Fundamental concepts: the pedosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, soil, edaphology; soil phases and components; soil as a living body; soil as part of the environment; factors of soil formation: parent material, climate, organisms, topography; and time; soil – forming processes: physical, chemical and biological; properties of soil: soil profile, horizon, pedon, epipedon, endopedon, physical, chemical, and biological; perfectly and imperfectly drained soils.