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Introduction To Soils

Discover the vital role of soil in providing basic life needs, such as food and shelter, and why it is a limited resource. Learn about the main soil characteristics and how they impact land evaluation and soil management practices. This knowledge is essential for farmers, ranchers, construction trades, and anyone who relies on the Earth's resources.

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Introduction To Soils

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  1. Introduction To Soils

  2. Soil and It’s Importance • Provides basic life needs • Food and Shelter • Very limited resource

  3. What is Soil? • soil is the mineral and organic matter that supports plant growth on the earth's surface. It is a mixture of particles of rock, organic materials, living organisms, air and water.

  4. Who depends on soil? • farmers & ranchers • anyone needing food, clothing, building materials, minerals • construction trades (buildings, roads etc.)

  5. The success of farmers determines the income of who? • entire community • merchants

  6. Main Ideas in Land Evaluation • 1. Texture • 2. Depth • 3. Slope • 4. Erosion

  7. 1. Texture • Affects almost all properties of the soil • The amount of sand, silt and clay in a soil • Sand=largest, then silt, then clay • Determine by ribboning the soil

  8. 1. Texture • Sand is looser and gritty • Silt feels floury • Clay is sticky

  9. 1. How to determine Texture • COURSE=NO BALL • MODERATLY COURSE= 1” and gritty • MEDIUM = 1” and smooth • MODERATELY FINE = 1-2” • FINE = 2”

  10. Depth • Total thickness of material available for plant growth • Plants obtain water, nutrients and support from the root zone • Total Depth is determined from the point where the roots stop

  11. Depth • DEEP=40” • MODERATLEY DEEP = 20-40” • SHALLOW = 10-20” • VERY SHALLOW = -10”

  12. Slope • Slope refers to the steepness of the land surface • Affects soil use and management • As slope increases agriculture suitability decreases

  13. How to measure Slope • Measured in percent • Rise or fall over 100 feet

  14. How to measure Slope • NEARLY LEVEL = 0-1% • GENTLY SLOPING = 1-3% • MODERATELY SLOPING = 3-5% • STRONGLY SLOPING = 5-8% • STEEP = 8-15% • VERY STEEP = +15%

  15. Erosion • Causes loss of soil by water and wind • If one knows history of land can then do something to prevent more losses

  16. Erosion Calculation • One will be given original topsoil • To find current topsoil drag knife through top layer until it stops. This is the topsoil

  17. Erosion Calculation • Divide the current topsoil by the original to give you what percent is left • Then subtract that from 100% and that gives you amount of erosion.

  18. Erosion Levels • NONE TO SLIGHT = 0-25% • MODERATE = 25-75% • SEVERE = 75%+ with crossable gullies • VERY SEVERE = 75%+ with uncrossable gullies

  19. What is Soil Management? • the science of the tillage, cropping practices, and treatment of a soil for the production of plants • good soil management results in better yields and lower cost per unit of production

  20. A knowledge of soil management is helpful in what occupational areas? • crop production • livestock production • horticulture • engineering • forestry • soil scientist • soil conservationist

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