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The Use of the Seventh Approximation in New Areas
Author(s) -
Westin Fred C.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1963.03615995002700020037x
Subject(s) - soil water , agriculture , abstraction , soil science , irrigation , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , agricultural engineering , geography , geology , archaeology , geotechnical engineering , ecology , engineering , philosophy , epistemology , biology
The Seventh Approximation was found to be very useful for classifying soils in Venezuela. The system was helpful in three ways: in classifying unfamiliar and little‐studied soils; in working with people generally unversed in soil classification; and in making agricultural predictions. In working with unfamiliar soils the Seventh Approximation provided quantitative definitions of most of the known soils of the world and also made provision for soils not included in the old system. The Seventh Approximation was understood by Spanish‐speaking botanists and geologists who were relatively untrained in soils, as well as by trained soil scientists. It was found that agricultural predictions were possible at all levels of abstraction used. Making predictions is important in new areas because the great need is to find the locations of the better soils for both dryland and irrigation development. The Seventh Approximation proved to be an effective framework around which to organize the soils information in new areas. Because it does this well it helps sell the soil surveyor and his science.