Reviews (7)

A Fun, Readable, and Thorough Introduction to Soil Science
My "Science of Soils" class at Stanford University (Autumn '01) used "The Nature and Properties of Soils" as our main textbook. It is clearly written, easy to read, and has lots of helpful figures (including graphs, diagrams, drawings, and black-and-white and color photos). The chapters are well organized, so that you can find exactly what you need to know. The authors include hundreds of websites for those who want more information, and make the book more readable by starting off each chapter with a quote and a "big picture" statement.

"The Nature and Properties of Soils" has a good mix of theoretical and practical information. Wherever possible, the authors do sample calculations and describe applications for agriculture, ecology, and engineering. They thoroughly cover every major topic in soil science, as well as delving into some more specialized ones (for example, symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies in plants).

In conclusion, I've found this textbook to be both very information-rich and very readable, and highly recommend it. (The other day I caught my boyfriend, who's a materials engineer, reading it for fun... that's about the highest accolade any textbook can get!)

Excellent.. A classic introduction to soil science..
I had this text (by Buckman & Brady), for "Soil Science 200" back in 1965. This edition, now with Buckman and Weil still follows the basic design of the original work. I have come back to this book time and time again. My edition, though dated, is still a solid work. All major aspects of soil science and quite a bit of agronomy are presented extremely well. The writing is brisk but does not sacrifice content. This book will give you a solid foundation should you decide to pursue the subject further. There are numerous tables,charts, etc. An excellent resource.

Soils come Alive!
As a student, this book has picked my interest in soils and related studies. This most updated version has many informative and helpful graphs, charts, pictures, and links to websites. In my two years of college education, this has been my favorite assigned text. It has some real meat to it, but it is presented in such a way that the novice can understand. It is one of the books that I will hang onto as I am sure it will come in handy down the road.

An excellent 'get started' book and bookshelf reference book
We use Brady for teaching Intro to Soil Science - It is an excellent resource and one that I tell students they will be able to refer to with a soils question whatever their field of study.

A good book of general Soil Science
It's a good book for someone who has just started exploring Soil Science for it goes through all the aspects of soil from structure and hudraulics to fertility and pollution. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Still the best
This may well be the most useful one book you will ever read. Bill Mollison is the consumate intellectual wild-crafter, gathering ideas and techniques from around the globe and spinning them all into one coherent volume.

Permaculture strives to create human systems that mimic the stability of a healthy ecosystem. This book lays out the philosophy and the grounded techniques to do just that. ...

It IS possible to live on this planet without turning it into a cinder ball, but only if we use our brains to do so. Start with this book. Start soon.

An inspiring book!
For those of us searching for an ecologically responsible lifestyle amid urban and suburban insanity, Bill Mollison has a real and exciting answer. This book is full of helpful advice presented in a very readable way. (The only problem might be getting stuck in the chapters on climates that don't concern you; just skip them until later!) The groundwork philosophy of permaculture is laid first, and the book moves from there to the practical business of actually designing one. The emphasis is on letting various plant and animal species work together as much as possible, to form a basically self-sustaining system from which people can reap a continual harvest, not only of food, but of interest and self-respect. What a prospect! It is certainly a very different one from what we young people have been taught to expect from life! This volume is much more complete in both the philosophy and the practice than were the original "Permaculture One" and "Permaculture Two." It is also much less focused on the Southern Hemisphere, which is helpful for North Americans trying to visualize their own permaculture. I can only hope that more people happen upon this book as I did and are themselves inspired to create a fulfilling life for themselves and their children.

The Permaculture Bible
If ecology was the primary intellectual response to the environmental and agricultural crises of the twentieth century, permaculture (or permanent agriculture) was its practical application. Born in the mid-seventies, permaculture co-founder Bill Mollison defines this new field as "the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way. Without permaculture there is no possibility of a stable social order." In other words, permaculture is the practical science of sustainability - a whole-systems approach life in the biosphere - and this near-encyclopedic tome covers every aspect of the subject, from soil conditions to climactic factors. The only conceivable drawback of this book is that it is rather difficult to ascertain and won't come cheap. If you enjoy tracking down rare and expensive books, there are none better than Mollison's Permaculture: A Designer's Manual. Large, comprehensive and filled with helpful illustrations and explanations, it is nothing less than the permaculture bible. On the other hand, if you are on a tight budget, and do not wish to spend your time searching for an unworn copy, there are newer and more accessible titles on the subject: like the other permaculture co-founder David Holmgren's Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability, or the concise and slim Earth User's Guide to Permaculture, by Rosemary Morrow. Whatever book you choose, this fascinating subject is perhaps humanity's only hope for a sustainable (read livable) future. Should not be overlooked.

