Inclusion of living phase to define soil

Abstract

The existing soil definitions lack the integration of soil living phase, an important soil phase that influences numerous soil properties and even facilitates soil forming process, along with its connectivity to human. This paper presents a new definition of soil by considering living phase the fourth soil phase, including anthropogenic activities as another soil forming factor, and introducing the concept of soil's connection to all the living existence, civilization, and spheres of the earth.

Keywords

• Soil definition
• Living phase
• Soil science
• Soil system
• Civilization