Soil profile presents a two-dimensional view of the soil body. According to Hartemink (2009), the first depictions of soil profiles were made in the late 1700 long before soil science was established. The soil profile may also be taken as one side of a pedon, the three-dimensional conceptual soil body used as the basic unit of classification in the Soil Taxonomy of USDA. Simonson and Gardner (1960) who proposed the pedon concept compared it to the cell in biological systems. This comparison, however, has been criticized since cells are functional units with real boundaries (cell walls) while pedons have no boundaries since the soil is a continuum. The French pedologist A. Ruellan, past president of the International Union of Soil Sciences, has summarized the criticisms against the pedon concept, as follows: it is not a natural unit of the soil cover but only an abstraction, its morphological lateral limits are artificial, and its genesis is interpreted vertically without looking at the lateral dynamics and relationships (Ruellan, 2002). What is your opinion on this? Which is a better unit or model to use in the study of soils?
References
Simonson, R.W. and D.R. Gardner. 1960. Concepts and function of the pedon. Trans. 7th Intern. Congr. Soil Sci., Vol. 4, Madison, pp: 127-131.
Hartemink, A.E. 2009. The depiction of soil profiles since the late 1700s. Catena 79: 113–127
Ruellan A. 2002. Classification of pedological systems: a challenge for the future of soil science. Trans. 17th World Congr. Soil Science, Bangkok.
hello sir. in my opinion, the soil profile is much better than pedon. why then ? because we can see the natural condition of the soil environment with soil profile. pedon is good too, but isn't good enough. the activity to get the soil pedon can disrupt the natural condition and affect the soil horizon.
correct me if im wrong. have a nice day :)
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