Practical and Inspirational !
This is one of those few books that when you've read it you wonder why arent we doing any of these things and why have'nt more people read it! It is a sizable volume, which may be one reason why it not more widely read, and it covers a range of issues such as homesite layout and design (and probably not the one's you're used to... ever consider an underground home?), getting maximum production from your garden in a minimum of space, and other ideas for designing your way of living in harmony with the climate and geography where you live. It does wax philisophical often but to me that was the best part of the book, it is truly and integrated way of considering how to live with your environment and not just simply in it.

Not just a must have for Farmers and Gardeners
If Buckminster Fuller was still alive this is the book he would have wrote. And like Bucminster Fullers work this book is an important contirbution to science, not just farming and gardening. This book is also a must have for designers and not just gardeners and farmers. While a close "cousin" of this book on designing settlements, "A Pattern Language" by Christopher Alexander is quite often a standard text for students of software design. The chapters in this book that deal with "Concepts and Themes of Design", "Methods of Design" and "Pattern Understanding", give a much better understanding of the basics of good design than any other book that you are likely to ever read. While a "Pattern Language" shows how to create a synergy between man and the archititecture of individual buildings and their collective groupings as villages suburbs and towns.This book shows how to design human settlements that create a synergy between man and nature that is incredible in its scope, and its scalabality from the micro to the macro. If you are designing a house, a farm, or even a city or state this is the most dynamic book on the planet for urban and rural design. This books also contains many metaphors for design and tools for thought (such as decision trees) that are useful for anyone interested in design. This book is a must have if you are a serious farmer or home gardener. If you are interested in infrastructure design whether it be for I.T. infrastructure such as software or hardware design or Economic and Government Infrastructure then this book will give you a competitive advantage over fellow designers of policy. As this book clearly demonstrates noone can beat Mother Nature when it comes to designing systems that maximixe the flow and interaction of energy and information. This book is quite large and is over 570 pages long, if you are not the sort of person who likes to read and absorb a lot of Material then you could find this book a bit daunting. If you are a Farmer or Gardener who just wishes to improve the yield of their crops then you will find "Introduction to Permaculture" by Bill Molllison much more useful. It summarises all the principles of design laid down in "Permaculture A Designers Manual" and its small size and volume (198 pages) is a lot easier to digest. A good companion to these two books is the Video of the Australian Telelvision series "Global Gardener" narrated by the inventor of the concept of Permaculture, Bill Mollison. This video shows examples of the principles of Permaculture Design at work in every climate and situation you are likely to encounter in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere. ..... ... Read more

Book Description

Long considered the bible for professional horticulturists and hobbyists alike, this classic gardener’s text offers a comprehensive grafting course, accompanied by line drawings and photographs that provide a vivid visual reference. Topics include using rootstocks from seed and cuttings, identifying viruses, and grafting established trees.
... Read more

Reviews (3)

a propagator bible
An excellent text, written with passages about the width of some garden rows wide enough for work horses. Tt is written for the self reliant gardener, with recipes for grafting wax, and descriptions of tools used in grafting. Only one short fall, it is written for seasons and weather in england, and has limited information on specific plants. A book that always will be close at hand.

Excellent and very thorough coverage of grafting.
Aimed at the serious amateur or professional. Covers a broad range of grafting techniques and issues. As a person who taught myself grafting by reading books, I found this book to contain a lot of useful information and be interesting to read.

