3. What are the scientists Pedologist
called that study soil?
Soil Formation Soil is formed slowly as rock
(parent material ) erodes into
tiny pieces near the Earth’s
surface . Bedrock is the layer of
rock just beneath soil.
Soil is made up of distinct
Soil Layers horizontal layers called
horizons . Range: organic upper
layers to underlying rocky layers.
4. What is loam?
Soil composed of sand, silt, and clay
in relatively even concentration
5. Soil Properties: Soil
Texture
Definition: the soil quality that is based
on the proportions of soil particles.
Affects the soil’s consistency
– The soil’s ability to be worked and
broken up for farming
Influences infiltration
– Ability of water to move through the
soil
– Also known as percolation
6. Soil Properties: Soil Structure
Definition: the arrangement of soil
particles
Often one type of soil particles will
clump in one area, which can block
the flow of water through the soil
affecting soil moisture.
7. Soil Leaching
Soil leaching refers is the
movement of nutrient
elements from topsoil through
the soil profile. Leaching
causes significant nutrient
losses , particularly in humid
regions with high precipitation.
Leaching is a natural process
caused mainly by
precipitation , acidification
and nitrogen saturation.
8. Soil Properties: Soil Fertility
Definition: soil’s ability to hold
nutrients and to supply nutrients
to a plant
Soils vary in the amount of
nutrients it contains. Plants need
nutrients (such as IRON ) to
grow.
9. Soil pH
Soils can be acidic or basic
pH scale
– Used to measure how acidic or
basic a soil is and ranges from 0 to
14 .
– The midpoint 7 is neutral. Above 7=
basic . Below 7= acidic .
The pH of a soil influences how
nutrients dissolve in the soil.
