
program for about 11 years. During those years he worked on soil surveys in many parts of
the United States. Those surveys exposed him to a wide variety of soils. Because of his
experience and knowledge, he was chosen to supervise soil classification and correlation after
five years with the Bureau. During the time that he was in charge of soil classification and
correlation, Coffey became acquainted with earlier soil studies, such as those of E.W. Hilgard
in Mississippi, T.C. Chamberlain in Wisconsin, and the Dokuchaiev school in Russia. From
those sources and his own field experience, Coffey developed and promoted his ideas of soil
genesis and classification. Coffey's ideas were in marked contrast to the prevailing idea in this
country that soils were simply a function of the underlying rocks. Coffey presented his ideas
in journal articles for several years, culminating with the publication of USDA Bureau of
Soils Bulletin No. 85 in 1912. Bulletin 85 is now recognized as a classic, but like Coffey's
journal articles, it fell on deaf ears in 1912.

Coffey left the soil survey program before Bulletin 85 was published and worked at the
Ohio Agricultural Station, where he worked on soil mapping, an erosion study, and fertilizer
trials. Later, Coffey moved on to the University of Illinois. In 1922 Coffey left soil science as
a career but retained his interest in soils and geology. After he left the soil survey program,
Coffey's publications on soil genesis and classification were largely forgotten. About a decade
later a profound change in the concept of soil and the understanding of soil genesis began in
the United States. Championed by Curtis F. Marbut, the change occurred gradually in the
1920s, 1930s, and beyond. A new group of American pedologists emerged who had learned
of and from the Dokuchaiev school and had the benefit of the profound changes that had
occurred in the United States. Those pedologists rediscovered Bureau of Soils Bulletin No. 85
and earlier publications by Coffey and recognized the advanced nature of Coffey's ideas of
soil genesis and classification. Those ideas mark Coffey as one of the first, if not the very
first, of the American pedologists.
 REFERENCE

Baltz, M. C., Tsai. (2022). Top 18 Famous Soil Scientists That You Should Know. SciJournal.
https://www.scijournal.org/articles/famous-soil-scientists

Levin. (2022). The History of American Women in Soil Science. Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-
09/The_History_of_American_Women_in_Soil_Science.pdf

Kühn, P. (2022). The contribution of Friedrich Albert Fallou to modern soil science. Journal of
Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 185(3), 297-299.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.202200306

Asio, V. (2009). F.A. Fallou: The Father of Soil Science. Blogger.com.

https://soil-environment.blogspot.com/2009/07/fa-fallou-father-of-soil-science.html

Harper, K. (n.d.). Curtis F. Marbut. Historic Missourians

https://historicmissourians.shsmo.org/curtis-fletcher-marbut/

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, May 30). James Hutton. Encyclopedia

Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Hutton

(n.d.) James Hutton Soil Scientist Classification - Bing, The James Hutton Institute.
https://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/soilshutton/soil-classification

Brevik, E. C. (1999, November). George Nelson Coffey, Early American Pedologist. Soil
Science Society of America Journal, 63(6), 1485–1493.
https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1999.6361485x