土壤学是研究土壤及其生成的学科，是自然地理学的分支。它对研究植物的生长，繁殖以至分布都起着重要影响。 从农业角度来看，土壤是指陆地上能够让植物生长的疏松表层。

英语pedology源于希腊语的pedon(土地)。

Edaphology (from Greek ἔδαφος, edaphos, "ground", and -λογία, -logia) is one of two main divisions of soil science, the other being pedology. Edaphology is concerned with the influence of soils on living things, particularly plants. The term is also applied to the study of how soil influences humankind's use of land for plant growth as well as man's overall use of the land. General subfields within edaphology are agricultural soil science (known by the term agrology in some regions) and environmental soil science. (Pedology deals with pedogenesis, soil morphology, and soil classification.)