NCSU's College Day-Agronomy Flyer
By: Bolutife Dediare
North Carolina State University’s Agronomy Department
Weathering Agents (Chemical vs. Mechanical)
- Chemical weathering is caused by chemical reactions that causes changes in minerals. Two things that cause chemical weathering in rocks is carbon dioxide and oxygen. This also causes rust.
-Mechanical weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces.
Soil Facts - Soil Composition/Soil Texture/Soil Horizons
-5% of organic matter
-45% of mineral matter
-25% of air and water
The different kinds of soil are: sand, silt, and clay. Soil has five layers:
-Humus
-topsoil
-subsoil
-parent material
-bedrock
Affects of soil formation
-Parent material. This is talking about the living and non-living materials in soil
-Time. Soil takes a long time to form.
-Climate. This is the most important factor because the best place to grow crops is in a cold, dry place
-Relief. This is refering to the landscape position and the slopes that it has. Steep slopes means that the fertile soil will runoff when it rains.
-Organisms. In order to have a lot of healthy soil, we need a balanced ecosystem
Remote Sensing and Its Affect on Soil
Importance of Soil
Common misuses of soil and the negative consequences
Reason for Misuse of Natural Resources
a)Commercial interests like trading in products out of natural resources.
b) Ignorance on necessity to preserve natural resources.
c) Deliberate negligence on destruction of natural resource.
d) Entertainment / recreational / aesthetic interest.
e) Extreme population pressure.
f) Self interest of human beings over the interest to retain natural resources.
g) International trade and commitments.
h) Misuse of legislation.
i) Loop holes of provisions of law.
j) Protracted legal process.
k) Food interest
l) Luxuries required for man.
m) Increased industrial requirement.
n) Improvement of standard of living, GDP, per capita income and purchasing power.
o) Expectations of instantaneous returns.
Resource: http://thoughtstalk.com/wp/misuse-of-soil-and-water-resources/