1.0 What’s
soil?
Soil is a life-supporting upper layer surface of the earth which is
the basis of all agriculture. It contains minerals and gavel from the chemical and physical weathering of rocks, decaying organic matter (humus), microorganism, insects, nutrients, water, and air.
Soils differ according to the area and are constantly being
formed and removed by natural, animal and human activity.
2.0 Major components of soils
Soil consist of four major components.
(1) inorganic(minerals)-45%
(2) organic-5%
(3) air-25%
(4) water-25%
Organic matter in the soil is added by decomposition of dead bodies of organisms, urine, and faces. Inorganic matter such as clay, sand and silt result from rock weathering. Air and water
are Storage between pore spaces in soil. Therefore topology, climate
and bedrock can be influenced by soil’s components
3.0 Soil structure
Soil particles have the arrangement. The soil particles
are bounded together into aggregates by binding agents such as organic matter, clay, CaCO3 and ion oxide and biological agents such as a fungal hyphen. While aggregate is from naturally called “peds” and artificially “Clods”.
4.0 Soil profile
Soil a profile is vertical cross-section from the surface down to bedrock(parent martial). The soil profile is usually divided into few layers called “horizons”.
The master soil horizons and layers are represented by capital letters such as 0, A, E, B, C
and R. Some of the above layers may be absent in some soil profiles.
O horizon: The top layer of soil, it consists of decomposed organic matter such as humus
and litter of leaves. Therefore the layer has usually black in color.
A horizon: The horizon has more organic content than
other lower horizons so it can be identified darker than lower horizons.The
horizon can be considered as the most active biological layer because soil
horizons fungi,earth warms and microorganisms such as bacteria live there. Germination of seeds has occurred in this
layer. Roots of plants well developed in this layer.
E horizon: The layer has a wight color. It can be found
between the A and B horizons. During this leaching, clay's, oxides and carbonate minerals that have been washed from the upper part of the profile accumulate in
the below layer known as the B horizon.
B horizon: The layer is defined as subsoil. The layer
is cindered as most active weathering because It has a large accumulation of
minerals, silt, and clay which are leached from upper layers such as 0, A and E.
C horizon: The layer is unconsolidated but has
been relatively unaffected by soil-forming processes. C horizon is called
the regolith.
R horizon: The layer is considered as the deepest
layer of the soil profile. It hasn’t any rocks or boulders. Continuous bedrock is only present in this
layer. The color of the layer is similar to bedrock in the layer.
5.0 Roles of soil
1)
Medium
for plant growth
1.0 What’s
soil?
Soil is a life-supporting upper layer surface of the earth which is
the basis of all agriculture. It contains minerals and gavel from the chemical and physical weathering of rocks, decaying organic matter (humus), microorganism, insects, nutrients, water, and air.
Soils differ according to the area and are constantly being
formed and removed by natural, animal and human activity.
2.0 Major components of soils
 |
Soil consist of four major components.
|
(1) inorganic(minerals)-45%
(2) organic-5%
(3) air-25%
(4) water-25%
3.0 Soil structure
Soil particles have the arrangement. The soil particles
are bounded together into aggregates by binding agents such as organic matter, clay, CaCO3 and ion oxide and biological agents such as a fungal hyphen. While aggregate is from naturally called “peds” and artificially “Clods”.
4.0 Soil profile
Soil a profile is vertical cross-section from the surface down to bedrock(parent martial). The soil profile is usually divided into few layers called “horizons”.
The master soil horizons and layers are represented by capital letters such as 0, A, E, B, C
and R. Some of the above layers may be absent in some soil profiles.
O horizon: The top layer of soil, it consists of decomposed organic matter such as humus
and litter of leaves. Therefore the layer has usually black in color.
A horizon: The horizon has more organic content than
other lower horizons so it can be identified darker than lower horizons.The
horizon can be considered as the most active biological layer because soil
horizons fungi,earth warms and microorganisms such as bacteria live there. Germination of seeds has occurred in this
layer. Roots of plants well developed in this layer.
E horizon: The layer has a wight color. It can be found
between the A and B horizons. During this leaching, clay's, oxides and carbonate minerals that have been washed from the upper part of the profile accumulate in
the below layer known as the B horizon.
B horizon: The layer is defined as subsoil. The layer
is cindered as most active weathering because It has a large accumulation of
minerals, silt, and clay which are leached from upper layers such as 0, A and E.
C horizon: The layer is unconsolidated but has
been relatively unaffected by soil-forming processes. C horizon is called
the regolith.
R horizon: The layer is considered as the deepest
layer of the soil profile. It hasn’t any rocks or boulders. Continuous bedrock is only present in this
layer. The color of the layer is similar to bedrock in the layer.
5.0 Roles of soil
1)
Medium
for plant growth
2)
Regular
of water supplies
3)
Regular
of raw materials
4)
Modifier
of the atmosphere
5)
Habitat
for organisms
6)
Act as
an engineering medium
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