ABSTRACT
Though soil taxonomies will further evolve as our knowledge grows, we should now primarily focus on application of the existing systems, and use insights gained to further improve taxonomies in the future. The analogy with plant and animal taxonomy shows that they have moved on to process-oriented studies and, lately, to biotechnology. The latter is, as yet, no option for soil science, but a strong focus on soil processes and the effects of various forms of management is a realistic parallel development, considering the demands of society. As taxonomy has evolved into a de facto two-dimensional pedon-oriented activity, its natural links with dynamic three-dimensional landscape processes and soil survey have been weakened. Those links should be re-established in terms of considering soils as living bodies in living landscapes, and reviving intense interaction with land users, which has always been a key element of soil survey. Soil taxonomy provides an excellent way to stratify soil information. A plea is made to extend soil survey interpretations beyond the current empirical level, and to add dynamic characterizations using computer simulation models. This includes the effects of management on any given soil series, to be observed in the field at many locations that are identified through soil maps. Two examples are presented in which effects of past management on soil organic matter content, within a given soil series, could be defined by regression analysis. Any type of soil, as defined by soil classification, has a unique “window of opportunity.” Such windows should be communicated much more effectively to our many known and as yet unknown customers.
