Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening

Soil Biology and Ecology

Unit 2.3 | 43
Resources

Resources

Print resOUrces

Coleman, David, and Dak Crossley. 1996. Funda-
mentals of Soil Ecology. San Diego, CA: Academic

Press.

The best textbook introduction to the subject

that I know of. Gives an overview of the basics,

and attempts to consider the applications.

Dindal, Daniel, ed. 1990. Soil Biology Guide. NY:
Wiley.

A   weighty tome,   with    chapters    including   

taxonomic keys and basic biology/ecology on

virtually all organisms found in soils.

Doran, John, and Alice Jones, eds. 1996. Methods
for Assessing Soil Quality. Special Publication # 49.
Madison, WI: Soil Sci. Soc. America.

Soil quality is the current buzzword in

soil science circles. This volume explores

the application of the idea to sustainable

environmental management.

Gershuny, Grace, and Joseph Smillie. 1995. The
Soul of Soil: A Guide to Ecological Soil Manage-
ment. Davis, CA: AgAccess.

More    hands-on    and less    academic    than    the 

above works, this book is aimed at plant

growers and has lots of practical information.

Gibbons, Boyd. 1984 (September). Do we treat our
soil like dirt? National Geographic, pp 351-388.

An  overview    of  U.S.    soils,  from    soil    biota   to  

bankrupt farmers, done in classic NG style, with

lots of great photos and drawings.

Gliessman, Stephen R. 1998. Agroecology: Ecologi-
cal Processes in Sustainable Agriculture. Chelsea,
MI: Ann Arbor Press.

Provides a brief overview of the most commonly

used conventional agricultural practices and the

environmental and agroecological consequences

of their use.

Tugel,  Arlene, Ann Lewandowski,    and Deb Happe-

vonArb, eds.    2000.   Soil    Biology Primer, Revised 

Edition.    Ankeny, Iowa:   Soil    and Water   Conservation    

Society.

An  excellent   overview    of  soil    biology,    loaded  

with    glossy  photos  and colorful    chart.  Available   

from    soils.usda.gov/sqi/SoilBiology/soil_

biology_primer.htms.    

web resOUrces

SOIL QUALITy

Appropriate Technology  Transfer    for Rural   Areas   

(ATTRA)

http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/soil-lab.

html#Soil%20Healthº

California Agriculture Teachers Association (CATA)

Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum  and PowerPoint  

Resources   

http://www.ccagcans.com/cansdefault.html

(see “Course Curriculum”)

Exploring   Sustainability  in  Agriculture:    An  Online  

Sustainable Agriculture Instructional   Resource,   Cen-

ter for Agroecology and Sustainable Food    Systems 

(CASFS)

zzyx.ucsc.edu/casfs/instruction/esa/index.html

Illinois    Soil    Quality Initiative  (ISQI)

http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~asap/resources/isqi/soil-

health.html

Life    in  the Soil

www-crcslm.waite.adelaide.edu.au

Soil    and Health  Library 

http://www.soilandhealth.org/index.html

Soil    Biological  Communities

http://www.blm.gov/nstc/soil/index.html

Soil    Ecology Society

vax.wcsu.edu/ses/ses.html