This modular textbook will be particularly suited for undergraduates, lecturers and practitioners interested in soil systems. It is written with some authority with over 100 scientific articles on soil ecology between the authors. The modular nature of the book allows the reader to select those chapters of greatest interest. Each chapter presents selected highlights in focus boxes with more in-depth information. However, the modular nature also means that the book falls a bit short of a systems approach as the interactions between groups and processes are more difficult to identify. The first part of the book provides the reader with basic information on the soil environment and soil-forming factors, and is particularly aimed at those new to soil studies. The larger part of the book deals with the organisms in soil, covering microorganisms, micro-, meso- and macro-fauna, with each section describing the biology, the diversity, and methods for collections and quantification. Interactions between various groups are discussed by considering their roles in the food web. The ecology is then linked to functions of the food web, covering primary production, decomposition, nutrient cycling and biological control. The final two parts of the book deal with management of the soil environment and address the impact of climate change on the food web. These last two chapters are a bit short and might not satisfy a reader specifically interested in management or the impact of global warming. Overall the book strikes a balance between depth and breadth of soil ecology and offers helpful links to web pages for each of the chapters for further study. Undergraduates and those new to the field will find this a useful book.