Do Students of Soil Science and its Subfields Need to Know Math and its Applications?

Many students of agriculture, particularly those of soil science, raise the question whether it is necessary to learn and do mathematics. If yes, the question arises as to how much of mathematical knowledge is really needed by students of these disciplines. Will derivatives, integrals, or differential equations be needed in soil science? One reason why some students may not take their mathematics courses serious is their failure to appreciate their relevance to soil science. This paper presents practical examples of math applications in such varied fields as soil physics, biology, chemistry, and soil fertility to illustrate how usefully the knowledge of mathematical formulas can be exploited in data analysis and drawing sound practical conclusions. The examples range from the application of differential equations embedded in relevant physical laws to the study of water and energy transport in soil to that of quadratic equations used to determine plant water demand or plant response to fertilizer application toward maximizing crop yield. It is imperative for lecturers of mathematics at departments of Agriculture and Soil Science to use such illustrative examples as compelling reasons for their students to appreciate why they need to master mathematics and to gain a better understanding of its relevance to their fields of study.