Soil Science: Selected Historical Highlights in Celebration of the Upcoming International Year of Soils

摘要

Next year has been designated the International Year of Soils. In anticipation of this important year for soils, I thought it might be appropriate to reflect back on some of the accomplishments and highlights of our discipline, which have been many. Some of the biggest names in science history have worked on soils issues. Francis Bacon and Robert Boyle worked on plant nutrition from soil, and Leonardo da Vinci conducted experiments in nutrient cycling (Brevik and Hartemink, 2010). Charles Darwin wasa leading figure in establishing soil biology as a subfield through his study of earthworms (Berthelin et al., 2006) and worked on the concept of the soil profile (Fig. 1) (Brevik and Hartemink, 2010). From the establishment of detailed soil surveys to medical advances, technological improvements, engagement in environmental issues, and combining soils knowledge with that of complementary fields, soil scientists have had a profound impact on our society. The following article will offer up a few highlights from those accomplishments.