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From weathering to soil, the process has led to valuable mineral deposits and created materials for sedimentary rocks. Soil is a priceless resource crucial for Earth’s life support. Learn how soil is formed, its composition, and factors influencing it, like climate and topography. Discover the significance of soil horizons, texture, and how different soil types affect plant growth. Explore the impact of time, parent material, plants, animals, and climate on soil composition.
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From weathering to…SOIL Weathering has led to valuable mineral deposits and has provided materials for sedimentary rocks. Most important, weathering has helped form a priceless resource—Earth’s life-supporting SOIL.
FORMATION • A soil is formed as its parent material is weathered away. • The rate of this weathering depends on • the type of rock • the climate of the location. • Over time, organic material—decaying plant and animal remains—are mixed with the materials that have weathered away from the bedrock and a layer of soil covers the parent material. • Average soil: 45% mineral, 5% organic material, 25% water, 25% air
PROFILE • Soil scientists can study soils by digging down to the parent material. • The cross section of earth exposed by the digging is called the soil profile.
SOIL HORIZONS (Unweathered bedrock)
COMPOSITION • The rock material in soil contains 3 noticeable parts: • Sand (2mm- .05mm) • Silt (.05mm - .002mm) • Clay (< .002mm) • The variety of combinations determines a soils texture. • The amount of these materials in a particular soil can affect the soil’s ability to hold water and air which are necessary for plant growth. • For example, soil that is very sandy holds water easily but dries out quickly. • LOAM (a mix of sand, silt, clay, and organic material) is a soil texture with both the ability to hold water and allow drainage.
FACTORS … that affect COMPOSITION • Time • Parentmaterial: • Plants and animals • Topography • *CLIMATE (see next slide) Sandy soil is rich in quartz which is from weathered granite Clay-rich soil comes from basalt and is rich in feldspar