ABSTRACT
Soils are characterized by an intensive spatial and functional overlap of geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.
They are objects in space and time with unique properties and behavior that justify their study as natural bodies of considerable scientific interest. In a functional sense, soils are compartments of ecosystems. They comprise well-organized networks of interacting physical, chemical,
and biological subsystems and may be regarded as complex systems. The functional and ecological relevance of soils is a direct result of their role in natural as well as in agricultural systems.