Truth in Advertising
Just what a beginner would need to start in the esoteric field of grafting. Short on specific advice for types of trees, which would take a much longer work ... Read more

Book Description

Commonly referred to as "Beard's Bible," after Dr. James B. Beard, the internationally recognized turfgrass agronomist who wrote it, the first edition of this essential work sold over 50,000. Since then, Dr. Beard has spent 16 years compiling his scientific research to update his original best-seller, which is written in conjunction with the entire USGA Green Section and covers every practical and technical aspect of turfgrass management, maintenance, and operation. This new edition also boasts hundreds of new color photographs, color drawings, and useful tables that illustrate Dr. Beard's research-proven techniques. Now you can put Dr. Beard's three-decades of experience, and the collective field experience of the USGA Green Section, on your desk in the most complete, most detailed, and most useful manual-of-practice ever published. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is simply a good book
I use this book at school for a class called "golf course organization and maintenace." It is geared directly to golf courses. The fact of the matter is that it covers every imaginable aspect of golf course maintenance and operations, and I do mean everything. In my opinion there is no other book more valuable for persons training to be golf course superintendents. If your already a superintendent I'm sure it would still be a wise decision to purchase this book.

better turf management !!
this book will heip even the greats turf managers around the world, ... Read more

Book Description

Long regarded as the leading book in the field, this volume provides a basic introduction to the biological, chemical, and physical properties affecting soil fertility and plant nutrition.It covers all aspects of nutrient management for profitable crop production, with particular attention to minimizing the environmental impact of soil and fertilizer management. The Sixth Edition has been substantially revised to reflect rapidly advancing knowledge and technologies in both plant nutrition and nutrient management. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

screening of salt tolerant and drought resistant plants
This research aimed to screening of salt and drought resistant plant in saudi arabia to evaluate the effect of water of differant salinities and drought (irrigation intervals)on plant growth and performance in a sandy soil ... Read more

Book Description

Weeds can cause many problems in turf situations. One of most undesirable characteristics of weed infestation is the disruption of turf uniformityso vital to the golf, sports field, and managed landscape industry. Weed clumps, color variation, and patches can drive turf managers crazy, and have a pronounced effect on the perceived quality of the maintenance program. Very often, weeds are the results of weakened turf and specific spoil problemsthe Color Atlas of Turfgrass Weeds explains why, and helps you problem-solve for effective management.

Color Atlas of Turfgrass Weeds by L.B. McCarty, J.W. Everest, D.W. Hall, T.R. Murphy, and F. Yelverton is a volume in the series:Turfgrass Science and Practice, James B Beard, Editor ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must get book if you want to know about weeds
This is an excellent book that really describes what the weeds are and what to do about them. Great clear REAL pictures of the weeds so there is'nt confusion with a drawing and what you are looking at in your turfgrass. I highly recomend this book to people in the lawn care and landscaping business. Or if your somebody that really likes to take care of your yard and want's a detailed book on what you see as the "bad" stuff in your grass and beds. I am a lawn care guy myself and love it. ... Read more

Book Description

In recent years, viticulture has seen phenomenal growth, particularly in such countries as Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa.The surge in production of quality wines in these countries has been built largely on the practice of good enology and investment in high technology in the winery, enabling vintners to produce consistently good, even fine wines.Yet relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of vineyard conditions on wines and their distinctiveness-an influence that is embodied in the French concept of terroir. An essential component of terroir is soil and the interaction between it, local climate, and grape variety on the quality of grapes and distinctiveness of their flavor. This book considers that component, providing basic information on soil properties and behavior in the context of site selection for new vineyards, and on the demands placed on soils for grape growth and production of wines.Soils of Viticulture will be of interest to professors and upper-level students in soils and agronomy as well as wine enthusiasts and professionals in the wine industry. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must for anyone who grows winegrapes
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If you are a grape grower of any consequence, you know that good wine depends on good grapes, that good grapes depend on good vines and that good vines depend on roots that are DEEP and STRONG. Thus, the medium in which roots grow is of crucial importance. Viticulturists can be misled by reading that vines grow in all sorts of soils all over the world. That is certainly true but that simple dictum does not mean that any soil will do, as "any" soil will certainly not do.

Robert White's book is VERY useful in helping understand what goes on below ground. If you just flip through it, it will strike you as too technical and thus daunting. However, if you will read each of the headings, (e.g., 5.1, 5.2) but not the sub-headings (e.g. 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3) and then read his "Summary Points", you will be richly rewarded. If there points about which you want to know more or understand better, go back and delve into the sub-headings and be enlightened to your hearts content. I'm glad I own this book!

