Soils
Earths Ground
Soils
Soils are ecosystems, and the life within them contributes to their composition and structure. They have a direct impact on wildlife, providing both food and shelter. Soils provide the medium for plant growth and therefore, are major determinants of terrestrial ecosystems. The composition and distribution of plant communities and all the services they provide for man and wildlife relate to the soil. To understand the environment, one needs to understand soils.
Soil Defentions
1)The unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the immediate surface of the Earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.2)The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the Earth that has been subjected to and shows effects of genetic and environmental factors of: climate (including water and temperature effects), and macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by relief, acting on parent material over a period of time. A product-soil differs from the material from which it is derived in many physical, chemical, biological, and morphological properties and characteristics.3)Soil is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment.
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers that are prima. Soil is a natural body consisting of layers that are primarily composed of minerals, mixed with at least some organic matter, which differ from their parent materials in their texture, structure, consistency, color, chemical, biological and other characteristics. It is the loose covering of fine rock particles that covers the surface of the earth.Soil is the end product of the influence of the climate , relief (slope), organisms, parent materials (original minerals), and timerily composed of minerals, mixed with at least some organic matter, which differ from their parent materials in their texture, structure, consistency, color, chemical, biological and other characteristics. It is the loose covering of fine rock particles that covers the surface of the earth.Soil is the end product of the influence of the climate , relief , organisms, parent materials, and time
Organisms
Soil is the most abundant ecosystem on Earth, but the vast majority of organisms in soil are microbes, a great many of which have not been described.There may be a population limit of around one billion cells per gram of soil, but estimates of the number of species vary widely. One estimate put the number at over a million species per gram of soil, although a later study suggests a maximum of just over 50,000 species per gram of soil. The total number of organisms and species can vary widely according to soil type, location, and depth
Climate
Climate is the dominant factor in soil formation, and soils show the distinctive characteristics of the climate zones in which they form. Mineral precipitation and temperature are the primary climatic influences on soil formation.
Density
Density is the weight per unit volume of an object. Particle density is the density of only the mineral particles that make up a soil; i.e., it excludes pore space and organic material. Particle density averages approximately 2.65 g/cm3 (165 lb/cu ft). Soil bulk density, a dry weight, includes air space and organic materials of the soil volume. A high bulk density indicates either compaction of the soil or high sand content. The bulk density of cultivated loam is about 1.1 to 1.4 g/cm3 (for comparison water is 1.0 g/cm3). A lower bulk density by itself does not indicate suitability for plant growth due to the influence of soil texture and structure
Porosity
Pore space is that part of the bulk volume that is not occupied by either mineral or organic matter but is open space occupied by either gases or water. Ideally, the total pore space should be 50% of the soil volume. The gas space is needed to supply oxygen to organisms decomposing organic matter, humus, and plant roots. Pore space also allows the movement and storage of water and dissolved nutrients
More Facts!
Soils are ecosystems, and the life within them contributes to their composition and structure. They have a direct impact on wildlife, providing both food and shelter. Soils provide the medium for plant growth and therefore, are major determinants of terrestrial ecosystems. The composition and distribution of plant communities and all the services they provide for man and wildlife relate to the soil. To understand the environment, one needs to understand soils. Soils play important roles in the cycling of essential nutrients, gases, and water. They are natural buffers and filters for pollutants, purifying and storing water. Organisms within the soil can break down harmful chemicals, helping keep them from impacting ecosystems. Soils are the major support system for man and all terrestrial life. They support the growth of our agricultural products, which feed the human population and native vegetation that supports wildlife. They determine the agricultural and forest productivity, which provides our food source, materials for housing, economic resources, and raw materials for numerous products. They are the foundation on which we build our homes, roads, and recreational facilities, and from which the homes for wildlife grow.Soils are a dynamic, vital natural resource on which most all terrestrial life depends. They are the source for producing some of our most important economic products and thus important to industry. Soils support the ecosystems that we enjoy for the vegetation, wildlife, recreation, and aesthetic opportunities they provide
Nutrient Cylce
A nutrient cycle (or ecological recycling) is the movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter. The process is regulated by food web pathways that decompose matter into mineral nutrients. Nutrient cycles occur within ecosystems. Ecosystems are interconnected systems where matter and energy flows and is exchanged as organisms feed, digest, and migrate about. Minerals and nutrients accumulate in varied densities and uneven configurations across the planet. Ecosystems recycle locally, converting mineral nutrients into the production of biomass, and on a larger scale they participate in a global system of inputs and outputs where matter is exchanged and transported through a larger system of biogeochemical cycles
Plant Growth
An irreversible increase in the size of the plant. As plants, like other organisms, are made up of cells, growth involves an increase in cell numbers by cell division and an increase in cell size. Cell division itself is not growth, as each new cell is exactly half the size of the cell from which it was formed. Only when it grows to the same size as its progenitor has growth been realized. Nonetheless, as each cell has a maximum size, cell division is considered as providing the potential for growth.
Amazing Soil
The soil is perhaps the most overlooked, underrated, taken for granted but major partner in growing. When plotting gardens, how many have passed over getting to know their soil—reading up on soil facts—in favor of planning the layout of their gardens? How many have agonized over which plant goes with what month, foregoing reading on soil information about their area first? Admittedly, there’s hydroponics, a good alternative to growing without soil. But it’s a specialized field, requires specialized equipment and regular monitoring of inputs, temperature and other key data. For most, soil is still the preferred method for planting vegetables and growing trees.
A wonderful defenition for Soil
Soil is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment.
More Soil~!
Soil is defined as the naturally occurring, unconsolidated mineral or organic material at the surface of the earth that is capable of supporting plant growth. Soil is synonymous to the word 'earth', the word from which our planet derives its name. Here are some quick facts about soil