Ch 2, Class 8,Geography

Q/A: Soil

Q.1 What is soil? Give a few of its features.

Soil is a thin layer of grainy substance which covers the earth’s surface.
● It is closely linked to land as landforms determine the type of soil.
● Soil is made up of organic matter, minerals and weathered rocks found on the
earth which happens through the process of weathering.
● The right mix of minerals and organic matter make the soil fertile.
Q.2 Explain soil profile with the help of a diagram.
● The vertical section through which the different layers of soil are visible is called
soil profile.
● Each layer differs in texture, colour, depth and chemical composition.
● These layers are referred to as Horizon.

Q.3 Explain the factors affecting soil formation.

Soil is formed by the interplay of five main factors: namely,Parent
rock,Time,Climate,Relief and Organisms.
● Parent Rock-This refers to the mineral material or organic material from which
the soil is formed.Soil carries the characteristics of its parent material such as
colour,texture,chemical properties,mineral composition,permeability etc.Eg; Black
 soil is formed from Igneous rock is of black or dark brown colour inherited from
the parent rock.
● Climate:This is the most important factor in the formation of soil.It includes two
key components:Temperature and precipitation.They determine how quickly
weathering will be and what kind of organic materials may be available on and
inside of the soil.Moisture determines the chemical and biological reactions that
will occur as the soil is formed.A warmer climate with more rainfall means more
vegetation cover and more animal action.It also means more runoff,more
percolation and more erosion.All these actions help to determine the kind of soil
in an area.
● Relief: This refers to the landscape position and the slopes it has. Steep,long
slopes mean water will run down faster and potentially erode the surfaces of the
slopes.The effect will be poor soil on the slopes and richer deposits at the foot of
the slopes.
● Organisms:The source and richness of organic matter closely related to the
living things(plants and animals) that live on and in the soil.Dead and decayed
organisms called humus are added to the soil.Burrowing by animals like
earthworms,ants and termites exposes soil particles to weathering which aids soil
formation.
● Time: A body of soil is considered mature if the soil forming processes have
acted over a sufficient period of time and the soil has developed a distinct soil
profile.Soil develops more quickly in humid regions than in dry regions.
Q.4 What is soil degradation? Mention some physical and human factors
responsible for it.
The removal of topsoil is known as soil erosion which eventually leads to soil
degradation.
● Physical factors - Rainwash,landslides,floods etc.
● Human factors - Deforestation,overgrazing,overuse of chemical fertilisers or
pesticides.
Q.5 Suggest a few ways to conserve soil.
● Mulching: The bare ground between the plants is covered with a layer of
organic matter like straw,dried vegetation and discarded parts of the harvested
crop.It helps to retain soil moisture.
● Rock dam: A gully is a deep channel like landform created by running
water,eroding sharply into soil especially on a hillside.This makes land unfit for
cultivation.Hence ,gullies need to be plugged.For this,rock dams made by piling
up rocks may be built across gullies which checks further soil loss.
● Contour ploughing: On gentler slopes,contour ploughing checks soil erosion.In
this method,ploughing of land is done along contours or lines joining points of
equal elevation.
● Contour barriers: Embankments of soil and rocks may be built along the
contours to check the flow of rainwater down slopes.Sometimes trenches
(pit/depression) are dug behind the barrier to allow water to collect and seep into
the soil.
● Terrace farming: In steep sloping terrain broad flat steps are made on the
slopes so that flat surfaces are available to grow crops.These steps or terraces
reduce surface runoff and soil erosion.
● Intercropping: Intercropping is a multiple cropping practice involving two or
more crops in proximity. Different crops are grown in alternate rows and sown at
different times to protect soil from rainwash.It also gives greater yield from a
given piece of land by making use of available resources that would otherwise
not be utilized by a single crop.
● Shelter bets:Shelter belts or rows of trees also reduce erosion by checking the
speed of winds.These are mostly found in coastal and dry regions.