Our Motivation

The sum total of all the soils is termed as the "pedosphere". The pedosphere is the skin of the Earth and only develops when there is a dynamic interaction between the atmosphere (air in and above the soil), biosphere (living organisms), lithosphere (unconsolidated regolith and consolidated bedrock) and the hydrosphere (water in, on and below the soil). The pedosphere is the foundation of life on this planet. There is a realization that the pedosphere needs to be distinctly recognized as a dynamic interface of all terrestrial ecosystems and be integrated into the Earth System Science knowledge sphere. Also, the pedosphere needs to be studied, valued, enhanced and treated in a sustainable and an ethical manner.

Since its inception in 1999, Pedosphere.com aimed to become an extensive repository of Soil Science knowledge through partnerships with major international organizations and also be an active player in global Soil Science education by creating high quality, interactive resources that engage Soil Science students, instructors and professionals.

Over the past 12 years, our experience has taught us that it is better to separate knowledge of Soil Science which is at a global scale from that which is at the national scale. Thus, through Pedosphere.Com we will bring forward, address and solicit scientific Soil Science knowledge at a global scale. We have now set distinct paths for the two websites and hope that you will visit and learn from both of them.

List of Pedosphere.Com Online Soil Science Learning Resources:

1. Global Pedosphere Issues
2. Editorials
3. Interviews with Prominent International Soil Scientists

The pedosphere issues page will evolve to became a very active section of the website. Watch for further development of this page.

Where Can I Find the Resources Which Existed On the Original Version of Pedosphere.Com?

Since my professional experience has been in USA and Canada and the resources which existed on Pedosphere.Com use the Canadian System of Soil Classification, we have moved these to a separate domain, Pedosphere.Ca.

The following resources are now accessible through Pedosphere.Ca. Please update your links:

Pedosphere.Ca Primary Resources

1. Pedosphere.Ca Introductory Soil Science Textbook
   (See chapter samples from this page)
    
   
2. Pedosphere.Ca Soil Science Test Center & Tutorials for Enhanced Learning
   (Take a 14-question demo-quiz and/or view demo-tutorials from this page)

Pedosphere.Ca Online Soil Science Learning Resources:

1. Pedosphere.Ca Soil Science Glossary
2. Soil Texture Triangle Bulk Density Calculator
3. Soil Texture Triangle Hydraulic Properties Calculator
4. Soil Classification Utilities
5. Photo Journals for Virtual Field Trips

Pedosphere.Ca Online Searchable Soil Science Reference Books & Resources:

1. Searchable Online Version of a Bibliography of Scientific Publications Based on Long-Term Crop Rotation Studies in the Canadian Prairies, 2012
   (In collaboration with the Prairie Soils and Crops Journal)
   (Full Paper)
    
   
2. Direct Link to the Search Page of 'A Bibliography of Scientific Publications Based on Long-Term Crop Rotation Studies in the Canadian Prairies', 2012
   (In collaboration with the Prairie Soils and Crops Journal)
   (Search the bibliography in multiple ways)
    
   
3. Searchable Online Version of 'The Canadian System of Soil Classification', 3rd. edition, 1998
   (In collaboration with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada and NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario)
   (Full Text)
    
   
4. Hyperlinked Keys of the 10 Soil Orders, Great Groups, Subgroups of 'The Canadian System of Soil Classification', 3rd. Edition, 1998
    
   
5. Search Form For Subgroups Within the Canadian System of Soil Classification, 3rd. Edition, 1998
    
   
6. Horizon Sequences of Soils at Subgroup Level of the Canadian System of Soil Classification, 3rd. Edition, 1998
    
   
7. Searchable Online Version of 'Keys to Soil Taxonomy', 8th. edition, 1998*
   (In collaboration with USDA-NRCS, Lincoln, Nebraska)
   (Full Text)
    
   
8. Hyperlinked Keys of the 12 Soil Orders, Suborders, Great Groups and Subgroups of 'Keys to Soil Taxonomy', 8th. edition, 1998*
    
   
9. Search For Subgroup within 'Keys to Soil Taxonomy', 8th. edition, 1998*
    
   

*The previous versions of Keys to Soil Taxonomy are archived on the NRCS site. The current version is the Eleventh Edition which was published in 2010. Our effort to develop the Keys to Soil Taxonomy in a seachable format was an experiment to assess the potential of web technology to drill through this voluminous document. A very significant portion of the content of 8th. edition is still valid, however we would like to alert our readers to check the latest edition for the most up to date information.

Feel free to contact me at njuma@pedosphere.com.
 
Noorallah Juma, Ph.D., P.Ag.
Founder/Team Leader
Pedosphere.com & Pedosphere.Ca
 
Links:
Academic Profile - njuma.pedosphere.com
Academic Profile - Download PDF
Publications by Subject Area
Pedosphere.Com/Pedosphere.Ca Vision