Biology

Separating the physical soil properties from biologically mediated properties—at times—helps understanding of the biologicals themselves, and the soil.

Ecosystem, Ecology, Ecosystem Services, Biogeochemistry, and Geochemistry

An introductory survey of Soil—as a medium for sustaining biologicals—is a noble cause. This section first has some information about ecology since the spotlight often shines on the lead character, and many consider what soil brings to biologicals to be the their interest. The Ecology presented in this reader is not in any way a deep dive. Rather, it is a comparison to Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry with the goal of grounding the learner. The Ecology portal.

The Organisms portal brings an appreciation for the fact that soil is the most diverse Ecosystem on Earth.

The organisms themselves not only channel energy, but they leave behind energetic Soil Organic Matter (SOM) utilized by still more organisms. Indeed if it were not for decomposing heterotrophs we would be covered up in biological waste.