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Contents:
1 - Introduction: the fitness of the soil environment; 2 - Primary production processes in soils; 3 - Secondary production: activities of heterotrophic organisms - microbes; 4 - Secondary production: activities of heterotrophic organisms - the soil fauna; 5 - Decomposition and nutrient cycling; 6 - Detritivory and microbivory in soils; 7 - Future developments in soil ecology.
Review:
Despite all the developments in ecology, soil remains one of the less studied areas. It is often seen as part of another ecosystem rather than one in its own right. It has been used, misused and abused for millennia and its productivity has been valued but it seems best known as a 'connective' ecosystem - one that facilitates actions in another (overlying) system. This is not to say that soil has been neglected: there are numerous institutions and publications. Soil science was one of the leading aspects of the Agricultural Revolution in Britain (although this didn't seem to help when faced with later colonial soils whose fertility was diminished by poor management!). The point is that we see soils as either a university study or something for primary schools: what we need is something in between.
This text is an attempt to increase interest in this soil in general and soil ecology in particular. We start with a rather unusual idea - water is the focus of soil activity. The notion, based on previous work in biology, stresses the importance of this substance. The effect here is to draw the reader towards later work on soil constituents both physical and biological. Chapter two examines carbon inputs into soil. Soil function depends on net primary production and the processes involved. We are concerned with both above ground and below ground constituents. Chapter three moves along the cycle to look at secondary production - the removal of carbon from the soil system. Microbes are a key part of this and so the chapter is given over to discussing both their role and how they can be studied. Chapter four continues this approach only with soil fauna. This chapter (the biggest in the text) deals at length with a wide range of fauna. This includes not only their ecology but often drawings and photographs as well as practical techniques for collecting and studying them. Along with production and consumption with have other flows including nutrient cycling which is described in chapter five. Again we have both practical and theoretical details. Chapter six provides a brief overview of the breakdown of detritus. A final chapter highlights some possible future developments in the subject.
This text provides an interesting start to the study of soil ecology. The idea of 'fundamentals' here seems to be focussed on a mixture of organism description and practical work and as a result it has more to offer the reader with some background in soil science than the complete beginner. The introduction is an unusual start which forces the reader to look again at what actually makes soil. The chapter on fauna provides an excellent starting point for soil studies in school or field centre. Overall, its emphasis on biology rather than ecology limits its use in applied soil study. A useful addition to a library as part of a larger overall collection in soil science.