Soil

What is Soil?

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.

What’s In the Soil?

Soil is a mixture of minerals, dead and living organisms (organic materials), air, and water. These four ingredients react with one another in amazing ways, making soil one of our planet’s most dynamic and important natural resources.

Why is Soil Important?

Soil provides a host of crucial services for both people and the planet. Soil puts food on our plates, purifies our water, protects us against flooding and combats drought. It’s also key to tackling climate change as it captures and stores vast amounts of carbon.

What Are 3 Main Types of Soil?

It is the unique blend of each that gives it it’s characteristic, determining which soil type it is and which are better for growing plants and crops in. There are three main categories of soil: sandy, clay or loam.

Why is Soil Color Important?

Soil color can be a useful tool for correctly identifying your soil and can be an important indicator of soil health. Soil color is linked to mineral composition, soil fertility, soil organic matter, and more.

How is Soil Classified?

The USCS has three major classification groups: (1) coarse-grained soils (e.g. sands and gravels); (2) fine-grained soils (e.g. silts and clays); and (3) highly organic soils (referred to as “peat”). The USCS further subdivides the three major soil classes for clarification.

What are The Most Important Soil?

Considered the most fertile of soil type, loamy soils are a combination of sandy, clay and silt particles. The clay and silt particles improve moisture retention while the sand minimizes compaction and improves drainage.

Soil is the loose material that covers the Earth’s surface in most parts of the world. It gives plants the nutrients they need to grow and plants give people and animals food to live. Soil also provides building materials, homes for animals, and things we use every day. More than just dirt, soil is a valuable natural resource that serves as the basis for life as we know it on Earth. Rocks, decaying plants and animals, air, and water all makeup soil. By the process of weathering big rocks break down into smaller and smaller pieces eventually, becoming part of soil.