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( Soil)
Soil is the naturally occurring, unconsolidated or loose covering on the Earth's surface. Soil is made up of broken rock particles that have been altered by chemical and environmental conditions, affected by processes such as weathering and erosion. Soil is different from its parent rock(s) source(s), altered by interactions between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and the biosphere.[1] It is a mixture of mineral and organic constituents that are in solid, gaseous and aqueous states.[2][3] Soil particles pack loosely, forming a soil structure filled with pore spaces. These pores contain sol solution (liquid) and air (gas).[4] Accordingly, soils are often treated as a three state system.[5] Most soils have a density between 1 and 2, and weigh between 60 and 120 pounds per cubic foot. [6] Soil is also known as earth it is the substance from which our planet takes its name. Little of the soil composition of the earth is older than Tertiary and most no older than Pleistocene.[7] The electrical resistivity of soil can affect the rate of galvanic corrosion of metallic structures in contact with it. Higher moister content or increased electrolyte concentration can lower the resistivity and thereby increase the rate of corrosion.[11] Soil resistivity values typically range from about 2 to 1000&_160;O·m, but more extreme values are not unusual.[12] Soil formation, or pedogenesis, is the combined effect of physical, chemical, biological, and anthropogenic processes on soil parent material. An example of soil development from bare rock occurs on recent lava flows in warm regions under heavy and very frequent rainfall. In such climates plants become established very quickly on basaltic lava, even though there is very little organic material. The plants are supported by the porous rock becoming filled with nutrient bearing water, for example carrying dissolved bird droppings or guano. The developing plant roots themselves gradually break up the porous lava and organic matter soon accumulates. But even before it does, the predominantly porous broken lava in which the plant roots grow can be considered a soil. How the soil "life" cycle proceeds is influenced by at least five classic soil forming factors that are dynamically intertwined in shaping the way soil is developed, they include parent material, regional climate, topography, biotic potential and the passage of time. The material from which soils form is called parent material. Few soils form directly from the underlying rocks they develop on. The soils that do form directly from the breakdown or weathering of rocks are often called “residual soils” and they have the same general chemistry as their parent rocks. Most soils are derived from materials that have been transported from other locations by the wind, water and gravity.[13] Some of these materials may have moved many miles or only a few feet. Windblown material called loess is common in the Midwest of the North America and in central Asia and other locations. Glacial till is a component of many soils in the northern and southern latitudes and those formed near large mountains, and is the product of glacial ice moving over the ground, ice can break rock and larger stones into smaller pieces, it also can sort material into different sizes. As glacial ice melts, the melt water also moves and sorts material and deposits it varying distances from its origin. The deeper sections of the soil profile may have materials that are relatively unchanged from when they were deposited by water, ice, or wind.
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Soil Subcategories
Soil Articles
How To Prepare Healthy Soil by Jasper Sayer
If you're getting ready to go on a new garden venture, you need to prepare your soil to ideally house your plants. The best thing you can do in the soil preparation process is to reach the perfect mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Preferably there wou...
Melamine Toxicity Testing - Practical or Political, Its Here to Stay? by Andrew Stratton
Interest in melamine testing has skyrocketed with the recent scares in the United States after pork and chicken were given contaminated feed imported from China. With unprecedented scrutiny on the various industries which use melamine, operators may ...
Deal or no Deal by Ralph Morton
Yes this is what I believe could be the most important decision of your life. Deal or no deal?, well the deal is, are you going to work with me, and do what I ask you to lose weight.
Okay, I know in your mind right now you are thinking ...
Soil Plus Compost Equals Lush Healthy Plants by james ellison
You find that your plants are giving you fits in your landscape because it seems like a parade of weeds, insects or diseases have invaded and taken over. The problem is probably not due to insects or diseases but the poor soil that the plants are in....
Create a Small ‘No - Dig' plot by Julie Williams
This method of vegetable gardening is what I prefer. As you might have guessed, it doesn't involve digging. This method is particularly suited to older people or people with physical disabilities. But I just prefer it because I think it’s better for ...
Gardening Basics: Inspecting Your Soil by Rose Smith
by Rose Smith, (c)2006
A beautiful garden doesn't start with going to the garden center and purchasing plants and seeds. It starts with assessing your soil and inspecting your chosen gardening landscape before any planting ever begins. ...
Container Gardening
Container gardening adds interest and ambiance to your garden whether you have a garden bed or not. It's perfect for apartments or small areas, but can also totally redesign and enhance your patio. Here are some tips on gardening in containers.
Colloidal Silver -- A Safe Natural Antibiotic? by Deb Bromley
Have you heard that your skin can turn grayish or blueish after using the natural antibiotic colloidal silver? There have been very few instances of silver poisoning or argyria, where the skin becomes discolored, and most occurred long ago. These s...
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