West Virginia University assistant professor Jim Thompson hopes to make the practice of learning basic soil sciences clearer with the recent publication of two new textbooks.

The textbooksFundamental Soil ScienceandMath for Soil Scientistsare targeted for use in introductory soil science classes similar to WVU ’s Principles of Soil Science, offered by the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences in the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences.

The textbooks are co-authored by Thompson and Mark Coyne, associate professor at the University of Kentucky .

My goal is to give the students the tools that will enable them to make well-informed decisions about the use and management of soils,Thompson said.Scientists and practitioners across many disciplines need an understanding and appreciation for the soil resource to ensure their ability to make proper decisions regarding land use and management.

Fundamental Soil Scienceand the supplemental workbookMath for Soil Scientistsare resources designed to help achieve that goal. According to Thompson, most widely used soil science textbooks place greater emphasis on agricultural applications and may not appeal to the general interests of the wide audience of students in introductory soil science courses.

Increasingly, the student population in introductory soil science courses does not have an agricultural background and are not interested in traditional agricultural issues,he said.

Knowledge of soil sciences attracts students from numerous fields, from traditional agricultural programs to more environmental and ecological programs such as forestry, geology and biology, Thompson said.

Math for Soil Scientistsis a unique resource that presents mathematical operations commonly encountered by practitioners of soil science in the course of their field and laboratory studies.

The workbook includes the basics of scientific notation and unit conversion; quantifying physical, chemical and biological properties of soil; problem solving and statistical analyses. The text employs fundamental mathematical principles when trying to predict how soils will respond to management practices (such as the application of fertilizers) or environmental stresses (such as acid rain).

Both textbooks are published by Thomson Delmar Learning.

Thompson joined the WVU faculty in 2004 after serving as an assistant professor at North Carolina State University . He received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from

Penn State University in 1990, a master’s degree in geography from Ohio State University in 1992 and a doctorate in soil science with a minor in water resources from the University of Minnesota in 1996. He is also the adviser for nationally ranked WVU Soils Team.