Soil Science
A zone of plant growth
FIVE SOIL FORMING FACTORS Soil parent material- Geologic factor Climate Organisms, including vegetation and fauna or soil biota Topography Time
Runoff and erosion
Where does soil come from? Rocks Minerals Organic Matter
Bedrock geology is the hard rock or ledge, it ranges anywhere from at the surface to more than 300 feet below the surface.
What are the main components of soil? Mineral Matter Air Water Organic Matter
Soil Particles Note: clays are microscopic in size !
Clay minerals photographed with an electron Microscope. Note: they are plate or flake like and are stacked on top of each other. They are electrically charged and act like magnets that attract and hold plant nutrients.
Organic matter is soil gold !
It is common in forests
Darker color (decomposed organic matter), courser in texture. Lost of fine minerals by eluviation. Seed germinate mostly here.
Lighter in color
A collecting zone for clay, iron, and aluminum removed from above
Regolith, beyond the reach of plant roots. No organic matter.
What causes soil erosion? Water Wind No Vegetation
My Neighbor has my soil!
Rain drop erosion
The Great Dust Bowl Wind Erosion
The Great Dust Bowl
Clouds of Silt
Wind Erosion removed topsoil
Wind eroded soil
Rill Erosion
Gully Erosion How did the Canyon Lands of Utah form?
Vegetation protects soil
Erosion Prayer
Our lives depend on preserving our topsoils.
Cotton in Furrows
SOIL CONSERVATION? Terracing Strip Cropping Contour Plowing Tilling What are some practices Of SOIL CONSERVATION? Terracing Strip Cropping Contour Plowing Tilling Wind Breaks Ground Covers
Strip Cropping Contour Plowing
Contour Farming
Contour Farming
Tilling Soil on flat land
Furrow Irrigation
Minimum Tillage
Strip Cropping
Strip Crop Farming
Soil - We cannot live without it!
Give a hand to the land
Internet Sites http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/class/sammy.htm