pedologie

Pedology is the branch of soil science that studies soils in their natural environment. It focuses on soil formation, morphology, classification, and geographic distribution, emphasizing soils as natural bodies rather than as resources for immediate human use. In many descriptions pedology is contrasted with edaphology, the study of soils in relation to living organisms and agricultural production.

Pedogenesis and soil properties are central to the discipline. Soils develop through pedogenesis, driven by climate, organisms, relief, parent material, and time (often summarized as CLORPT). Scientists examine soil horizons—O, A, E, B and the less weathered C—along with properties including texture, structure, color, pH, organic matter, and nutrient status. These features help describe soil morphology and infer processes that shaped the soil system.

Methods and classification form the practical core of pedology. Field surveys and profile descriptions are complemented by laboratory analyses and soil mapping using geographic information systems. Classification systems such as the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) and the USDA Soil Taxonomy organize soils by diagnostic horizons and properties to reflect their genesis and distribution across landscapes.

History and significance: The field emerged through the work of soil scientists in the 19th and 20th centuries, with Vladimir Dokuchaev (1846–1903) commonly cited as a founder of modern pedology. Today the discipline informs land-use planning, agriculture, forestry, hydrology, and environmental management, contributing to understanding nutrient cycles, erosion, soil carbon dynamics, and responses to climate change.

See also: Soil science, Edaphology, Soil taxonomy.