Soil

Resource
s
Bhenito Tuyao
Clark Tumlad
Cholo Gargarita
Christ Ian Palgan
 Soil

O Soil is the product of the weathering of

rocks which supports growth of plants,
animals and microorganism
 Soil Formation
O Soil formation is a continuing process that is
influenced by various factors:
O Unconsolidated rocks and Mineral material –
from which the soil develops is known as the
Parent material.
O Parent Material that is more permeable to
water will be converted to soil much faster.
O Pedogenesis is the process of soil development
which is influenced by these inrrelated factors:

1. Climate – Temperature and moisture level

are the two most important climatic variables
that have significant influence on soil
formation
2. Living Organism – Decayed living matter
adds humus or nutrients to the soil. Plants
and animals participate in the
biologeochemical cycle especially the carbon
and nitrogen cycle.
O Pedogenesis is the process of soil development
which is influenced by these inrrelated factors:

1. Climate – Temperature and moisture level

are the two most important climatic variables
that have significant influence on soil
formation
2. Living Organism – Decayed living matter
adds humus or nutrients to the soil. Plants
and animals participate in the
biologeochemical cycle especially the carbon
and nitrogen cycle.
3. Parent Material – refers to the unconsolidated
rock and mineral materials from which the soil
develops. In residual soil the parent material is
the bedrock while in the transported soil the
parent material has been carried from elsewhere
and deposited.
4. Topography – refers to the physical features of
an area generally modifies the development of
the soil because of its effect on microclimate and
drainage. It influences the runoff of water which
can hinder soil formation. Microclimate refers to
the climate which can affect the soil formation
due to the warmth and moisture that influence
the degree of weathering.
Composition of Soil
 Soil Profile
O Soil forms layers called horizons which are
the result of the processes such as chemical
weathering, eluviation, illuviation and organic
decomposition.
O Eluviation – is the movement of fine mineral
particles or dissolved substances from the
upper layer of the soil profile.
O Illuviation – is the deposition of fine mineral
particles or dissolved substances in a lower
layer of the soil profile.
 Soil Horizons
O The O Horizon – Is the topmost layer of the
soil which is composed mainly of organic
matter, humus and plant which is the process
of decomposition.
O The A Horizon – which is dark in color and
usually light in texture and porous and is also
known as the zone of translocation.
O The B Horizon – is a mineral soil layer which
is the result of eluviation from the A horizon.
O The C Horizon – is composed of of weathered
plant material wherein the texture is quite
variable with particles ranging in size from
clay to boulders.
Soil Horizons
 Types of Soil
O Soil particles are normally grouped into three:
O Sand Soil – granular and has the biggest
particles which allow water to drain easily and
prevent rotting of roots.
O Silty Soil – is one of the most fragile soil
because it has more nutrients and moisture.
O Clay soil – is rich in mineral content and has
 Characteristics
O Soil PH affects its fertility through the
solubility of many nutrients.
O Color of soil varies due to several factors:
• Red color soil - indicates the presence of iron.
• Black color soil - have a large amount of and
organic matter.
• Brown color soil - was due to the combination
of iron oxides and organic content
• White color of soil - is due to calcium
carbonate.
 Characteristics
1. Texture - refers to the size distribution of the
mineral particles found in soil.
O Soil particle are normally grouped into three
main classes: sand silt and clay.

Type of soil particle Particle size (millimeters)

