Soil Analysis

Catena Catena 39 Ž2000 2000. 301–303 www.elsevier.comrlocatercatena

Book review Soil Analysis — An Interpretation Manual K.I. Peverill, Peverill, L.A. Sparrow & D.J. Reuter Reuter ŽEds... CSIRO Publishi Publishing, ng, Collingwoo Collingwood, d, Vic, 369 pp., pp., 1999. Hardbac Hardback. k. ISBN 0 643 06376 06376 5 ŽA$94.9 A$94.95 5.

At the first International Congress of Soil Science in 1924, a strong plea was made to standardise methods of soil analysis as in different countries different procedures were used which hampered exchange of data and ideas. More than 75 years have lapsed but the call for uniform methods of soil analysis can still occasionally be heard, like for example at the 16th Worlds Congress of Soil Science in 1998. In general, however, consis consisten tency cy and standardi standardisat sation ion of proced procedure uress has occurred occurred which which — not in the last place — facilitated the development of international soil classification systems. There is an analogy between developments in soil science at the global level and those in Australia. In the various Australian State and Territory organizations, soils were analyzed in a different way despite the fact that a number of States had soils with similar pedofeatures. pedofeatures. The problem was recognised recognised for many decades but in 1992 the ‘‘Austra ‘‘ Australian lian Laboratory Laboratory Handbook Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Chemical Methods’’ Methods’’ ŽRayment Rayment and Higginson, 1992 1992. was was publ publis ishe hed, d, follow followed ed some years years late laterr by the the book book ‘‘Plant ‘‘Plant Anal Analys ysis is — An Interpr Interpreta etatio tion n Manual’’ Manual’’ ŽReuter Reuter and Robins Robinson, on, 1997. which which covers the interpret interpretati ation on of plant analytical data for specific crops. Both books aim to promote the use of consistent meth method ods, s, proc proced edur ures es and and termi termino nolo logi gies es in soil soil and and plan plantt labo labora rato tori ries es of Stat Statee and and territory organisations throughout Australia. No doubt these are useful books. The current book deals with the interpretation of soil analytical data and accompanies the laboratory handbook. It concerns interpretation for agricultural crops and there is little information on soil interpretation for ecosystem health or environmental regulations. As the previous books, it was initiated by the Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Counci Councill ŽASPAC ASPAC.. The book consist consistss of 25 chapte chapters rs authored authored by 37 soil soil scienti scientists sts from across the country. The The first first thre threee chap chapte ters rs cove coverr gene general ral aspe aspect ctss of soil soil samp sampli ling ng,, prep prepara arati tion on,, soil soil testing testing and interpretation. interpretation. This is followed followed by chapters chapters dealing with soil morphology morphology and soil physics in relation to soil chemical fertility. One chapter is devoted to the major soils used for agriculture in Australia based on ‘‘The Australian Soil Classification’’ of Isbell Isbell Ž1996 1996.. In total 20 soil soil orders orders are discus discussed sed of which which represent representati ative ve profiles profiles are given including a colour photograph and a detailed profile description. These first six chapters form the introduction to the main text which consist of three parts: chapters on

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302

Book reÕiew

import important ant soil soil chemica chemicall properti properties es ŽChapte Chapterr 7 to 10 ., major major nutrien nutrients ts Žchapte chapters rs 11 to 16 ., and minor minor nutri nutrient entss Žchapte chapters rs 17 to 24 .. In Ch Chap apte ters rs 7 and and 8, soil soil acid acidit ity y Žincl includ udin ing g alum alumin iniu ium, m, mang mangan anes esee and and lime lime require requiremen ments ts. and soil soil salinit salinity y ŽEc and chlori chlorine ne. are treate treated, d, which which is justifi justifiabl ablee taking taking into account the large areas of saline and acid soils in Australia. Soil reaction values are appraised for a wide range of crops based on a large number of experiments conducted throughout the country. For each crop, the experimental results are listed including: the depth of sampling, sampling, soil type, type, type of study Žpot, field, solution solution culture culture ., study region region and an appraisal appraisal Ži.e., low, marginal, marginal, ideal, high high .. In the salinity chapter, chapter, threshold threshold values are given for various crops. The CEC and soil organic carbon are discussed in the next two chapters. The second part deals with the major nutrients which cover a quarter of the book. The following subjects are treated in each chapter: occurrence of deficiency, factors affecting nutrient availability, soil test procedures, and interpretation criteria and guidelines. The inte interp rpret retat atio ion n crite criteri riaa are give given n in tabl tables es and and auth author orss were were recom recomme mend nded ed to use use a ‘‘best-bet’’ interpretation based on the literature. Although this approach is disputable, in the absence of adequate data such approach is in itself probably ‘‘best-bet’’. The chapters on minor nutrients including selenium cover almost one-fifth of the book and these chapters have a similar set-up as the major nutrients. There are no chapters on heavy metals like lead or cadmium. In the last chapter, it is discussed how recommendations based on soil tests can be made, followed by a glossary and an index. So far the contents of the book, now some comments. Not every chapter has the same level of detail. For example, the spatial and temporal variation in soil measurements is treated in some chapters but receives no attention in others — simply because the data are not not there there.. Ther Theree is no info inform rmat atio ion n on the the use use of geos geosta tati tist stic icss in eval evalua uati ting ng soil soil ferti fertili lity ty param paramet eters ers,, whic which h is an indi indica cati tion on of how how this this pedo pedolo logi gist sts’ s’ tool tool is larg largel ely y neglected by soil fertility experts. It would have been of interest if a chapter was devoted to the relation between soil variability and soil value interpretation. Also ‘‘The Austral tralia ian n Soil Soil Clas Classi sifi fica cati tion on’’ ’’,, whic which h was was in 1996 1996 acce accept pted ed as the the nati nation onal al syst system em Žalthough not by all Australians ungrudgingly. , is not used throughout the book and other systems, both Australian and international, are used as well. There are heaps of books on soil analysis but there are hardly any dealing specifically with the interpretation of analytical results. That fact alone makes this well prepared and info inform rmat ativ ivee book book a very very comm commen enda dabl blee effo effort rt.. The The book book has has a stro strong ng Aust Austra rali lian an foundation but many of the principles and interpretation values might be of interest to agricultural experiments in other parts of the world.

References Isbell, R.F., 1996. The Australian Soil Classification. CSIRO, Collingwood, Vic, 143 pp. Rayment, G.E., Higginson, F.R., 1992. Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods.



Book reÕiew

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Reut Reuter er,, D.J. D.J.,, Ro Robi bins nson on,, J.B. J.B. ŽEds. Eds.., Plan Plantt Anal Analys ysis is — An Inte Interp rpre reta tati tion on Manu Manual al.. 2nd 2nd edn. edn. CSIR CSIRO, O, Collingwood, Vic, 572 pp.

Alfred E. Hartemink Hartemink ISRIC, P.O. Box 353, 6700 AJ Wageningen, Netherlands E-mail address: [email protected]

Soil Analysis

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