Fine Book for Fine Readers
A unique book, as fine as wine itself. No other book explains the detailed and vital nature and mechanisms of soils as they apply to grape production and wine-making. It tries to unravel the enigma of the 'terroir'. This will surely help the viticulturist and the winemaker to make the most of their land and we consumers will be the grateful beneficiaries. I think I could strongly recommend it to the specialist and interested reader.

Soils for Fine Wines
As a postgraduate student in the field of viticulture and wine i found this book covered the subject matter with great detail , clarity and scientific explanations. This book is a must have for your library collection and indeed for the aspiring viticulturist - it is a gold mine of information on the subject of soils. ... Read more

Book Description

A definitive how-to book for every practitoner of sports turf -- from football to baseball to soccer and everything in between. Sports Fields covers every important aspect of planning, design, construction, and turfgrass maintenance with hundreds of illustrations and step-by-step procedures to help you get the job done right -- first time, every time. No other book provides such intricate detail, combined with easy-to-understand guidance. ... Read more

Book Description

Bringing together the leading European expertise in behaviour and design of silos, this important new book is an essential reference source for all concerned with current problems and developments in silo technology. Silos are used in an enormous range of industries and the handling characteristics of many industrial materials require different approaches for successful, economical installations. For the first time, the many approaches taken by specialists in different fields are brought together in a unified way so that common problems can be addressed. This book is the result of a four year European project - Concerted Action - Silos - funded under the Brite Euram programme which has involved over 100 expert engineers and researchers from all over Europe, in seven working groups. ... Read more

Book Description

The first resource of its kind, this reference assembles current research in crop plant physiology, plant biotechnology, and plant breeding to genetically improve crop plants while supporting a productive agriculture ecosystem—providing the most innovative perspectives and molecular approaches in crop physiology for the formulation of superior crop cultivars that potentially increase yield in stress environments. ... Read more

Book Description

Environmental Soil Physics is a completely updated and modified edition of the Daniel Hillels previous, successful books, Introduction to Soil Physics and Fundamentals of Soil Physics. Hillel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, one of the true leaders in the field of environmental sciences. The new version includes a chapter and problems on computational techniques, addresses current environmental concerns and trends.

* Updates and expands the scope of Hillel's prior works, Fundamentals of Soil Physics (1980)and Applications of Soil Physics (1980)
* Explores the wide range of interactions among the phases in the soil and the dynamic interconnections of the soil with the subterranean and atmospheric domains
* Draws attention to historical and contemporary issues concerning the human management of soil and water resources
* Directs readers toward solution of practical problems in terrestrial ecology, field-scale hydrology, agronomy, and civil engineering
* Incorporates contributions by leading scientists in the areas of spatial variability, soil remediation, and the inclusion of land-surface processes in global climate models ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a civil engineer /hydrologist
a great book for reference and detailed study . clear concepts and i believe a must buy for studying transport through soils ... Read more

Book Description

Contemporary legislation respecting environmental protection and public health, at both national and international levels, are based on data that characterize chemical properties of environmental phenomena, especially those that reside in our food chain. Thus, environmental and food quality are now matters of major public concern and therefore a system of metrology in trace analysis has recently been developed at the international level.This new edition of a bestseller highlights the significance of anthropogenic factors in changing the trace element status in soils and plants. Written by Dr. Alina Kabata-Pendias, a world-renowned plant and soil scientist, Trace Elements in Soil and Plants, Third Edition incorporates recent data from about 400 respected sources. These data present the most recent research on topical issues such as the assessment of natural/background content of trace elements in soil; bioindication of chemical status of environmental compartments; soil remediation; and hyperaccumulation and hyperextraction of trace metals from the soil. Discussions of the health-related significance of trace elements in food are also included.This third edition presents an overview of the principal pathways from soils to plants. The author provides the background for a more profound understanding of ways by which chemical processes operate in both polluted and unpolluted conditions of the soil-plant system. The current review of recent soil-plant findings offered by Trace Elements in Soil and Plants, Third Edition renders the book an indispensable reference. ... Read more

