SOIL is made of loose weathered rock and

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SOIL

SOIL

is made of loose, weathered rock and organic material.

is made of loose, weathered rock and organic material.

5 factors of Soil Formation Soil is formed by… • Parent Material: the original

5 factors of Soil Formation Soil is formed by… • Parent Material: the original “Mom & Pop” soil transported from elsewhere, usually by wind or water, at different speeds • Climate: the amount, intensity, timing, and kind of precipitation that breaks down parts of ecosystem (i. e. rocks, trees) into soil • Topography: Slope and Aspect affect the angle of the land position toward/away from the sun that soil will be exposed to • Biological: Plants, animals, microscopic organisms, and humans interact with soil in different ways • Time: the amount of time it takes for the four factors (above) to interact with each other

SOIL CONSERVATION • Did you know … It takes 200 -400 years to form

SOIL CONSERVATION • Did you know … It takes 200 -400 years to form 1 cm of sustainable soil. • There are 1, 000 – 500, 000 bacteria and 1 M- 20 M actonomycetes

There are thousands of different soils throughout the world. Five important factors influence the

There are thousands of different soils throughout the world. Five important factors influence the specific soil that develops.

 • The main types of soil on earth are: – - Loess (pronounced

• The main types of soil on earth are: – - Loess (pronounced “luss”): fertile soils developed on wind-blown glacial silt deposited during the Ice Ages. – - Laterites: red, iron oxide-rich soils of wet, hot tropical areas, created by intense chemical weathering of parent rock material. – - Pedalfers: rich soils with brown color, high in aluminum and iron; typical of cooler, wet temperate climates world-wide. – - Pedocals: soils typical of warm, arid regions; high in calcium and commonly contain caliche (white deposits of calcium carbonate) – - Tundra soils: soils forming in polar climates of permafrost (permanently frozen ground).

Soil Profile • A Soil Profile is a vertical cross-section of layers of soil

Soil Profile • A Soil Profile is a vertical cross-section of layers of soil found in a given area.

Soil Horizon • Soil horizons are the layers in a soil profile used to

Soil Horizon • Soil horizons are the layers in a soil profile used to classify soil types. • Horizons based on color, texture, structure, rock fragments, and any unique characteristic worth noting. • Major Soil Horizons are depicted by a capital letter in the order (from top down): O, A, B, C, and R

O Horizon: Organic Layer “Organic Matter” Horizon • Surface-layer, at depths of 0 -2

O Horizon: Organic Layer “Organic Matter” Horizon • Surface-layer, at depths of 0 -2 feet • Dark in color, soft in texture • Humus - rich organic material of plant and animal origin in a stage of decomposition • Leaf litter – leaves, needles, twigs, moss, lichens that are not decomposing • Several O-layers can occur in some soils, consisting only of Ohorizons

A Horizon: Topsoil “Topsoil” or “Biomantle” Horizon • Topmost layer of mineral soil, at

A Horizon: Topsoil “Topsoil” or “Biomantle” Horizon • Topmost layer of mineral soil, at depths of 2 -10 feet • Some humus present, darker in color than layers below • Biomantle - most biological productive layer; earthworms, fungi, and bacteria live this layer • Smallest and finest soil particles

A Horizon: Topsoil This is generally the most productive layer of the soil. Conservation

A Horizon: Topsoil This is generally the most productive layer of the soil. Conservation efforts are focused here!

B Horizon: Subsoils The “Subsoil” Horizon • At depths of 10 -30 feet •

B Horizon: Subsoils The “Subsoil” Horizon • At depths of 10 -30 feet • Rich in clay and minerals like Fe & Al • Some organic material may reach here through leaching • Plant roots can extend into this layer • Red/brown in color due to oxides of Fe & clay

C Horizon: Transition The “Regolith” Horizon • At depths of 30 -48 feet •

C Horizon: Transition The “Regolith” Horizon • At depths of 30 -48 feet • Made up of large rocks or lumps of partially broken bedrock • Least affected by weathering and have changed the least since their origin

C Horizon: Transition This layer of transition is almost completely void of organic mater

C Horizon: Transition This layer of transition is almost completely void of organic mater and is made up of partially weathered parent material.

Bedrock “Bedrock” Horizon • At depths of 48+ feet • Deepest soil horizon in

Bedrock “Bedrock” Horizon • At depths of 48+ feet • Deepest soil horizon in the soil profile • No rocks or boulders, only a continuous mass of bedrock • Colors are those of the original rock of the area

USES OF SOIL Uses of Soil 1. Soil is used in agriculture. 2. Soil

USES OF SOIL Uses of Soil 1. Soil is used in agriculture. 2. Soil is used in constructions and arts. 3. Soil is used in Waste Management. 4. Soil is significant to the Environment. 5. Soil plays an important role in filtrating and purifying water.

SOIL CONSERVATION STRATEGIES • • Planting Vegetation Soil Organisms Terracing Crop Rotation/ multi -cropping

SOIL CONSERVATION STRATEGIES • • Planting Vegetation Soil Organisms Terracing Crop Rotation/ multi -cropping • Watering the Soil

MISUSE OF SOIL • Inappropriate Infrastructure - bad site layout • Occasional toxic exposure

MISUSE OF SOIL • Inappropriate Infrastructure - bad site layout • Occasional toxic exposure – producing the necrosis and decline of microorganisms • Soil Loss – extraction, removal of topsoil; • Wrong Cultivation methods – inadequate organic matter, humus should be 5% by volume • Extended monocropping

 • • Citations: 1. http: //ngm. nationalgeographic. com/2008/09/soil/mann-text 2. http: //ngm. nationalgeographic. com/geopedia/Soil

• • Citations: 1. http: //ngm. nationalgeographic. com/2008/09/soil/mann-text 2. http: //ngm. nationalgeographic. com/geopedia/Soil 3. http: //books. google. com/books? id=Xjfy. Wjx. EZio. C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Sara+Sche rr+Soil+Degradation&source=bl&ots=L 7 Ctmu. DB 5 c&sig=Rx. MDT 2 H 3 kh. Tjw 40 RG 5 D 16 VBV 8 v. Y&hl=en&ei=Cqdg. S 9 f. VOY_Os. QP 5 sj. BCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0 CAw. Q 6 AEw. AA#v=onepa ge&q=&f=false 4. http: //www. dpi. vic. gov. au/dpi/nreninf. nsf/646 e 9 b 4 bba 1 afb 2 bca 256 c 420053 b 5 ce/d 1 ce 1 0 f 1 b 7687 d 94 ca 256 f 0000053199/$FILE/LC 0063. pdf 5. http: //www. fao. org/DOCREP/004/Y 1796 E/y 1796 e 02. htm#P 4_0 Read more: http: //greenanswers. com/q/124177/nature-recreation/land-soil/how-dohumans-cause-soil-degradation-and-how-does-impact-food-s#ixzz 2 Hv. Bk. Th. MG