Soil Eroded Rock, minerals, decaying organic material, water, air and billions of organisms. Soil is renewable but slowly so –Weathering –Erosion –decomposition

Soil Horizons O- Organic Fresh decaying plant matter A- The A horizon is mainly mineral material. It is generally darker than the lower horizons because of the varying amounts of organic matter. It is the horizon of maximum biological activity. Most root found here.

Horizons Cont. E- As water moves down through this horizon, soluble minerals and nutrients dissolve and some dissolved materials are washed out. B- The B horizon is usually lighter colored, denser, and lower in organic matter than the A horizon. It commonly is the zone where leached materials accumulate.

Soil Horizons Cont. C- may consist of less clay, or other less weathered sediments. Partially disintegrated parent material and mineral particles are in this horizon. R- Bedrock very important in determining soil characteristics.

What can you learn from your soil? Building capabilities Septic Systems Agricultural Capacities Crop Yields Woodland Productivity Recreational development Wildlife Habitat Construction Material Water Management, Reservoir’s, ponds…

Measurable Factors Permeability Porosity Soil Structure N, P, K, pH Soil Texture Soil Color Shrink swell Jar Test

Soil Tests Texture Texture Hand Test Hand Test Jar Test Jar Test Sieves Sieves Shrink Swell Ratio Shrink Swell Ratio Soil Core Soil Core Soil Survey Soil Survey Structure Structure Mt. St. Helens Mt. St. Helens Soil Color Chemical Tests pH Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium Physical Porosity Permeability

Soil Tests Texture Texture Hand Test Hand Test Jar Test Jar Test Sieves Sieves Shrink Swell Ratio Shrink Swell Ratio Soil Survey Soil Survey Mt. St. Helens Mt. St. Helens Soil Color Chemical Tests pH Nitrogen Phosphorous Physical Porosity Permeability

Texture

Soil Color Black or dark brown –Rich in Nitrogen and other nutrients Grey Yellow and Red –Poor in nutrients Reds –Iron Hue, Value, Chroma,

Soil is a solution

Factors That Make Soil Critters Air Minerals Sand Silt Clay Roots Water

Cation Exchange

Cation Exchange Capacity Basic cations, –calcium (Ca+2), –magnesium (Mg+2), –potassium (K+1) –sodium (Na+1) acidic cations – hydrogen (H+1) –aluminum (Al+3). The amount of these positively charged cations a soil can hold is described as the CEC and is expressed in milliequivalents per 100 grams (meq/100g) of soil. The larger this number, the more cations the soil can hold. A clay soil will have a larger CEC than a sandy soil. A typical CEC for a s oil in the Coastal Plains region is about 2.0 meq/100g of soil and the typical CEC for a soil in the Piedmont region is about 5.0 meq/100g of soil. The CEC gives an indication of the soils potential to hold plant nutrients. Increasing the organic matter content of any soil will help to increase the CEC since it also holds cations like the clays. Organic matter has a high CEC.

pH,

pH Effected by soil components –Limestone –Decomposing biological material –Acid Rain Changes how well soil Nutrients dissolve in the soil solution

Soil Survey

Porosity

Soil Core

Graduated cylinders Graduated cylinders Beakers Beakers Drying pans Drying pans Soil Structure Soil Structure Texture Texture Cation Exchange Cation Exchange pH meters pH meters

Quiz

Quiz The San Andreas fault is what type The San Andreas fault is what type A. Convergent boundary B. Transform Fault C. Divergent boundary D. Misentary boundary

Quiz Volcanoes can change environmental conditions by which of the following Volcanoes can change environmental conditions by which of the following A. Destroying forest B. Lead to a large amount of soil erosion C. Add air pollution visible from space D. All of the above

Quiz Heat and pressure convert Heat and pressure convert a. igneous rock into sedimentary rock. b. sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock. c. metamorphic rock into igneous rock. d. sedimentary rock into igneous rock.

Quiz An earthquake of 5 is how many times more powerful than a quake of 2? An earthquake of 5 is how many times more powerful than a quake of 2? A. 10 B. 100 C. 1,000 D. 10,000

Quiz Which chemical released by volcanoes can cause acid rain. Which chemical released by volcanoes can cause acid rain. A. Sulfur dioxide B. Water vapor C. Hydrogen peroxide D. Calcium dioxide

Quiz Which of the following is the largest soil particle? Which of the following is the largest soil particle? A. Sand A. Sand B. Silt B. Silt C. Clay C. Clay D. Parent Material D. Parent Material

The space between particles is called The space between particles is called A. Porosity A. Porosity B. Permeability B. Permeability C. Cation Capacity C. Cation Capacity D. Structure D. Structure

What test would you do to see the soil horizons. What test would you do to see the soil horizons. A. Nitrogen Test A. Nitrogen Test B. CEC Test B. CEC Test C. Soil Core Test C. Soil Core Test D. Porosity Test D. Porosity Test

Of the following horizons which will have the most organics? Of the following horizons which will have the most organics? A. A A. A B. B B. B C. C C. C D. O D. O

Which of the following is not part of the soil? Which of the following is not part of the soil? A. Decomposing living things A. Decomposing living things B. Sand B. Sand C. Rock C. Rock D. All of the above are soil components D. All of the above are soil components

Burlese Funnel Works thanks to the natural tendancy of these decomposers to go away from the light and heat. Works thanks to the natural tendancy of these decomposers to go away from the light and heat. Organisms are captured and killed in alcohol where they can be observed. Organisms are captured and killed in alcohol where they can be observed.