Book Description

The Color Atlas of Turfgrass Diseases presents over 450 high-quality color photographs of all the major turfgrass diseases that occur on both warm- and cool-season grasses, and it is international in scope. This one-of-a-kind book will become the standard color guide to disease diagnosis and pathogen identification for all golf course superintendents and turfgrass practitioners. No other book contains as many detailed color photographs of this quality. Numerous photographs of each disease are provided. The Color Atlas of Turfgrass Diseases also includes step-by-step color photo guidance on diagnostic techniques for laboratory analysis that can be used by practitioners. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Only in Japan
I bought this book hoping to increase my knowledge of turf grass disease identification. The book is very in depth and informative but most of the pictures are from golf courses in Japan. Since most of the disease I see is on residential properties, they dont look anything like the pictures in the book. Most of those were taken on putting greens on Japanese bent grass. Its a good book, but not if your working with tall fescue. ... Read more

Book Description

David Holmgren brings into sharper focus the powerful and still evolving Permaculture concept he pioneered with Bill Mollison in the 1970s. It draws together and integrates 25 years of thinking and teaching to reveal a whole new way of understanding and action behind a simple set of design principles. The 12 design principles are each represented by a positive action statement, an icon and a traditional proverb or two that captures the essence of each principle.

Holmgren draws a correlation between every aspect of how we organize our lives, communities and landscapes and our ability to creatively adapt to the ecological realities that shape human destiny. For students and teachers of Permaculture this book provides something more fundamental and distilled than Mollison’s encyclopedic Designers Manual. For the general reader it provides refreshing perspectives on a range of environmental issues and shows how permaculture is much more than just a system of gardening. For anyone seriously interested in understanding the foundations of sustainable design and culture, this book is essential reading. Although a book of ideas, the big picture is repeatedly grounded by reference to Holmgren’s own place, Melliodora, and other practical examples. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beyond Sustainability
That the world we now live in is unsustainable goes without saying. Our skyrocketing population puts enormous pressure on the productive and absorptive capacities of the land, outstripping the natural carrying capacity of the planet by some twenty percent (see Radical Simplicity, by Jim Merkel). In effect, we are stealing away the life of the planet and the life of future generations. As ever more fisheries collapse, forests shrink, rangelands deteriorate, soils erode, species vanish, temperatures rise, rivers run dry, water tables fall, ozone depletion expands and polar ice caps melt across the globe, the single most important question humanity has faced resonates ever louder: How can we live sustainably?

Amid the cacophony of scholarly and political debate surrounding this issue, the hushed emergence of permaculture has by and large gone unnoticed. Defined as the use of systems thinking and design principles to consciously design "landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local needs," the permaculture concept is nothing less than the science of sustainability. And since the joint publication of Permaculture One: A Perennial Agricultural System for Human Settlements (now out of print) by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the mid-seventies, permaculture has become a veritable movement - a legitimate answer to the environmental and agricultural crises which plague humanity. Unfortunately, for the past twenty-five years, those who wished to learn more about permaculture were limited to joining expensive seminars and workshops, thereby ensuring marginal public exposure. All of this has changed, though, with the publication of this book. Holmgren provides us with a no-nonsense guide to permaculture, accessible to laypersons and scholars alike.

If you are interested in moving away from consumer dependency and becoming a responsible productive person, this book is for you. The skills and ideas imparted here are not only necessary for those who seek to create a healthful, sustainable way of life, they are empowering. In my opinion, permaculture is the best tool we have with which to begin creating a viable, perhaps more-than-merely-sustainable future.

To get an idea of what permaculture actually looks like on the ground, check out Ecovillage Living, by Hildur Jackson and Karen Svensson, and visit the Crystal Waters Permaculture Village website.

A very, very important book.

Rekindled my interest in Permaculture
This book has rekindled my interest in Permaculture.

The author, David Holmgren, is the co-creator, with Bill Mollison of the
term "permaculture", and the co-author of the original permaculture
book, _Permaculture One_. Now, some 25 years after that seminal
book, Holmgren has written a timely and comprehensive synthesis that
brings permaculture principles together in an exiting new way.

