Laboratory Exercise 3

SOIL PROFILE DESCRIPTION

Introduction

Soil is defined as a dynamic natural body that is formed from weathering of rocks and minerals
that are composed of organic matter, air and water. It possesses unique characteristics and properties
which is essential for plant growth, and the likes.

In this activity, we selected a site for soil profiling. Soil profile is the vertical section of the soil
that shows different layers from the surface. Invading the mountainous part of Malalag, Davao del Sur,
we had seen soil with noticeable horizons.

Objectives:

1. To identify and describe different layers of horizons; and,

2. To explain the true soil/solum development in soil profile.

Materials Used

a. Steel tape
b. Camera

Procedure:

1. Identify and select site for soil profile in a well-drained from different areas of Davao del Sur.
2. Seek the nearest river bank or newly cut roads in the locality with noticeable horizons.
3. Measure the thickness of each horizon from selected area
4. Make arrow lines to point out each horizon on the picture.
5. Discuss the development of soil from weathered rocks and decomposed organic materials below
the picture pasted.
Figure1. Soil Horizon Characteristics

The image below that was taken at Malalag, Davao del Sur, illustrates soil horizons.

O Horizon

A Horizon

E Horizon

B Horizon

Master Horizons

There are 5 master horizons in the soil profile. Not all soil profiles contain all 5 horizons; and so, soil
profiles differ from one location to another. The 5 master horizons are represented by the letters: O, A,
E, B, and C.
O horizons: Layers dominated by organic material. Some are saturated with water for long periods or
were once saturated but are now artificially drained; others have never been saturated.

A horizons: Mineral horizons that formed at the surface or below an O horizon which exhibit obliteration
of all or much of the original rock structure and that show one or more of the following: (1) an
accumulation of humified organic matter intimately mixed with the mineral fraction and not dominated
by properties characteristic of E or B horizons; or (2) properties resulting from cultivation, pasturing, or
similar kinds of disturbance.

E horizons: Mineral horizons in which the main feature is loss of silicate clay, iron, aluminum, or some
combination of these, leaving a concentration of sand and silt particles.

B horizons: Horizons that formed below an A, E, or O horizon, contain soil structure, and show one or
more of the following: (1) illuvial concentration of silicate clay, iron, aluminum, humus, carbonates,
gypsum, or silica, alone or in combination; (2) evidence of the removal of carbonates; (3) residual
concentration of sesquioxides; (4) coatings of sesquioxides that make the horizon conspicuously lower in
value, higher in chroma, or redder in hue than overlying and underlying horizons without apparent
illuviation of iron; (5) alteration that forms granular, blocky, or prismatic structure if volume changes
accompany changes in moisture content; or (6) brittleness.

C horizons: Horizons or layers, excluding hard bedrock, that are little affected by pedogenic processes
and lack properties of O, A, E, or B horizons. The material of C layers may be either like or unlike that
from which the solum presumably formed.

Study Questions

1. What horizon is the accumulation of carbonates and where found to?

The accumulation of carbonates can be found in the B horizon or subsoil which is often called as
the zone where the accumulation where chemicals leached out.
2. Where can be found the first sign in soil formation? Explain how it develops.

Soil formation is a very slow process, particularly sensitive to climatic conditions and to
the weathering susceptibility of the parent rocks. Soil formation begins with the physical and
chemical breakdown of the earth's rocks, caused by atmospheric agents. These processes,
known as weathering, chip away rock fragments and thus modify its inherent physical and
chemical characteristics. Thus, this means that the first sign of soil formation can be found in the
horizon between the subsoil and parent material. When parent material is exposed to
environment at a site, soil-forming processes begin. Parent material exerts the greatest
influence in arid regions and during the early stages of soil formation.

3. Explain the importance of soil profile to plant crop establishment.

The soil profile is an important tool in nutrient management. By examining a soil profile,
we can gain valuable insight into soil fertility. As the soil weathers and/or organic matter
decomposes, the profile of the soil changes. For instance, a highly weathered, infertile soil
usually contains a light-colored layer in the subsurface soil from which nutrients have leached
away. On the other hand, a highly fertile soil often has a deep surface layer that contains high
amounts of organic matter. With clues provided by soil profile, we can begin to predict how a
soil will perform under certain nutrient management conditions.

In the previous section, we looked at how soil is actually an integration of water, air,
minerals and organic matter. Now we will view the soil as a vital part of the earth’s physical
landscape.

The world’s soils are like blankets that cover most of the earth’s land surfaces. We could
not survive without it since most crops would not be able to grow in the dense rock that lies
underneath. There is no uniform depth to our earth’s soils. While it can be absent in places of
exposed bedrock, soil may extend up to tens of meters into the earth’s surface. Although this
may not seem insignificant when compared to the depth to the core of the earth, the soil profile
can be very intricate and diverse. In fact, the soil profile is made up of distinct layers, known as
horizons. The five most common horizons are collectively known as the master horizons. Figure
5 below depicts a road cut in Maui which shows the multitude of layers that can exist in soil.
Though the soil profiles in Figure 6 belong to two very different soils, both contain distinct
surface and subsurface soil layers.

Scientists have developed methods to describe the various components and

characteristics of the soil profile. By using common terminology, soil profile descriptions are
valuable for deciding how the soil might be used and/or predicting how the soil might react to
its intended use. Technical descriptions of the soil are not only useful for farmers, but for
scientists, ecologists, soil engineers, hydrologists and land use planners.