Soil was significantly important in rural (forestry, agriculture etc.) life of human from various aspects, however, in the civilized and any natural or artificially created environments close to residential areas, soil is equally crucial as it provides the growth media for plants. In natural areas, soil development occurs under intrinsic conditions within interaction with plants and other environmental factors, whereas, in urban settlements, these conditions are profoundly influenced by human intervention. When addressing the urban soils, the obvious samples are considered as the parks and green areas in the city, however, within the scope of this book, the green areas include roadsides, roof gardens, sports fields, cemeteries, city squares, nurseries, urban forests, and many other natural, cultural, picnic, and recreational areas.

This book is designed not only to facilitate the understanding of the general characteristics of urban soils but also to help solve problems that might be encountered in urban soils. It aims to reach a wide range of users, from construction professionals, architects, forestry engineers, landscape architects, urban and regional planners, gardeners, to city residents growing flowers in their home gardens. To achieve this purpose, special attention has been given to ensure that the terms used in the book are as easily understandable as possible.

Prof. Dr. Orhan SEVGİ
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mert EKŞİ
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Barış TECİMEN