ABSTRACT
Pedology is the scientific study of soil genesis, i.e. the factors in the formation of soil, the processes involved and the classification of the resulting soil types. Edaphology is the scientific study of the influence of soils on living things, particularly plants, and it includes man’s use of soil for plant growth. It is often concerned with applied aspects of soil study and has strong links with agriculture. In this introduction, the approach will be mainly pedological but at several points edaphological implications should become apparent.
