1. ENVIROTHON SOILS STATION
INTENT AND PURPOSE
(you might want to sit up close for these)
The intent is to show soil formation, properties, management and WSS.

2. SOIL FORMATION LANDFORM – gullies, hills, mtns,
CLIMATE – freezing, thawing
ORGANICS – life cycles
PARENT MATERIAL – mineral sources
TIME – long time, eons, mega yrs.
Each has an integral part in forming soil

3. Biologial Diversity is Essential
Each critter and plant of the ecosystem has it’s purpose.

4. Diversity in different Ecosystems
Each ecosystem has it’s own ecological components due to environment.

5. Where are the most fertile soils?
Darker green = higher production, lighter colors = less production
National Geographic, September 2008

6. ARABLE PART of the EARTH
The skin on a 32nd of an apple=percent of Earth which is arable.

7. This will vary a little.

8. With a little luck there will a productive top soil supported by B and C layers.

9. PARTICLE SIZE
These are the various sizes of soil particles by comparison of diameter.

10. Soil Color
The Munsel Soil Color system-used to help classify soils and show properties

11. Soil texture classes are established on the basis of percent sand, silt and clay

12. This serves as a method to determine estimates of sand, silt and clay.

13. STRUCTURE
Structure is the arrangement of soil particles in various shapes

14. Web Soil Survey
Web Soil Survey is the official home of NRCS soils information

15. Here is how a soil polygon looks like on the land itself.

16. Within the survey report is a description of the map unit that corresponds to each polygon on the map.

17. There are also descriptions for the individual soils in the classification of soils section of the manuscript. Here you get detailed narrative soil descriptions and the range of soil properties for that soil.

18. And the report includes interpretive information for each soil map unit for various land uses.

19. Soil Survey Program Web Soil Survey
The newer source of information is WEB SOIL SURVEY, just ask Mr. Google for the URL

20. Soil Survey Program Web Soil Survey
Requires only a computer with (fast) internet connection to use
No signups/passwords/ addresses required
Maps made without specialized software, instantly
Robust analysis capabilities without specialized software
Very useful for soils information for a specific area which has been mapped.

21. Soil Survey Program Web Soil Survey-Data Availability
94% of the country has been mapped
96% of private land has been mapped
Utah has about 3 million acres of private land left to be surveyed
Note that in Utah, most of the state is mapped.

22. Soil Survey Program Web Soil Survey
Low Tech Most People High Tech.
Made to be fairly user friendly but don’t be alarmed if it’s a little unfriendly here and there.

23. Soil Survey Program Web Soil Survey EASY TO USE . . . just 3 steps:
1) Define
2) View/Explore
3) Check Out
Go in, give it a try, feel free to call us. It’s a good teaching tool once you get the hang of it.

24. Area of Interest

25. EXAMPLE SOIL MAP
Select an area of interest less than 10,000 acres in size and click the soil map tab.

26. Building Materials Map

27. Building Materials Ratings
Note that the I button can be used to see that the small polygon upper left is KD.

28. Eight Capability Classes
Classes I thru IV = Agriculture; Classes V thru VIII = Non Agriculture (normally)

29. WHY ALL THE
FUSS?
Soils information serves to contribute to management practices which are helping with conservation measures around the globe. No farms no food.

30. Sustainable Agriculture and Erosion
Factors that affect erosion
Slope
Texture
Cover
Climate (rain and runoff)
Temperatures
Wind
Types of Erosion – Splash Zone
Rill erosion
Gully erosion
Wind erosion
Sheet erosion
Streambank erosion

31. Sustainable Agriculture and Erosion Control
Contour Planting: plant crops around the curve of a hill rather than up and down the hill.
Terraces: wide ridges that go around a hill to prevent water from rushing down the hill too fast.
Forest and Grass Areas: keep steep hillsides in trees or grass rather than clear for cropland.
Grassed Waterways: plant grass and don’t plow low areas in a field where water usually runs.
Examples of erosion control.

32. Sustainable Agriculture and Erosion Control
Windbreak: rows of trees planted to slow down the wind and prevent soils from blowing
Cover Crop: a crop planted between harvests reduces soil erosion and replenishes the soil with nutrients and organic matter
Conservation Tillage
Crop Rotation: rotate the type of crop planted so that the nutrients are not depleted
These are just a few more conservation practices used to help control erosion plus a web site for more.

33. QUESTIONS