Introduction to Soils of Arid Regions

This section is designed to introduce users who don't have a background in soils to some of the basic concepts of soils and the way that soils scientists describe and work with soils of arid regions.

• How Soil is Defined
• The Composition of Soils
• Soil Properties
• A Brief History of Soil Science
• Soil Classification Systems
• What is an Aridic Soil?
• Classifications of Arid Land Soils
• Arid Wetlands and Riparian Areas

Hebrew versions of the above documents

(About the Hebrew on this Website)

Other Information

• Constraints in Managing Soils for Sustainable Land Use in Drylands
• Glossary of terms
• Soils Photo Gallery: Soil Orders - by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center