“The Changing Model of Soil” Revisited

• DOI: 10.2136/sssaj2011.0407
• Publication Date: 2012-05-17T12:48:32Z
• Authors: Daniel deB. Richter; Dan H. Yaalon
• Keywords: Pedology; Cline (biology); USDA soil taxonomy; Soil horizon; Soil survey

In 1961, the late Marlin G. Cline wrote a remarkable essay entitled, “The Changing Model of Soil” for 25th Anniversary Issue Soil Science Society America Proceedings. was most impressed with how geomorphology enriching pedology, and increasingly sophisticated views soil time processes formation. We revisit Cline's general objectives by re‐evaluating changing model from perspective early 21st century, taking stock application models to contemporary needs challenges. Today, three ongoing changes in genetic have far‐reaching consequences future science: (i) that is being transformed globally natural human‐natural body, (ii) lower boundary much deeper than solum historically confined O B horizons, (iii) soils are kind pedogenic paleosol, archival products soil‐forming ranged widely over life soils. Together each their own way, these impact directly human–soil relations give structure guidance science anthropedology. other words, human forcings represent global wave polygenesis altering fluxes matter energy transforming thermodynamics as potentially very deep systems. Anthropedogenesis better quantification evaluate wider environment.