INTRODUCTION OF SOIL

BY
ANIL KEWAT
 Soil Formation
• Soil develops from parent material by the processes of soil formation

• The process of formation soil from the hard rock (eg. granite) are divided into two stages

• Rock weathering
• Soil formation

• The mineral matter inherited form rocks are referred to as soil parent material
• The principle parent materials of organic soils are formed due to decomposing of plant
materials

• The most important properties of parent’s materials are texture and mineral composition
SOIL FORMATION- Weathering - responsible for the formation of the regolith and in turn the soil

• Weathering - combination of destruction and synthesis

• Simultaneously rock fragments and the minerals therein are attached by weathering forces

• These changes are accompanied by a continued decrease in particle size and by release of soluble
constituents.
PROCESS OF WEATHERING

• Mechanical disintegration

• Chemical decomposition

Mineral constituents -
I. Mechanical

a. Temperature : differential expansions of minerals and exfoliation.

b. Erosion and deposition – by water ice wind

c. Plant and animal influences

II. Chemical

a. Hydrolysis

b. Hydration

c. Carbonation and related acidic processes

d. Oxidation

e. Solution
MECHANICAL FORCES OF WEATHERING

Temperature

• Sudden or wide variations of temperature influence the disintegration of rocks

• Warming and cooling process are effective in disintegration of parent materials

• Freezing of water
It widens the cracks and dislodges rocks to fragments

• Water
Water has a tremendous cutting power in the valleys of rivers

• Ice
Ice is an erosive and transporting agency which disintegrates rocks

• Wind
Wind always had been important transporting agent for dust storms

• Plants
Mosses and lichens produces organic materials - help in disintegration and the growth of roots
in the rocks crevices and thus disintegration of rock
CHEMICAL PROCESS OF WEATHERING – DECOMPOSITION

• Hydrolysis
It is a decomposition reaction especially in case of feldspars & mica

• Hydration
It is the processes of attachment of H+ and OH- ions to the compounds

2 Fe2O3+3H2O 2 Fe2O3 H2O

Hematite (red) Limonite (Yellow)

• Carbonation

Hydrogen ion, carbonic acid, HNO3, H2SO4

CaCO3 + H2CO3 Ca(HCO3)2

Calcite Carbonic Acid Soluble Bicarbonate

• Oxidation

Fe++ Fe+++

4FeO+O2 2Fe2O3
Ferrous Oxide Hematite
FACTORS INFLUENCING SOIL FORMATION

• Climatic condition - particularly temperature and precipitation

• Living organism - especially native vegetation

• Nature of parent material – Texture & structure of soil

• Chemical & mineralogical composition of soil

• Topography of the area

• Time of soil formation

SOIL PROFILE
• Horizontal distribution of soil layers are called soil horizons

• The vertical sequence of soil horizons are termed as soil profile

• Soil forming processes are grouped under four heads-O,A, B and C

Consolidated bed rock.

• Types of Soils Based on Grain Size
• Cobbles : These are larger than pebbles and smaller than boulders.
The size is between 64 to 256mm.
• Gravels: The diameter is between 4.75 and 76.2mm
• Clay: Soil grains finer than 0.002mm
• Silt: Soil grain with size ranging from 0.075 to 0.002mm
• Sand: Particles seen by naked eye and size less than 4.75mm
 Types of Soils Based on Origin
Sl. No Soil Type Transporting Agent Properties

1 Alluvial Soil Running Water Coarser and Finer Particles

2 Lacustrine Soil Water - Deposited at quiet lakes Coarser and Finer Particles

3 Marine Soils Sea water Coarser and Finer Particles

Silt - low density and high

4 Aeolian Soils Wind
compressibility

5 Colluvial Soils Gravitational Force

6 Glacial Soil Glaciers Finer Particles, boulders

Soil is classified into four types:

• Sandy soil.
• Silt Soil.
• Clay Soil.
• Loamy Soil
Sandy Soil
• It consists of small particles of weathered rock.
• One of the poorest types of soil for growing plants
• because it has very low nutrients and
• poor water holding capacity.
• This type of soil is very good for the drainage system.
• Sandy soil is usually formed by the breakdown or fragmentation of
rocks like granite, limestone and quartz.
Silt Soil
have much smaller particles compared to sandy soil
and is made up of rock and other mineral particles, which are smaller
than sand and larger than clay.
It is the smooth and fine quality of the soil that holds water better than
sand.
Silt is easily transported by moving currents and it is mainly found near
the river, lake and other water bodies.
The silt soil is more fertile, therefore, it is also used in
agricultural practices to improve soil fertility.
Clay Soil

• Clay is the smallest particle amongst the other two types of soil.
• The particles in this soil are tightly packed together with each other
with very little or no airspace.
• This soil has very good water storage qualities and makes it hard for
moisture and air to penetrate into it.
• It is very sticky to the touch when wet, but smooth when dried.
• Clay is the densest and heaviest type of soil which does not drain well
or provide space for plant roots to flourish.
Loamy Soil

It is a combination of sand, silt and clay such that the beneficial

properties from each is included.
For instance, it has the ability to retain moisture and nutrients; hence,
it is more suitable for farming.
This soil is also referred to as agricultural soil as it includes an
equilibrium of all three types of soil materials being sandy, clay, and silt
and it also happens to have humus.
It also has higher calcium and pH levels because of its inorganic origins.
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