The book highlights our place at a unique moment in history: at the peak
of the global oil production curve; at the beginning of the end of cheap
fossil energy. This is, for me, the book's most compelling motif: it
positions permaculture as a strategy for a future of inevitable "energy
descent". Although Holmgren hints that this energy descent may take any
number of horrific pathways, he appears to have chosen the term
"descent" as a hopeful alternative to collapse, crash, or dieoff.

Holmgren insightfully points out that is not just our reserves of fossil
fuel that we've been burning through. Since the Reagan/Thatcher years,
he claims, global capitalism has been on a frenzy of job cutting and
"just-in-time" inventory reduction. This amounts to a destruction of
the embedded intelligence and a severe draw-down of the capital stocks
of our institutions: a severe loss of embedded energy. Furthermore, he
worries that due to privatization and short-term bottom-line thinking,
maintenance on our built-environment and physical infrastructure has been

neglected: another huge loss of embedded energy.

On a hopeful note, Holmgren compares this situation to a forest fire: as
the conflagration of global capitalism burns through its huge pulse of
embedded energy, the time will be ripe for pioneers to take root and
produce a flush of new growth. It is a moment of high potential for
systemic change, and Holmgren's book hopes to provide "Principles and
Pathways" to seed and guide that change.

The subtitle of this book includes the phrase "Beyond Sustainability".
It is a well-established insight of permaculture that sustainability is
not enough: in a world that is already degraded, we need to achieve an
excess yield beyond sustainability that we can feed back into the great
work of restoration. Holmgren's contribution to this area is to point
out is that it is hard to even give meaning to the term "sustainability"
while we are in the midst of a dramatic energy descent with constantly
declining energy availability. We must, of course, aim for a soft
landing and a smooth transition to a sustainable future but our
immediate problem is to safely negotiate the descent itself.

All this is in addition, of course, to Holmgren's wise and fresh take on the more traditional
subject matter of permaculture design. This book is a must-read, equal
in stature to Mollison's _Permaculture: a Practical Guide for a
Sustainable Future_.

The book of Paradox
David Holmgren can see distant horizons. His renown genius brings post-peak (world energy production) paradigms into our view of imminent landscapes and humans action. Readers should be warned that the issues David raises could be very disturbing. You should first seriously evaluate the stability of your emotions and metabolism. I would not recommend this book to someone feeling socially isolated, unsupported, urban discontent, emotionally vulnerable, or terrified by global scales and city speeds.

The radical aspect of David's approach is to recognize the (Leibniz-Lotka-Volterra-H.T.Odum) 4th energy law of maximum power efficiency as a sociogeobiophysical design principle. David's thought can be characterised as the application of this law to humane terraformations. And in this regard he is quite a thinker.

In this book David aims at an all-encompassing statement of perennial ethics. And in this regard I can't help feeling that messiah Holmgren is premature in self-publication. David is surprisingly ignorant of moral philosophy, and does not appear to feel any obligation to read any of the basic texts or discourses in the area. This just doesn't feel right. Especially since David's polyvision seems confused by higher-order complexities of Nature; such as cities, Nation states, transnational organizations and televisions.

With regard to all scales of government policy formation, he has very little to say and he refers to no models. Perhaps this is because he is living off the land sustainability, and isn't afforded the time to read more widely? Whatever the case I feel very uncomfortable about it, and about him referring to me as an authority on other matters.

On the one hand the work stands as an important indicator for smaller-scale post-industrial organization. On the other hand an EMERGY-literate Holmgren would give greater weighting to his ecological conspiracy. In the mean time deeper ecosystem philosophers should master H.T. Odum's 'Ecological and General Systems' - the source. ... Read more

Book Description

1G-9, 0-13-094117-4, Sylvia, David M., Fuhrmann, Jeffry J., Hartel, Peter G., Zuberer, David A., Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology, 2/E*/Written by leading experts in their respective fields, this comprehensive, balanced introduction to soil microbiology captures the rapid advances in the study of soil microbiology—e.g., habitats and organisms, microbially mediated transformation, and applied environmental topics. Carefully edited for ease of reading, it aids users by providing an excellent multi-authored reference, the type of book that is continually used in the field.Background information is provided in the first part of the book for ease of comprehension; it then describes such fundamental topics as soil environment and microbial processes, microbial groups and their interactions, and thoroughly addresses critical nutrient cycles and important environmental and agricultural applications. An excellent desk reference and useful tool for certified professional soil scientists, environmental scientists, and others that effect environmental policy, such as soil erosion and maintenance specialists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

very handy well written book
This book was recommended to me by my tutor at university and he was right good well written easy to use book on a complex subject. I still use it today and think its an essential in any soil or agricultural consultants library. ... Read more

