Applied Pedology #1008887

Pedology is an interdisciplinary branch of the natural sciences that bridges geology, forestry, agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, and territorial planning. This book stems from the need to highlight the pivotal role of pedology across these diverse fields and to introduce increasingly digital and innovative approaches to soil analysis—a necessity made even more urgent by the introduction of the European Soil Monitoring Law, which places soil health and monitoring at the core of environmental and agricultural policies. The volume is structured into five main parts: • Part I: Fundamentals of Pedology – Explores the core principles of soil science, covering the fundamental properties of soil, the factors, and processes governing its evolution. • Part II: Soil Survey, Mapping and classification – Focuses on field survey techniques and cartography, as well as soil taxonomical rules. • Part III: Soil Quality Monitoring – Explores the soil ecosystem services, the soil threats and the main soil monitoring methods • Part IV: Technologies supporting soil survey and mapping – Focuses on new technologies, such as digital soil mapping and proximal sensing for soil monitoring and mapping • Part V: Applications of Pedology – Examines real-world applications across various sectors, ranging from territorial planning and precision agriculture to the enhancement of agri-food products and sustainable forest management. Designed primarily for undergraduate and graduate students in agricultural, forestry, environmental, geological, and natural sciences, this book is also an invaluable resource for early-career researchers and professionals specializing in soil study and management. This book is also the reference text for the International Master's Diploma in 'Medsoils: Applied Soil Science in Mediterranean Areas', which was developed in 2026/27 by the University of Tuscia (Italy), the University of Extremadura (Spain), the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and the University of Adıyaman (Turkey).