What Is Soil Taxonomy?
Soil taxonomy is the practice of describing, categorizing, and naming soils. Like the taxonomy of living organisms, soil taxonomy is designed to make it easier for people to communicate information about different kinds of soils, how they are used, their properties, and where they are found. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a complex soil taxonomy system which is widely used, and the organization publishes keys which can be used to identify soils, as well as mediating when disputes about the taxonomy of various soils arise.
