NCSU's Agronomy Department
Soil - Formation/Quality/Stewardship
All About This Department
I work at NCSU's Agronomy Department. Agronomy is the science of soil management and crop production. We need more agronomist in this world. They impact are lives every day and most of the time we don't notice it. Agronomist can educate people and then we don't have to depend on farmers to do it. We can have are own gardens and farms to grow crops on.
Weathering (Chemical vs. Mechanical)
Types of Mechanical Weathering are Release of Pressure, Freezing and thawing, Animal Actions, Plant root growth,and Abrasion. Example of Mechanical weathering is an animal digging, it loosens the soil and brakes the rocks. Types of Chemical Weathering are water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms and acid rain. Example of Chemical weathering is acid rain weathers rocks rapidly.
Soil Facts
Soil Composition
Soil consists of organic, humus, minerals, air and water. Types of minerals found in soil are gravel, clay, silt, and sand. Things that are in humus is the remains of dead plants and animals. Types of things that are organic is bugs and worms.
Soil Texture
Soil texture is determined by the percentage of sand, silt, and clay. The picture beside of you to the left is a soil texture triangle. That is were you find what kind of soil it is.
Soil Horizons
Horizons are layers of the soil that have compressed over the years. The layers from top to bottom are organic, topsoil, subsoil, and bedrock.
Rate of Soil Formation
Factors of Soil Formation
The factors are Parent Material, Climate, Topography, Biota, and Time. Too much rain, heat, drought, and below freezing temps. is what can disrupt or damage the soil for plants to grow.
Remote Sensing and how is it used to Study Human's impact on soil/Earth?
Remote Sensing is the scanning of the Earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it. A lot of people use remote sensing every day. Human's impact soil/Earth because human's think there is a lot of soil on Earth and there isn't. The only reason we know soil is disappearing is because of remote sensing.
Why is soil important?
Soil is vital part of the natural environment. Soil is as important as plants, animals, rocks, landforms, lochs and rivers. With out healthy soil there would not be any planets. Humans and animals could not exist with out soil.
Common misuses of soil and the negative consequence
Deforestation ruins the good soil so there can be buildings in it's place. About half of the worlds rain forest have been cleared. When a forest has been cleared the soil is free to wash or blow away.
Soil Stewardship
Good stewardship is taking care of things that live in the soil. Need to help make the soil healthier and more productive. This would benefit animals and humans by growing more plants and crops. Rotating different crops each year helps soil enrich and keep disease away.