2. By W.Batke Teacher Notes Activity Soil Formation Part 2

3. Let us Review What are the two main ingredients that make make up soil?

4. Soil Ingredients Weathered Rock Humus InorganicOrganic

5. Let us look at the organic component:

6. Organic matter is the remains of once living plants and animals in the soil. Bacteria, fungi, insects, and earthworms use fresh organic matter as food. During the process of digestion, they convert this material into humic substances and nutrients making them available to plants.

7. Some of the benefits of increased organic matter in soils are: * increased pore space * increased permeability * higher water holding capacity * greater capacity to hold and release nutrients * improved cultivation ease (tilth)

8. Of course, this takes a long time.... Many years of allowing plants to grow, die and break down

9. Ideally, there is a balance between the organic and inorganic components of the soil, giving it the ability to produce bountiful crops.

10. In conclusion, there are four factors of soil formation: Parent Material

11. In conclusion, there are four factors of soil formation: Climate

12. In conclusion, there are four factors of soil formation: Organisms

13. In conclusion, there are four factors of soil formation: Time

14. Teacher notes: Back to start *Slides that do not advance automatically must be advanced manually by left clicking on the mouse button. *Back arrows on each slide move to previous slide. *Topics are intended to be discussed in class and science journal notes or records are encouraged. *Programs may be viewed in any sequence although they tend to build upon one another. Soil Importance, Soil Formation Pt.1, Soil Formation Pt.2 Soil Conservation, Soil Problems More

15. Here are some additional resources on the web http://www.hintze-online.com/sos/soils-online.html http://nscss.org/ssource.html http://www.bsyse.wsu.edu/~saxton/soilwatr/ If you have questions, comments, please send to bbatke@worldnet.att.net Back to start