The return of the "other" soil scientists

Soils knowledge through the ages accumulated from direct experience through contact with the soil, whether preparation of a seed bed, building roads, or founding buildings. Soil uses were tied with religious observances. Gatherers proceeding to become settled agriculturalists would have used soils knowledge to choose farming sites. The knowledge accumulated by practitioners was written down and extended to others in print during the past two millennia. This changed about 150 years ago, when research studies using the scientific method became the dominant source of soils information. By 1900 this pattern of analytical thought was set. This was fostered by, or at least coincided with, increasing application of technology to use of soils during the second third of the 20th century, and became the dominant source of soil knowledge. We are now seeing a return to the importance of the "other" soil scientists in increasing soil knowledge. There is increasing appreciation of the importance of indigenous soil knowledge; on-farm research where soil users perform their own controlled experiments is becoming an important source of information on soil management. Parallelling this change have been changes in attitude toward soil as a resource, toward conservation, and toward the appreciation of soil performing unique ecological and spiritual functions of concern to mankind. Holistic approaches to soil are again becoming mainstream. As we grapple with global problems such as soil degradation, we will see all soil scientists making contributions to soil knowledge. Key words: Soil knowledge, soil users, ecological functions