1/22/20 ESSENTIAL : | FUNCTIONS OF SOILS, SOIL COMPONENTS, SOIL QUALITY Chapter 1b Essential Functions of Soils (E. Medium for Pant Growth] @ best appreciated soil function Essential Functions lof Soils x. Medium for Plant Growth © key function in the Preservation and advancement of human life on this planet1/22/20 Essential Functions of Soils II. Regulator of water l Supplies a +Soil helps contro1 the fate of water in hydrologic system, Essential Functions of Soils (Et. Regulator of water Supplies} In relation to the nature of the topsoil, fate of ‘in several ways... Essential Functions of Soils IE. Regulator of water Supplies > whether rainwater will run away across the surface, where it can supplement surface bodies of water, e.g. lakes, rivers, or in extreme situations lead to flash flooding a eee — rainwater can be influenced a ee ee ee a eee a ee ee ee ea ee1/22/20 Essential Functions | lof Soils z (Ez. Regulator of water Supplies] > whether rainwater will ‘infiltrate to become stored in the soil for use by vegetation growing on ‘it and by the soil-based organisms EE | Essential Functions of Soils II. Regulator of Water Supplies| >» whether rainwater will flow through the soi] to reach the groundwater Essential Functions of Soils ae ‘TI. Regulator of water Supplies © With proper functioning, soil partitions water for om s ee groundwater recharge and for use by plants and soil animals —Essential Functions | of Soils Tir. Recycler of cea| materials | °C, N, P, and many other nutrients are stored, transformed, and cycled through the soil. 1/22/20 10 Essential Functions | of Soils [Ein Recycler of raw materials | +nutrients can be transformed into plant available forms en lessen) oS Essential Functions of Soils IV. Modifier of the atmosphere + Soil organic matter is one of the major pools of carbon ‘in the biosphere*, capable of acting both as’a source and sink of carbon 12of Soils Essential Functi fe] 1/22/20 + Habitat for soil organisms/other fauna * Soi] harbors ay much of the iy Earth's genetic 10 UP, diversity o 13 Essential Functions | of Soils | V. Habitat for soil ] organisms/other fauna _| *A handful of soi7 may be home to billions of organisms, belonging to thousands of species 4 Essential Functions lof Soils Vv. Habitat for soil organisms/other fauna * A 1 gram soil in good condition can contain as many as 600 million bacteria belonging to up to 20,000 species 15Essential Functions of Soils i \V. Habitat for soil | organisms/other fauna © There are also larger organisms ‘that spend a part of their existence in soi] and depend on the soil for important parts of their daily life, e.g. badgers, rabbits, reptiles 16 Essential Functions | of Soils Habitat for soil organisms/other fauna * Many birds rely on soil for food supply such as on the vegetation for which the soi] is responsible. Many birds also nest in burrows in the soil. v7 Essential Functions | of Soils | VE. Foundation support for buildings, roads and other engineering structures ‘sThe nature of the ‘soil has an important influence on the foundations. 18 1/22/2019 engineering structures | Essential Functions of Soils a [vz. Foundation support for buildings, roads and other ‘© The problem with this function is that buildings and engineering structures such as roads ‘seal’ the soi] and negates the use of Jand for other purposes in the future jEssential Functions lof soils 1/22/20 [vz: reservation of the earth's history ‘+ sot is a medium that has Preserved evidence of the wares and way of living of previous cultures and generations 20 Essential Functions of Soils VIZ. Preservation of the earth's history HT * Many village and town names today reflect the relationship between soi] and society in the past - for ‘instance 'sarton-le-clay’ in the UK. 21