Ch.2.  Soil: Where the spheres coexist & interact (having interfaces of different spheres) Subject of many study fields, including environmental sciences Different definitions by different study fields  In this course, we simply define it as “the unconsolidated material on the Earth’s surface”

 Importance of soil Most agricultural production (producing foods!) relies on it Home of many life forms, consequently, essential part of the balance among the ecosystems on Earth Big buffer against the environmental impacts (natural attenuation) So many (our) activities would not be possible to occur without soil Others

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 Classification of soil Genetic classification: zonal, intrazonal, azonal soils Engineering classification: based on the constituent’s grain size and their composition Classification with taxonomy ○ Order > Suborder > Great Group > Subgroup > Family > Series

From Distribution of zonal, intrazonal, and azonal soils in North Island, New Zealand

Soil classification with the grain compositions From

Unified soil classification system (USCS) From

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From sched.html 10 Soil Orders

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 Characteristics (Properties) of soils are determined by Climate, Topography, Parental rock, and Vegetation and other biological activities

From Climate & soil

Topography & soil From From

Soil properties affected by parent materials From

From Influence of vegetation on soil properties (KELLY L.M. DECKER & R.E.J. BOERNER Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 76: , 2003 )

 Soil profile: Characteristics of vertically developed layers parallel to the surface (horizons) From

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