Historically soils have been classified according to their appearance and characteristics. The Chinese textbook, Yugond (2500 BC) is probably the first ever on soil classification; indeed, it provided an effective and interpretative classification. Dokuchaev and others used vernacular soils like chernozem, solonetz and gley as central concepts for scientific classification. Vernacular soil names have been used throughout history and helped provide the basis of scientific classification. Folk soil taxonomies were characterized, developed, refined and used generation after generation through time-tested trials and errors. Basically, indigenous wisdom which farmers have acquired and preserved over time has repeatedly been ignored rather than streamlined. Scientific systems and detailed soil mapping have already replaced folk taxonomies, especially in the more developed countries.
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