The book presents a wideranging perspective on the history of soil science comprising a collection of 22 papers. Following an overview on the main paradigms, developments of the concepts of humus, horizons, classification of soil types and soil series usage are treated in specific chapters. Some selected topics in the history of soil chemistry and soil physics are treated in detail.
A number of articles deal with regional aspects of soil science and the contribution of some outstanding personalities from the 18th to the 20th centuries. This is the first original history in soil science in the English language.