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Soil

Reflections on the Basis of our Existence

  • Book
  • © 2014

Overview

Authors:
  1. Håkan Wallander

    1. Dept. Biology Microbial Ecology Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

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  • A much more easy way into the world of soil science than other books because of numerous colour photos with independent legends
  • A perfect blend of scientific facts and entertaining stories to keep the reader interested and curious
  • It fills a hole in the garden literature and was elected as the garden book of the year in Sweden, although it is not at all a garden book
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-viii
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  2. Our Indispensable Soil

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 1-20

  3. How Soil Is Formed

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 21-36

  4. Floral Splendour and Shortage of Nutrients

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 37-54

  5. Life in the Soil

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 55-77

  6. The Nutrient Cycle

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 79-100

  7. Biological Warfare

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 101-111

  8. A Matter of Taste

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 113-121

  9. Soil and Climate

    • Håkan Wallander
    Pages 123-136

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 137-141
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Keywords

About this book

Håkan Wallander is a professor in Soil Biology and the reader is guided through the fascinating world below ground. The book has a free form and the author mixes scientific facts with personal stories from active research experiences and everyday life. The main focus is to make the reader aware of the vast biodiversity that exists in the soil, and to describe the important processes provided by the soil organisms. Reflections are made on how dependent we are on living soils, and how vulnerable the soil is if managed in a wrong way. The importance of soils as carbon sinks and reflections about the possible influence of soils for taste and quality of food and wine is also covered. The book is illustrated with photographs and every picture has a legend that stands on its own. In this way the reader will have an easy way into the book, and the main aim is to gain new readers to a subject that is immensely important, but not very attractive to laypersons.

Reviews

“This book is a very brief and very personal reflection on the role of soil in society, agriculture, and the environment. It addresses the indispensability of soil to life on Earth, soil formation, nutrient management and the nutrient cycle, biodiversity, biological control, soils and food quality, and soils and climate. … It is an excellent entry into that realm of inquisitiveness for new students. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.” (M. S. Coyne, Choice, Vol. 52 (8), April, 2015)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dept. Biology Microbial Ecology Group, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Håkan Wallander

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