The Maintenance Of Soil Fertility

Soils are one of the world's most important resources, and their protection, maintenance, and improvement is critical to the continuance of life on earth. Soil Fertility, Second Edition, offers thorough coverage of the fertility, composition, properties, and management of soils. This book carries on the tradition of excellence established by authors Henry Foth and Boyd Ellis, leading soil scientists whose previous books in this field have become multi-edition classics. The Second Edition of Soil Fertility has been significantly expanded to include more information on mineralogy, while keeping the thorough coverage of essential topics. The book presents soils as dynamic, constantly changing bodies, and relates soil fertility and management to the mineralogy of their origin. Four new chapters offer updated information on soil charge properties, ion adsorption, exchange and fixation, and soil reaction. There is also a far greater emphasis on environmental issues, reflecting the increasing importance of environmental concerns to agronomists and soil scientists today.

In Soil Fertility Management in Agroecosystems, Editors Amitava Chatterjee and David Clay provide a thoughtful survey of important concepts in soil fertility management. For the requirements of our future workforce, it is imperative that we evolve our understanding of soil fertility. Agronomists and soil scientists are increasingly challenged by extreme climatic conditions. Farmers are experimenting with integrating cover crops into rotations and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. In other words, there is no such a thing as a simple fertilizer recommendation in today's agriculture. Topics covered include crop-specific nutrient management, program assessment, crop models for decision making, optimization of fertilizer use, cover crops, reducing nitrous oxide emissions, natural abundance techniques, tile-drained conditions, and soil biological fertility.