Description: Provides an introduction to soil properties, processes, and their significance for land use and management. Includes a well-illustrated compendium of the most common soils in Australia, showing soil profiles and their associated landscapes and detailing usage and soil properties. Explains how Australian soils have evolved, giving a practical context for current day land management. Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 1 Properties of soil 2 The evolution of Australian soils 3 Characteristic Australian landscapes 4 Soil function within ecosystems 5 Land use, soil change and future management Compendium of Australian Soils Rationale and format Anthroposols - soils formed by humans Calcarosols - soils dominated by carbonate Chromosols - neutral to alkaline soils with sharp increases in texture Dermosols - structured B horizons and minor changes in texture Ferrosols - high iron levels and minor changes in texture Hydrosols - wet soils Kandosols - strongly weathered earths with minor changes in texture Kurosols - acid soils with sharp increases in texture Organosols - organic soils Podosols - soils with accumulations of organic matter, iron, and aluminium Rudosols - minimally developed soils Sodosols - alkaline and sodic soils with sharp increases in texture Tenosols - slightly developed soils Vertosols - cracking clays Endnotes References Index

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