Environmental soil science is the study of the interaction of humans with the
pedosphere as well as critical aspects of the
biosphere, the
lithosphere, the
hydrosphere, and the
atmosphere. Environmental
soil science addresses both the fundamental and applied aspects of the field including: buffers and surface water quality,
vadose zone functions,
septic drain field site assessment and function, land treatment of
wastewater,
stormwater,
erosion control,
soil contamination with metals and pesticides,
remediation of contaminated soils, restoration of
wetlands,
soil degradation,
nutrient management, movement of viruses and bacteria in soils and waters,
bioremediation, application of
molecular biology and
genetic engineering to development of soil microbes that can degrade hazardous pollutants,
land use,
global warming,
acid rain, and the study of
anthropogenic soils, such as
terra preta. Much of the research done in Environmental soil science is produced through the use of models.