Information on soil and land resources is a prerequisite for informed decisions on land use and management. Procedures for acquiring and using this information are introduced and  emphasis is given to a balanced approach with elements of mapping, modelling and monitoring within the broader context of environmental change. The conceptual basis for a range of approaches to survey is introduced along with an assessment of strengths and weaknesses. A framework for dealing with scale in measurement and prediction is then introduced.

This new book by Marc Pansu and Jacques Gautheyrou provides a synopsis of the analytical procedures for the physicochemical analysis of soils. It is written to conform to analytical standards and quality control. It focuses on mineralogical, organic and inorganic analyses, but also describes physical methods when these are a precondition for analysis. It will help a range of different users to choose the most appropriate method for the type of material and the particular problems they have to face. The compiled work is the product of the experience gained by the authors in the laboratories of the Institute of Research for Development (IRD) in France and in tropical countries, and includes an extensive review of the literature. The reference section at the end of each chapter lists source data from pioneer studies right up to current works, such as, proposals for structural models of humic molecules, and itself represents a valuable source of information.

IRD soil scientists collected data on Mediterranean and tropical soils in the field from West and North Africa, Madagascar, Latin America, and South East Asia. Soil materials from these regions are often different from those found in temperate zones. As their analysis brought new problems to light, it was essential to develop powerful and specific physicochemical methods. Physicists, chemists and biologists joined forces with IRD soil scientists to contribute knowledge from their own disciplines thereby widening its scope considerably. This work is the fruit of these experiments as applied to complex systems, involving soils and the environment.

This report is a product of the Committee on USGS Water Resources Research, which provides consensus advice to the Water Resources Division (WRD) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on scientific, research, and programmatic issues. The committee is one of the groups that works under the auspices of the Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB) of the National Research Council.

Traditionally, hydrogeology is defined as the area of geologic sciences, as well as engineering, that in its broadest sense deals with water below the land surface. Hydro is the Greek word for water, and geology is the science of Earth: geo being a prefix derived from the Greek word gaia (meaning the earth, but also Gaia – a primordial Earth goddess in Greek myth), whereas logy is derived from the Greek word logos which means word, thought, principle, or speech, but in modern times is most commonly understood to mean science. Thus, geology literally means the science of Earth.