1. Healthy Soil? The Nature of Soil
Soil- a mixture of weathered rock, decayed organic matter, mineral fragments, water and air
Healthy Soil?

2. Factors that Affect Soil Formation
Climate
Slope of the land
Types of rock
Types of vegetation
Amount of time the rock has been weathered

3. Soil has small sediments
Clay
Silt
sand

4. Humus Decayed plants Decayed animals Dark color
Good soil has equal amount of humus & weathered rock

5. Soil Profile Different layers of soil
Usually distinguishable by the color difference
Most soils have three main horizons that we label Horizon A, Horizon B, & Horizon C

6. A Horizon Top layer of soil Could contain litter
We call it the topsoil
Usually dark in color- know why?

7. B Horizon Less organic matter Lighter in color than A Less fertile
Contains material from leaching

8. C Horizon Consists mostly of weathered rock
At the bottom of a soil profile
It is often the thickest layer
Not much organic matter at all
Parent rock is found here

9. Soil Profiling
Watch here to see a real life profile
Do a soil test

10. Charlotte Trotter Vian Middle School