What is "paleopedology"

alt. (context geology English) The study of geologic soils n. (context geology English) The study of geologic soils

Paleopedology (palaeopedology in the United Kingdom) is the discipline that studies soils of past geological eras, from quite recent ( Quaternary) to the earliest periods of the Earth's history. Paleopedology can be seen either as a branch of soil science ( pedology ) or of paleontology, since the methods it uses are in many ways a well-defined combination of the two disciplines.