Book Description

Despite its many origins in agronomic problems, statistics today is often unrecognizable in this context. Numerous recent methodological approaches and advances originated in other subject-matter areas and agronomists frequently find it difficult to see their immediate relation to questions that their disciplines raise. On the other hand, statisticians often fail to recognize the riches of challenging data analytical problems contemporary plant and soil science provides.The first book to integrate modern statistics with crop, plant and soil science, Contemporary Statistical Models for the Plant and Soil Sciences bridges this gap. The breadth and depth of topics covered is unusual. Each of the main chapters could be a textbook in its own right on a particular class of data structures or models. The cogent presentation in one text allows research workers to apply modern statistical methods that otherwise are scattered across several specialized texts. The combination of theory and application orientation conveys ìwhyî a particular method works and ìhowî it is put in to practice.About the CD-ROMThe accompanying CD-ROM is a key component of the book. For each of the main chapters additional sections of text are available that cover mathematical derivations, special topics, and supplementary applications. It supplies the data sets and SAS code for all applications and examples in the text, macros that the author developed, and SAS tutorials ranging from basic data manipulation to advanced programming techniques and publication quality graphics.Contemporary statistical models can not be appreciated to their full potential without a good understanding of theory. They also can not be applied to their full potential without the aid of statistical software. Contemporary Statistical Models for the Plant and Soil Science provides the essential mix of theory and applications of statistical methods pertinent to research in life sciences. ... Read more

Book Description

Most books covering the use of computer models in agricultural management systems target only one or two types of models. There are few texts available that cover the subject of systems modeling comprehensively and that deal with various approaches, applications, evaluations, and uses for technology transfer. Agricultural System Models in Field Research and Technology Transfer fills this need. It presents the latest advances in the use of various computer models in agricultural management systems. This authoritative reference provides guidance on the use of models in field research, decision support, precision farming, and technology transfer to farmers and ranchers. Derived from an international symposium co-sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, it analyzes current system model applications for the modeling of natural resources, crop production, grazing lands, and animal production systems. Leading international agricultural system scientists present their experiences and provide guidance on how models can be used to enhance the quality of field research, transfer of research information and technology to farmers and ranchers, and decision support for agricultural management. They provide an expert review of the existing problems and possible solutions to improve future applications. In addition, Agricultural System Models in Field Research and Technology Transfer explores the possible use of an international modular computer framework to improve current modeling procedures in an effort to develop problem-specific models in the future. ... Read more

Book Description

In an era of escalating food politics, many believe organic farming to be the agrarian answer. In this first comprehensive study of organic farming in California, Julie Guthman casts doubt on the current wisdom about organic food and agriculture, at least as it has evolved in the Golden State. Refuting popular portrayals of organic agriculture as a small-scale family farm endeavor in opposition to "industrial" agriculture, Guthman explains how organic farming has replicated what it set out to oppose. Illustrations: 2 maps, 15 tables ... Read more

