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Soil

Soil. Soil Formation. What is soil? Soil is a loose covering of weathered rock particles and decaying organic matter, called HUMUS , overlying the bedrock of Earth’s surface, and serves as a medium for the growth of plants

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Soil

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  1. Soil

  2. Soil Formation • What is soil? Soil is a loose covering of weathered rock particles and decaying organic matter, called HUMUS, overlying the bedrock of Earth’s surface, and serves as a medium for the growth of plants Soil is the product of thousands of years of chemical and mechanical weathering

  3. Soil Development • Weathering breaks down solid bedrock into smaller pieces • These pieces undergo continuous weathering and breakdown into smaller pieces • Worms and other organisms help breakdown organic matter and add nutrients to the soil as well as creating passages of air for water to enter.

  4. Soil Layers • (O) Organic matter (A) Weathered rock • (B) Residual Soil • (C)Bedrock

  5. Soil Layers • Organic Matter: Made of Leaf Litter and Humus • Weathered Rock: combined with rich dark brown organic matter • Residual Soil: enriched over time by clay and minerals deposited by the water above • Bedrock (parent Soil): little to no organic matter; oldest layer

  6. Factors of Soil Formation • Climate- temperature, wind and the amount of rain fall determines the type of soil that can develop • Topography- this includes the types of slope and orientation of the land, it affects the type of soil that forms - hillsides have shallow soils -flat areas have thicker soil

  7. Factors of soil formation • Parent Material: • residual soil: has the same composition as the local bedrock • transported soil: the minerals in the soil are different from the local bedrock Biological Organisms: • organisms including fungi and bacteria interact with the soil. • Microorganisms decompose dead plants and animals • These organisms enrich the soil Time: the amount of time a soil is present in one location varies.

  8. Soil texture • Particles of soil are classified according to size • Proportion of particle size determines the soils texture • Soil texture affects the soil’s capacity to retain moisture

  9. Soil Fertility • Soil fertility: How well a soil can support growth of plants • Factors that affect fertility • Topography • Availability of nutrients • # of microorganisms present • Amount of precipitation • Level of soil acidity

  10. Soil Color • Factors that determine color: • Minerals present • Organic matter • Soils profile (horizons)

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