592 Pages 184 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Aperpetual bestseller, this third edition remains the obvious choice for those instructors who strive to make their teaching applicable to contemporary issues.

    The three authors, all teaching professors distinguished in soil science, have updated this student favorite to include a greater number of even more relevant topics. Responding to requests, they have also placed an increased emphasis on management issues. As with previous editions, the third edition offers students in soil or environmental science an overview of soil science, hydrology, atmospheric chemistry, and pollutant classification.

    The text moves from the theoretical to the practical with an abundance of contemporary examples, such as an exploration of allowable pesticide concentrations in drinking water and an inquiry into soil contamination from the trace elements in organic by-products. Also considered are the use of soil carbon sequestration as a remedy for global climate change, and the effects of acid precipitation on forestation.

    NEW TO THE THIRD EDITION:

    ·       New chapters on nutrient management planning, and the environmental testing of soil, plants, water, and air

    ·       Additional and revised case studies that continue to relate academic content to real-life situations, while inspiring students with real –life challenges to solve

    ·       Eight-page color  inset

    ·       Direct encouragement and links to fully access the Internet as a resource for the most up-to-date findings

    Always Relevant, Always Interesting

    The text also covers environmentally-related current events, fostering discussion of the political, economic, and regulatory aspects of environmental issues, the human side of environmental problems, the use and misuse of the scientific method, and potential bias in the presentation of facts. Students in soil science, environmental science, chemistry, biology, geology, and other disciplines will gain valuable insight from this multifaceted text.

    Introduction to Environmental Quality
    The Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
    Soil Ecosystems
    Testing: Soils, Waters, Plants, Wastes, Organics
    Soil Nitrogen and Environmental Quality
    Soil Phosphorus and Environmental Quality
    Soil Sulfur and Environmental Quality
    Nutrient Management Planning
    Trace Elements
    Organic Chemicals in the Environment
    The Atmosphere: Global Climate Change and Acidic Deposition
    Remediation of Soil and Ground Water
    Risk Assessment
    APPENDICES
    The Elements and their Symbols, Atomic Numbers, and Atomic Weights based on the Atomic Mass of 12C = 12
    Conversion Factors for SI and Non-SI Units
    Journals and Periodicals  Related to the Environmental Sciences
    Decision Case Studies in the Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education
    Prefixes Used in the SI System of Units  

    Biography

    Gary M. Pierzynski, George F. Vance, Thomas J. Sims

    "This is a solid undergraduate textbook on some of the critical soil environment issues facing society."

    – Edmund Perfect, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, in Vadose Zone Journal, August 2009, Vol. 8, No. 3