Book Description

This new book meets the need for a comprehensive, up-to-date review of wheat chemistry, processing and uses. It provides the reader with extensive new information on wheat components that will be useful in better commercial utilization of wheat and the formulation of new and upgraded wheat-based food products. The book serves as a one-volume information resource for all those involved in the research, development, formulation, and evaluation of wheat-based food products. From the Authors' PrefaceWheat continues to be one of the world's most important grains, especially as a food, where the unique properties of its products can be utilized to advantage. It provides an excellent example of a natural product from which a wide range of useful by-products can be made. This book discusses the components of the wheat kernel, which provide interesting examples of study of carbohydrate and protein chemistry, as well as lipids, minerals and vitamins. This book should serve as a useful reference for the cereal chemist, as well as chemists and food technologists in those industries in which by-products of flour are used, e.g., the confectionery industry in which modified starches and starch syrups are used. In addition, nutritionists, dieticians, and many kinds of researchers will find chapters of interest. Particular attention is given to particle-size determinations, an important area in food processing, and to the role of wheat proteins in gluten intolerance and wheat allergy. . . . Both the milling of wheat and flour quality are discussed in order to give the reader an idea of the distribution of the major components and the importance of proper size reduction. The book also has a chapter on wet milling of wheat flour . . . and chapters on the properties and uses of wheat starch, starch syrups, and chemically modified wheat starch. ContentsEach chapter ends with a section of references. 1.The Wheat Kernel - Introduction - The Structure of the Wheat Kernel - Wheat Production - Wheat Quality - Wheat Utilization - Dietary Considerations and Food Value of Wheat - The Lipids of Wheat - The Enzymes of Wheat - The Pigments of Wheat - Comparison of Wheat with Other Cereals - Animal Feeds 2.The Milling of Wheat - Introduction - Cleaning and Conditioning - Milling Techniques - Yields of Wheat Flour and By-products - Composition of Wheat Flour and Its By-products - Flour Quality - Air Classification of Flour - Utilization of Flour and Its By-products in the Baking Industry 3.The Wet-milling of Wheat Flour - Introduction - Types of Processes - Refining of Starch by Centrifugal Methods - Particle Size Analysis of Starch - Minor Constituents - Further Purification of Commercial Wheat Starch 4.The Composition, Properties and Uses of Wheat Starch - Introduction - Composition of Wheat Starch - Properties and Reactivity of Starch - Gelatinization of Starch in Hot Water - Retrogradation of Starch Gels - Rheology of Starch Gels - Pregelatinized Starch - Industrial Starch Quality - Industrial Uses of Wheat Starch 5.Starch Syrups - Introduction - Syrups from Acidic Hydrolysis - Purification of Syrups - Syrup Additives - Syrups from Enzymic Hydrolysis - Uses of Starch Syrups - Analysis and Tests on Starch Syrups 6.Chemically Modified Wheat Starches and Their Uses - Introduction - Starches in the Paper-making Industry - Thin-boiling Starches - Starch-based Adhesives - Starch Ethers - Starch Esters - Oxidized Starches - Starch Xanthates - Cationic Starches - Modification of Starch by the Use of Additives 7.Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins - Introduction - Amino Acids - Simple Peptides - Polypeptides/Proteins - Protein Synthesis - Reactions of Proteins - Reactions Used for Determination of Protein Structure - Isolation of Proteins - Determination of Protein Content - Determination of Protein Structure 8.Wheat Proteins - Introduction - Endosperm Proteins - Separation of Proteins - Functional Properties of Proteins and the Wheat-Gluten Complex - Uses of Dry Vital Gluten - Bioactive Components of Wheat - The Maillard Reaction - Microbiological Control of Processing - The Future for Wheat 9.Wheat on the World Wide Web (WWW) - Introduction - The Basic Requirements for the WWW - Searching for Journal and Bibliographic References; Uncover Data Base - The HTTP Protocol and Home Pages - Search Engines on the WWW - The Altavista Search: Results - The Future of Information on the WWW Index69 Figures, 17 Tables ------------------------------------------------------------------------The AuthorsDr. Cornell received his M.Sc. from the University of Melbourne and his Ph.D. from the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. His faculty positions have included those of Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and Visiting Professor at the University of Zurich, Karolinska Institute (Sweden) and the Technical University, Munich. More than forty of his papers have been published in journals, and he has made more than forty invited conference presentations. Dr. Hoveling received his Ph.D. from Flinders University of South Australia. He has been on the faculty of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, in the Department of Applied Chemistry, for more than twenty-five years, first as a Lecturer and now as Senior Lecturer. Two areas of his specialization are analytical techniques and chemical information systems. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ISBN:1 -56676 -348 -7 Year:1998 Number of pages:426Dimensions: 6 " x9" Cover type:hardcover Price:$104.95 ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very knowledgeble authors
I happen to personally know both of these authors.They are men of the highest integrity and scholarship.I highly recommend this text. ... Read more