Name Diameter (mm) Diameter (mm) Number of Surface area

ISSS USDA particles/gram (mm²/g)

Coarse gravel 15 - - -

Fine gravel 2-15 2-1 90 11.3

Coarse sand 2-0.2 1-0.5 722 22.4
Medium sand - 0.5-0.25 5777 45.4

Fine Sand 0.2-0.02 0.25-0.1 46,213 90.7

Very fine sand - 0.1-0.05 722,074 226.9

Silt 0.02-0.002 0.05-0.002 5,776,674 453.7

clay ≤0.002 ≤0.002 50,260,853,860 11,342.5

NITRIFICATION- conversion of ammonium form of nitrogen to nitrate

SOIL TEXTURAL CLASS
US SOIL TAXONOMY

NITROSOMONAS- microorganism responsible for the

conversion of ammonium to nitrite
NITROBACTER- The microorganism responsible for the
conversion of nitrite to nitrate
SOIL HORIZON
PODZOLIZATION- The chemical migration of Al
and Fe and/or organic matter
HISTOSOL- Organic soils that exhibit or possess a histic epipedon belong to the
order
 IMMOBILIZATION- Temporary unavailability of nitrogen in the soil
because it is being used up by microorganisms to build their tissues

Category: Soil biology

Group of Average number Live weight per acre plow depth
microorganisms per gram of soil (lbs)
Bacteria 1 billion 500
Actinomycetes 10 million 750
Fungi 1 million 1,000
Algae 100 thousand 150

total 2,400

Category: Chemical properties

SOROSILICATES- Type of silicate clay with two or more linked tetrahedra

 PROCESSES IN SOIL FORMATION
Term Categorizatio Description
n
1a. Eluviation 3 Movement of material out of a portion of a soil
profile
1b. Illuviation 3 Movement of material into a portion of a soil
profile
2a. Leaching 2 Washing out of eluviating material from the
solum
2b. Enrichment 1 Addition of material from the soil body
3a. Erosion 2 Removal of soil material from the surface
3b. Cumulization 1 Aeolian & hydrologic add. of particles in the
surface
4a. Decalcification 3 Reaction that removes CaCO3 from 1or more
horizon
4b. Calcification 3 Accumulation of CaCO3 from 1or more horizon
5a. Solonization 3 Accumulation of sodium ion
5b. Solodization 3 Leaching of sodium ion
6a. Lessivage 3 Enrichment in clay (mech. mitigation of small
particle)
6b. Pedoturbation 3 Homogenizing the solum in varying degrees
7a. Decomposition 4 Breakdown of mineral and organic material
7b. Synthesis 4 Formation of new material and organic species
8a. Melanization 1, 3 Darkening of light-colored mineral (admixture
of OM )
8b. Leucinization 3 Paling of soil horizon (removal of OM)
9a. Littering 1 Accumulation of OM in the soil surface
9b. Humification 4 Transformation of raw OM to humus
9c. Paludization 4 Accumulation of deep deposits of OM (peats &
mucks)
9d. Ripening 4 Changes in organic soil with O2 (increase m.o.
actvity)
9e. Mineralization 4 Releases of oxide solids through
decomposition of OM
10a. Braunification 3, 4 Releases of Fe from primary minerals (reddish
soil)
10b. Gleization 3, 4 Reduction of Fe under waterlogged soil
condition
Indication: 1- Gain 2-Losses 3-Translocation 4-Transformation