1. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Getting the Dirt on Soils

2. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE What are 4 things we cannot live without?

3. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE SOILAIR WATER SUNLIGHT

4. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE SOILAIR WATER SUNLIGHT

5. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Does Soil = Dirt?

6. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NO! Dirt is the stuff under your fingernails or that you sweep off the floor

7. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts Topsoil is the most productive layer Five tons of topsoil spread over an acre is only as thick as a dime Soil supplies water and nutrients for plants Most of our food comes from soil It can take more than 500 years to form one inch of topsoil

8. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts An acre of corn gives off 4000 gallons of water a day in evaporation Soil Scientist have identified over 70,000 different soils in the U. S. Erosion of soil clogs rivers and lakes Soil influences the life spans of roads

9. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts Soil is alive…. 1 gram of soil contains up to a billion bacteria There many thousands of types of bacteria in soil 15 tons of soil per acre pass through earthworms each year

10. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts Soil is the largest single wastewater treatment unit in North Carolina 4 million North Carolinians rely on soil to treat and disperse wastewater Soil is extremely effective at wastewater treatment Best of all…

11. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil makes great mud pies …and is just plain fun!

12. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE A soil is a porous natural body of mineral, air, water and organic matter that changes, or has changed, in response to climate, topography, time, and organisms.

13. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE What do you see in these photos?

14. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE What is soil made of? Soil is composed of minerals, organic matter, air,water

15. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil is made of: Solid material –Minerals –Dead organic material –Living organic material Pore space –Air –Water

16. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Factors of Formation

17. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Factors of formation Parent Material Topography Vegetation/Biology Climate Time

18. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE The soil forms through the interaction of these factors.

19. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Parent Material

20. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Parent Material Transported materials Bedrock or residual material Organic materials

21. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE

22. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Transported Sediments Water transported or deposited –Marine –Fluvial –Lacustrine Wind transported –Aeolian Gravity transported –Colluvium Ice transported –Glacial

23. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Topography

24. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Slope Names Summit or Ridge top Shoulder Back or side slope Foot slope Toe slope Terrace Drain way or channel

25. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Summit Drainage way Side or back slope Shoulder Foot slope Toe slope

26. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soils on a slope

27. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Vegetation/Biology

28. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Grass Vegetation Thick top soil (A horizon) Stable soil structure

29. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Forest Vegetation Thin top soil (A horizon)

30. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Coniferous Vegetation Acidic Highly leached by organic acids Low fertility

31. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Mixed Forest Vegetation In general more fertile In general less acidic

32. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Climate

33. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Humid Climate High rainfall Obvious horizons Illuviation/eluviation process dominant Organic matter accumulation at surface Clay accumulation

34. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Arid Climate Low rainfall Little organic accumulation Salts or carbonates may accumulate Horizons less obvious

35. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Time Past, present, and future

36. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Newly Deposited Material

37. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE

38. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Undisturbed to Disturbed

39. NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE