Soil Animals

From ants, beetles, and worms, to moles, rabbits, and groundhogs, soil is home to many different animals. As they eat, produce bodily waste, and build their underground homes, all these soil-dwelling creatures are making new soil and helping to keep soil healthy. Inside this book, readers will discover a secret world of underground animals and the big part they play in the story of soil. How do animals recycle dead plants and turn them into new soil? Why are burrowing animals helpful to trees and other plants? And why is worm poop so good for the soil? Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of an early elementary audience, this colorful, fact-filled volume gives readers a chance not only to learn, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. With its stunning photographs and surprising, high-interest facts about a material that most of us take for granted, the book makes learning about soil a lively, engaging experience.

A holistic overview of soil fauna, their contributions to ecosystem function, and implications of global change belowground.

New and Improved Global Edition: Three-Volume Set A ready reference addressing a multitude of soil and soil management concerns, the highly anticipated and widely expanded third edition of Encyclopedia of Soil Science now spans three volumes and covers ground on a global scale. A definitive guide designed for both coursework and self-study, this latest version describes every branch of soil science and delves into trans-disciplinary issues that focus on inter-connectivity or the nexus approach. For Soil Scientists, Crop Scientists, Plant Scientists and More A host of contributors from around the world weigh in on underlying themes relevant to natural and agricultural ecosystems. Factoring in a rapidly changing climate and a vastly growing population, they sound off on topics that include soil degradation, climate change, soil carbon sequestration, food and nutritional security, hidden hunger, water quality, non-point source pollution, micronutrients, and elemental transformations. New in the Third Edition: Contains over 600 entries Offers global geographical and thematic coverage Entries peer reviewed by subject experts Addresses current issues of global significance Encyclopedia of Soil Science, Third Edition: Three Volume Set expertly explains the science of soil and describes the material in terms that are easily accessible to researchers, students, academicians, policy makers, and laymen alike. Also Available Online This Taylor & Francis encyclopedia is also available through online subscription, offering a variety of extra benefits for researchers, students, and librarians, including: Citation tracking and alerts Active reference linking Saved searches and marked lists HTML and PDF format options Contact Taylor and Francis for more information or to inquire about subscription options and print/online combination packages. US: (Tel) 1.888.318.2367; (E-mail) [email protected] International: (Tel) +44 (0) 20 7017 6062; (E-mail) [email protected]

Soil Genesis and Classification, Sixth Edition, builds on the success of the previous editions to present an unparalleled resource on soil formation and classification. Featuring a color plate section containing multiple soil profiles, this text also includes information on new classification systems and emerging technologies and databases with updated references throughout. Covering the diverse needs of both the academic and professional communities, this classic text will be a must have reference for all those in soil science and related fields.

Ladies a n d g e n t 1 e m e n , I have the pleasure to welcome you here in Prague in the name of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences and to open the Fifth Inter national Colloquium on Soil Zoology. We are very glad that Czecho slovakia was chosen for this important meeting. It is clear to all of us that the soil plays and will play a de cisive part in providing food for the explosive increase of human pop ulation. For this reason we watch with great anxiety the negative influence of human activities on the environment accompanied also by the other destructive intervention into the soil ecosystem, its devas tation by inefficient management, application of herbicides and pesti cides pollution by the waste products of industry and human settlements. The basis for solving these accumulating and now sometimes latent prob lems is among others a good knowledge of the role of soil organisms in the cycles of materials and in the energy flow. Soil zoology as a part of soil biology is still at the beginning of this trend The lack of in formation about life in soil is obvious when compared with the results of a related biological science dealing with the water ecosystem.

With unprecedented attention on global change, the current debate revolves around the availability and sustainability of natural resources and how to achieve equilibrium between what society demands from natural environments and what the natural resource base can provide. A full understanding of the range of issues, from the consequences of the changing resource bases to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life, is crucial to the process of developing solutions to this complex challenge. Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources provides an authoritative reference on a broad spectrum of topics such as the forcing factors and habitats of life; their histories, current status, and future trends; and their societal connections, economic values, and management. The content presents state-of-the-art science and technology development and perspectives of resource management. Written and designed with a broad audience in mind, the entries clearly elucidate the issues for readers at all levels without sacrificing the scientific rigor required by professionals in the field. Volume I – Land includes 98 entries that cover the topical areas of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources such as forest and vegetative; soil; terrestrial coastal and inland wetlands; landscape structure and function and change; biological diversity; ecosystem services, protected areas, and management; natural resource economics; and resource security and sustainability. Natural resources represent such a broad scope of complex and challenging topics that a reference book must cover a vast number of subjects in order to be titled an encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources does just that. The topics covered help you face current and future issues in the maintenance of clean air and water as well as the preservation of land resources and native biodiversity. Also Available Online This Taylor & Francis encyclopedia is also available through online subscription, offering a variety of extra benefits for researchers, students, and librarians, including: Citation tracking and alerts Active reference linking Saved searches and marked lists HTML and PDF format options Contact Taylor and Francis for more information or to inquire about subscription options and print/online combination packages. US: (Tel) 1.888.318.2367; (E-mail) [email protected] International: (Tel) +44 (0) 20 7017 6062; (E-mail) [email protected]