Dokuchaev - Dokuchaev (English notation)

Russian soil scientist. Born in Smolensk, he studied geology at the University of St. Petersburg and became a professor at his alma mater. He developed the theory of soil formation from his research into the humus formation process in soils (chernozems) in the Eurasian inland steppes, and is known as the father of modern soil science. He believed that soils were formed over many years from the original rocks, mainly due to climate and vegetation factors, and that they were differentiated into A, B, and C layers, and were categorized by their cross-sectional characteristics, and classified soil types such as podzol, chernozem, and saline soil. Since Dokuchaev, soil science that classifies soils based on their origin, rather than simply classifying them by their fertility based on mineral composition and chemical components, has been called pedology. He also showed that each soil type is distributed in zones according to differences in climate and vegetation (soil zonation theory). Research by the Dokuchaev School continued to develop under the successors of Nikolai Mikhailovich Sibirtsev (1860-1900) and Glinka, and later led to the establishment of the Dokuchaev Soil Institute. One of his major works is The Place and Role of Present-day Pedology in Science and Life (1899).

[Shigeo Asami]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ロシアの土壌学者。スモレンスク地方に生まれ、ペテルブルグ大学で地質学を学んだのち、母校の教授を務めた。ユーラシア内陸草原地帯の土壌（チェルノゼム）の腐植形成過程の研究から、土壌生成論を進め、近代土壌学の祖といわれた。土壌は、主として気候と植生因子のもとに、もとの岩石から長年月を経て変質生成したもので、ABC層に分化し、その断面特徴によって類型化されると考え、ポドゾル、チェルノゼム、塩類土などの土壌型を分類した。土壌を単に鉱物組成や化学成分による肥沃(ひよく)度で分類するのではなく、このように成因論から分ける土壌学を、ドクチャーエフ以来ペドロジーpedologyとよぶ。各土壌型が気候、植生の違いに従って帯状分布すること（土壌帯論）も彼によって示された。ドクチャーエフ学派による研究はシビルツェフNikolai Mikhailovich Sibirtsev（1860―1900）、グリンカらの後継者を得てその後も発展し、のちにドクチャーエフ土壌研究所の設立をみた。主著に『The Place and Role of Present-day Pedology in Science and Life（現代の土壌学の科学と人間活動における立場と役割）』（1899）がある。

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