Urban Soils

This book, Urban Soils, explores the critical functions and management of soils in rapidly urbanizing environments, emphasizing their role in supporting ecosystems and food production.

Soils in urban areas serve multiple essential functions that are increasingly recognized by urban communities. They provide vital resources such as water, nutrients, and physical support for diverse urban plant and animal life, including parks, reserves, and gardens. Additionally, urban soils are gaining importance for food production, reflecting a growing trend towards sustainability in city living. The textbook Urban Soils addresses this increasing urbanization and its relationship with soil health and management, offering insights from active practitioners in university-level teaching and research.

This volume is particularly timely given the rapid urbanization trends observed globally. For instance, in China, the urban population rose from 13% in 1950 to 45% in 2010, while Australia ranks among the top ten most urbanized countries, with around 90% of its population residing in cities. The book emphasizes the need for understanding urban soils as they are vital for building foundations, flood control, and aquifer protection. Through comprehensive coverage of spatial and statistical techniques, Urban Soils provides case studies that illustrate key concepts and offer practical guidance on data collection and analysis.

Furthermore, the textbook explores the significance of urban ecosystems and the impacts of global changes on soil health. It delves into the processes of pedogenesis in urban settings, examining how natural materials are influenced by urbanization and how they interact with various climatic zones. The content is designed for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as professionals such as researchers and environmental consultants, making it an invaluable resource in the field of urban soil science.