pedology

pedology
pedology1
pedological /ped'l oj"i keuhl/, pedologic, adj.pedologist, n.
/pi dol"euh jee/, n.
the science that deals with the study of soils. Also called soil science.
[1920-25; PEDO-2 + -LOGY]
pedology2
pedological /peed'l oj"i keuhl/, pedologic, adj.pedologist, n.
/pi dol"euh jee/, n.
1. the scientific study of the nature and development of children.
2. pediatrics.
[PEDO-1 + -LOGY]

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A branch of soil science focusing on the formation, morphology, and classification of soils as bodies within the natural landscape.

Pedology seeks to understand how the properties and distribution patterns of soils worldwide (collectively called the pedosphere) have developed along with broader landforms, biogeochemical environments, and habitats of living organisms. Through their understanding of the causes and magnitudes of soil variations, pedologists help to broaden knowledge of the surface of the Earth.

* * *

      scientific discipline concerned with all aspects of soils, including their physical and chemical properties, the role of organisms in soil production and in relation to soil character, the description and mapping of soil units, and the origin and formation of soils. Accordingly, pedology embraces several subdisciplines, namely, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil microbiology. Each employs a sophisticated array of methods and laboratory equipment not unlike that used in studies of the physics, chemistry, or microbiology of nonsoils systems. Sampling, description, and mapping of soils is considerably simpler, however. A soil auger is used to obtain core samples in places where no subsurface exposure can be found, and the soil units are defined, delineated, and mapped in a manner similar to procedures in stratigraphy. Such soils studies, in fact, overlap the concerns of the stratigrapher and the geologist, both of whom may treat the soils layers as strata of the Quaternary period (from 1.6 million years ago to the present).

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pedology — has the following meanings*Pedology (soil study) *Pedology (children study) …   Wikipedia

  • Pedology — Pe*dol o*gy, n. [Gr. pai^s, paido s, child + logy.] (Med.) Pediatrics. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pedology — 1924, from Gk. pedon “ground, earth,” from PIE root *ped (see FOOT (Cf. foot)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • pedology — ☆ pedology1 [pē däl′ə jē ] n. [ PEDO 1 + LOGY] the systematic study of the behavior and development of children pedologic [pē΄dō läj′ik] adj. pedological pedologically adv. pedologist n. pedology2 [pē däl′ə jē] n. [ …   English World dictionary

  • pedology — dirvotyra statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Mokslas, tiriantis dirvožemio kilmę, evoliuciją, struktūrą, fizines ir chemines savybes, geografinį paplitimą ir racionalų naudojimą. Svarbiausios šakos: dirvožemio chemija,… …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Pedology (soil study) — Pedology (from Greek: πέδον, pedon , soil ; and λόγος, logos , study ) is the study of soils in their natural environment. [cite web |url = http://natres.psu.ac.th/Link/SoilCongress/bdd/symp45/75 t.pdf | title = Soil Preservation and the Future… …   Wikipedia

  • Pedology (children study) — See also Pedology (soil study). Pedology (paidology, paedology) is the study of children s behavior and development, not to be confused with pedagogy, which is the art or science of teaching. The origins of this trend in psychology and pedagogy… …   Wikipedia

  • pedology — noun Etymology: Greek pedon + International Scientific Vocabulary logy Date: 1912 soil science • pedological also pedologic adjective • pedologist noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pedology — noun a) The sub discipline of soil science that: studies soils as a component of natural systems or deals with soil genesis and soil classification or studies the soil profile or solum in its natural setting. b) The study of the behaviour and… …   Wiktionary

  • pedology — pe·dol·o·gy or chiefly Brit pae·dol·o·gy pē däl ə jē n, pl gies the scientific study of the life and development of children * * * pe·dol·o·gy (pe dolґə je) [pedo 1 + logy] the systematic study of the life and development of children …   Medical dictionary

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