Quick start guide to soil methods for ecologists

Increasingly biologists and ecologists are becoming aware of the vital importance of soil to processes observed aboveground and are incorporating soil analyses into their research. Because of the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of soil, proper incorporation of soil analysis into ecological studies requires knowledge and planning. Unfortunately, many ecologists may not be current (or trained at all) in soil science. We provide this review, based on our cumulative >60 years of work in soil science, to help familiarize researchers with essential information to appropriately incorporate soil analyses into ecological studies. Specifically, we provide a brief introduction into soils and then discuss issues related to soil sterilization, choosing a soil for a greenhouse project, sampling soils, and soil analyses.