SOIL

• 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.

• Sense the Soil – feel, smell, see, hear……

Soil

• 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:

Soil Factors

• 1) climate (including water and temperature effect

• 2) macro- and microorganisms, conditioned by

• 3) relief, acting on • 4) parent material

over a period of • 5) time.

Soil – A Product

• soil differs from the material from which it is derived (Parent Material) in many :

• a) physical, • b) chemical, • c) biological, and • d) morphological

properties and characteristics.

Soil - the essence of life

Darkle, darkle, little grain, I wonder how you entertain a thousand creatures microscopic.

Grains like you from pole to tropic support land life upon this planet. I marvel at you, crumb of granite! (Hole, 1989)

Soil does not equal DIRT

Soils are Dynamic

• the % air, % water, % organic matter will change with time and space.

• The Soil Ecosystem = all parts of the soil, including biotic and abiotic.

• Soils are important to life as we know it on this planet!

• Without soil ……..

Soils are Layered

USDA-NRCS

USDA-NRCS

USDA-NRCS

USDA-NRCS

Kootenai Co. Soil Survey

Soils and Plant Growth

• Physical support of plants• Provides water and air• Provides essential elements

– Macro-nutrients = N,P,K,Ca,Mg,S– Micro-nutrients =

B,Fe,Mn,Cu,Zn,Mo,Co,Cl

USDA-NRCS

• Soils determine the suitability of land for various uses. Housing developments, parks, trails, golf courses…..

Wet Soils - difficult to use for many land uses due to high water table.

Roadcuts provide us a view of thesoil profile and the parent

material the soil developed from.This cut is through an area of very stony glacial till in Northeast Minnesota. The soil shows very weak horizon development.

The “Beautiful Soil Profile”

“Beauty is in the eye of thebeholder”. This soil profile provides vivid contrasting colors and unique layering ofthe horizons.

From this time forward: You will never again look at a roadcut without looking for the soil “horizons”.