Cover

Contents

Foreword

About the Authors

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1 Soil sampling issues: aspects of design and implementation of soil investigations

1.1 The fundamental problem of sampling to test soils

1.2 Purposes of soil sampling

1.3 Specialised sampling methodologies for soils

1.4 Statistical requirements for sampling

1.5 Sampling for soil mapping

1.6 Assessment of soil health, soil quality, soil condition or soilcapability

1.7 Investigations for landscape design and development: some guidelines

2 Soil physical properties

2.1 Particle size distribution

2.2 Water-holding properties of soils

2.3 Hydraulic conductivity (K)

2.4 Bulk density and air porosity

2.5 Soil strength

2.6 Aggregate stability

2.7 Visual assessment of soil structure

2.8 Water repellence

3 Soil properties and soil behaviour for engineering

3.1 Unified soil classification system (USCS)

3.2 General levels of interpretation for plastic limit, liquid limitand plasticity index

3.3 Earthworks

3.4 Expansive soils

3.5 Engineering interpretation of soil strength

3.6 Soil factors that can affect the resistance of concrete andsteel pipes to corrosion

4 Soil erodibility and erosion hazard

4.1 Erosion types

4.2 Erosion hazard

4.3 Soil erodibility for water erosion

4.4 Soil erodibility for wind erosion

5 Soil chemical properties

5.1 Soil acidity

5.2 Cation exchange capacity and exchangeable cations

5.3 Nitrogen (N) in soil

5.4 Phosphorus (P) in soil

5.5 Potassium (K) in soil

5.6 Sulfur

5.7 Nutrients in plants

5.8 Trace elements and micronutrients

5.9 Nutrients removed in farm products

5.10 Salinity

5.11 Soil sodicity

5.12 Fertilisers and soil ameliorants

5.13 General fertility rating of soils in NSW

5.14 Acid sulfate soils

6 Organic matter content of soils

6.1 Soil organic matter

6.2 Estimating carbon densities for greenhouse sinks

7 Application of wastewater and waste materials

7.1 Water quality properties relevant to soils: effluent, runoff and groundwater quality

7.2 Quality of wastewater for irrigation

7.3 Site selection for the irrigation and disposal of wastewater

7.4 Application of biosolids to agricultural soils

8 Soil contamination: some considerations

8.1 Introduction

8.2 General assessment of soil contamination and determination of critical levels

8.3 Concentrations of heavy metals in soils

8.4 Heavy metals and trace elements as nutrients

8.5 Key references in relation to soil contamination

9 Units and conversions

9.1 SI units

9.2 Other units and conversions

10 General and technical suggested references

References

Appendix 1

Index