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Transcript
Soils are Crucial for Life on Earth • Soils support the growth of higher plants by providing a medium for plant roots and supplying nutrient elements that are essential to the entire plant. • Soil properties are the principal factor controlling the fate of water in the hydrologic system. Water loss, utilization, contamination and purification are all affected by the soil. • Soils function as nature’s recycling system. Within the soil, waste products and dead bodies of plants, animals, and people are assimilated into elements made available for reuse by the next generation of life. • Soils provide habitats for many living organisms from small mammals and reptiles to tiny insects and microscopic cells of vast numbers and diversity. • Soils play a major role as an engineering medium in human built ecosystems by providing building materials as well as being the foundation for any construction that occurs. The Soil Profile REGOLITH • O = Organic layer • A = (Top Soil) Mostly Mineral but darkened by organic material • E = (Sub Soil) weathered/leached horizon with no organic material Just below the A Horizon • B = Underlying layers • C = Least Weathered part of the soil profile • Bedrock = Parent Material PRIMARY SUCCESION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ALFISOLS – High-Nutrient Soils ANDISOLS – Volcanic Soils ARIDISOLS – Desert Soils ENTISOLS – New Soils GELISOLS – Permafrost Soils HISTOSOLS – Organic Soils INCEPTISOLS – Young Soils MOLLISOLS – Prairie Soils OXISOLS – Tropical Forest Soils SPODODOLS – Conifer Forest Soils ULTISOLS – Low-Nutrient Soils VERTISOLS – Swelling Clay Soils ROCKY LAND SHIFTING SANDS ICE/GLACIERS STATE SOIL? • Texas State Motto – “Friendship” • Texas State Tree – Pecan • Texas State Reptile – Horned Lizard • Texas State Flower – Bluebonnet • Texas State Bird – Mocking Bird • Texas State Gem – Texas Blue Topaz • Texas State Soil – ? SOIL PROPERTIES • SOIL COLOR – determines soil horizons, helps identify parent minerals, helps identify organic material present, and helps to determine what type of environment exists in the soil (aerobic vs anaerobic) • Use of Munsell Charts helps to identify colors. It is based on these three criteria: • HUE – specific color • VALUE – lightness or darkness • CHROMA – color intensity SOIL PROPERTIES • SOIL TEXTURE – helps determine pore space available, which gives insight into the soils water percolation, infiltration and retention capabilities. • PERCOLATION – movement of water through the soil • INFILTRATION – Ground surface water entering the soil. Affected by gravity and capillary action. Soil Texture involves particle type and size. SOIL PARTICLE SIZE