Soils of the World

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XII

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2. Introduction

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 1-8

3. Polar-Subpolar Zone (Tundra Zone)

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 9-22

4. Boreal Zone (Taiga Zone)

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 23-52

5. Humid Mid-Latitudes

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 53-75

6. Dry Mid-Latitudes

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 77-98

7. Subtropics with Winter Rain

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 99-111

8. Subtropics with Year-Round Rain

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 113-129

9. Dry Tropics and Subtropics

   • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

   Pages 131-161

10. Tropics with Summer Rain

    • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

    Pages 163-186

11. Tropics with Year-Round Rain

    • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

    Pages 187-204

12. Mountain Regions

    • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

    Pages 205-227

13. Ubiquitous Soils

    • Wolfgang Zech, Peter Schad, Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

    Pages 229-248

14. Back Matter

    Pages 249-256

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This book describes and comprehensively illustrates the soils of the world in accordance with the worldwide WRB classification. The structure of the book follows the ecozone concept. For every ecozone, location, climate and vegetation as well as soil formation and distribution are presented. All soils representative of the corresponding ecozone are then described in detail: definition, properties, distribution, use, classification, genesis. Over 260 photographs illustrate soil profiles, soil details and landscapes. Instructive maps and graphs help understand soil properties and soil-forming processes and make the publication an excellent reference book about the world's soils.

• Ecology
• Soil Science
• Soil Taxonomy
• WRB
• World Reference Base for Soils Resources

“By any standard, Soils of the World is a superb volume. … With increasing global change, the natural system of soil types will become more and more determined by anthropogenic forces, requiring greater flexibility in understanding and classification. The authors can be proud of having created such an inclusive and systematic survey, while retaining an appreciation (in their own words) of the essential ‘beauty and importance of this precious natural resource’.” (Matthew Canti, Archaeological Prospection, January 24, 2023)

• Institute of Soil Science and Soil Geography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

  Wolfgang Zech

• Chair of Soil Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany

  Peter Schad

• Landsberg am Lech, Germany

  Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard

Wolfgang Zech is professor emeritus for Soil Science and Soil Geography at the University of Bayreuth (Germany) and the lead author of the German edition of this book. He is honorary member of the German Soil Science Society.

Peter Schad is a lecturer for Soil Science at the Technical University of Munich (Germany) and the lead author of the present English edition of this book. He is the Chair of the Working Group World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and the lead author of the current edition of the WRB.

Gerd Hintermaier-Erhard is a geologist and soil scientist. Together with Wolfgang Zech he published in 1997 a 'Soil Science Dictionary' and in 2002 the first edition of 'Soils of the World' (both in German).

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