Sand 2.0 – 0.6
Silt 0.06 – 0.002
Clay Less than 0.002
• Sandy soil - this type of soil has the biggest
particles which is good for aeration and
drainage of the soil.
- prevents root rot problems.
- granular and consist of rock and mineral
particles that are very small.
- During spring season,7 sandy soil warms
very fast.
• Silty Soil - considered to be one of the most
fertile soils. Composed of minerals like quartz
and fine organic particles.
- has more nutrients than sandy soil.
- offers more drainage than sandy soil.
- can hold more moisture which makes it
much easier to work with.
• Clay Soil - rich in mineral content and very
fine grain material with very less air spaces
which is responsible for its low drainage.
- becomes heavy when wet making it difficult to
cultivate.
- formed as sedimentary deposits after the rock
is weathered, eroded and transported.
 Sub Type of Soil
O Loamy soil- composed of sand, silt and clay
which is good for gardening. - can retain water
very easily without affecting the drainage.
O Peaty Soil- contains more organic matter due
to the accumulation of dead and decayed
organic matter.
- found in swamp and muddy areas where there
is wet climate.
- contains fewer nutrients and is prone to water
logging.
O Chalky Soil- contains large amount of stone
and is alkaline in nature.
- prone to dryness. - needs more watering and
fertilization.
- poor choice for plants because it blocks the
nutritional elements like iron and magnesium.
2. Soil pH - affects its fertility through the
solubility of many nutrients.
- Alkaline soil have a pH above 7 and have a low
concentration of hydrogen ions.
- Acidic has pH below 7 with relatively large
amount of concentration of hydrogen ions.
- pH lower than 5.5, nutrients become very soluble
and are readily leached from soil profile.
- At high pH, nutrients become insoluble therefore
plants cannot readily extract them.
- Maximum soil fertility occurs in the pH range 6.0
to 7.2.
3. Color - soil of the humid tropics becomes re due to
oxidation of iron and turns yellow due to the
oxidation of aluminum.
- In temperate grass land, the color of soil is black
because of large amount of humus and organic
matter.
- Heavy leaching of iron causes coniferous forest soil
to be gray.
- High water tables in soils cause the reduction of iron
which makes the soil greenish and gray-blue hues.
- Brown color is due to the combination of iron oxides
and organic content.
- White color is due to calcium carbonate while black
is due to manganese oxides or carbon compounds.
Human Activities Affecting Soil
1. Farming - agricultural practices such as
farming involves the use of soil and its
nutrients to provide good harvest which feed
the world.
- land is ploughed to cultivate the soil.
- Farming has some harmful effects and can
lead to soil loss
2. Fertilizers - Chemical substances added to
soil to add nutrients that will promote soil
fertility and increase plant growth. chemical
reaction between fertilizers and soil that has
serious side effect.
- Dolomite lime is a mined natural product
which contains magnesium and calcium.
- Excess magnesium in soil causes a loss of soil
structure which can lead to soil compaction.
3. Pesticides - synthetic organic chemicals used
to control weeds in fields and lawns, and
unwanted or harmful pest, such as insects
and mites that feed on crops.
- An affect the microorganisms in soil and water
penetration in soil.
- Also lead to physical and chemical changes in
soil.
4. Construction and development - some of
the soil at construction sites are washed or
blown away.
- Digging of soil and some soil are moved to
another place. This can affect the soil profile.
5. Mining - people mind soil and underlying
rock for coal and minerals.
- Methods used in mining include digging strip
mines and open pit or open cast mining.
- Process of digging can cause soil loss,
destruction of soil profile; and deterioration of
soil quality.
- Removing of plants can cause soil erosion and
may speed up chemical weathering.
- Leaching is a process in mining which
involves the use of chemicals to extract
minerals. Harmful chemicals can cause soil
acidification, soil contamination and
deterioration of soil fertility.
6. Waste Disposal – it can cause soil
contamination due to hazardous chemicals
coming from the wastes.
- Deterioration of the soil quality and
productivity which can cause decrease in
vegetation abundance are the grave
consequences of open waste dumping.
Conserving and Protecting the
Soil
O Soil conservation ivolves practices that can
protect the soil from degradation. Soil erosion
can be preveted by contour farming and strip
cropping.
O Contour farming - is the practice of planting
crops on a hill following its elevation contour
lines.
O Strip cropping - is the practice of growing
alternating rows of crops.

O Decline in soil fertility can be caused by

erosion, leaching and continuous cropping, you
can help maintain the fertility of your soil by
practicing crop rotation
O Crop rotation - is the practice of planting
different crops on the same field in different
years or growing seasons. It is based on the
principle that different crops may use different
or fewer nutrients.
O By adding compost to the soil, it can improve
it's structure and it's fertility.
O Compost is any organic matter such as fallen
leaves, grass clippings, kitchen trimmings, and
soiled paper napkins which can add nutirents
to the soil.
Thank You