Application of fuzzy sets in soil science: Fuzzy logic, fuzzy measurements and fuzzy decisions

Fuzzy systems, including fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic, provide a rich and meaningful improvement, or extension of conventional logic. The mathematics generated by this theory is consistent, and fuzzy set theory may be seen as a generalisation of classic set theory. Applications in soil science, which may be generated from, or adapted to fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic, are wide-ranging: numerical classification of soil and mapping, land evaluation, modelling and simulation of soil physical processes, fuzzy soil geostatistics, soil quality indices and fuzzy measures of imprecisely defined soil phenomena. Many other soil concepts or systems may be modelled simulated, and even replicated with the help of fuzzy systems, not the least of which is human reasoning itself.