Soil Resources

Soil Conservation

- The prevention of loss of the top most layer of the soil from erosion
- Prevention of reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other soil contamination.

African Nightcrawler

- They are good composters (they turn food waste into fertilizers)

Eudrilus Eugeniae

- Scientific name of "African Nightcrawler"
= Eudrilus (Genus)
= Eugeniae (Specie)

Pedospehere

- Outermost layer of the Earth composed of soil and subject to soil formation process
- The living "skin" (epidermis) of the earthwhich is the result of the dynamic interaction of the 4 subsystems

Where did the word "Pedosphere" come from?

Pedon = Soil
Sfaira = Sphere

Composition of Soil

- 45% Minerals (Geosphere)
- 25% Water (Hydrosphere)
- 25% Air (Atmosphere)
- 5% Organic Matter {Materials that decompost} (Biosphere)

Soil Formation

- Soil forms when rocks "weather"
- Has factors that are considered
= Parent Material, Climate, Topography, Biological Factors and Time

Weathering (Weathers)

- Breaking down of rocks

Residual Soils

Are withered rocks

Parent Material

- Its chemistry and type will determine the soil that will be formed

Climate

- Soil types vary depending on climate

How does Climate affect Soil Formation?

HOT - faster chemical reaction
COLD - slower chemical reaction

Topography

- The arrangment of the natural and artificial physical features of an area
- Different types of soils form in different types of landforms

Topography (Mountain)

- When acid rain falls, the peak of the mountain will be the 1st to the affected, the rocks there will weather faster causing it to fall and affect the formation of soil

Biological Factors

- Organisms such as plants, animals and microorganism, and humans affect soil formation.

Time

- The formation of soil is a long and continuous process which may take humdreds and thousands of years depending on climate and environment

How much time does it take for the formation of soil?

- 200 to 400 years for 1 cm of soil

Soil Texture

- relative proportion of particle sizes of soil
- Soil is naturally composed of a mixture of these particles and the propotion of which soil properties such as porosity and warer retention.

Porosity

- Is a measure of the void
- (empty) spaces in a material

Water Retention

Ability of soil to hold water

Particle Size

= Clay (< 0.002 cm)
= Silt (0.002 - 0.005 cm)
= Sand (0.005 - 2 cm)

Sample Composition

- 10% Sand, 60% Silt, 30% Clay = Silty Clay Loom

What Soil is ideal to use in agriculture?

LOAM SOIL
- Provides good aeration (air can circulate properly)

Soil Profile

- Soil horizon from the surface down to underlying bedrock
- O, A, B, C, and E to determine soil horizon.

3 major horizons

A, B and C

What is in the Soil Horizons?

O - Organic Matter (Organic)
A - (Surface)
B - Clay and Nutrients above (Subsoil)
C - (Substratum)
E - Lose of Leetching (Bedrock)

Soil Orders

- Soil Classification system to identify, understand and manage soils.
- Has 12 types

Gelisols (Soil Orders)

Frozen soils found in the coldest region of Earth

Histosols (Soil Orders)

High organic content and wet

Spodosols (Soil Orders)

Sandy and acdic soils found in moist climates that often support dense forest

Andisols (Soil Orders)

Composed of volcanic ash

Oxisols (Soil Orders)

Very weathered and common in tropical climates

Vertisols (Soil Orders)

Clay-like soils that shrink and swell

Aridisols (Soil Orders)

Very dry soils in arid regions

Ultisols (Soil Orders)

Weathered Soils

Mollisols (Soil Orders)

Deep and fertile soils

Alfisols (Soil Orders)

Moderately weathered productive soils found in temperate and humid regions

Inceptisols (Soil Orders)

Slightly developed, young soils found on steep slopes and mountain ranges

Entisols (Soil Orders)

Newly-formed soils found in steep rocky lands

BSWM

Bureau of Soils and Water Managment
- recognizes nin soil orders in the Philippines

= Alfisols, Andisol, Entisol, Histosol, Inceptisol, Mollisols, Ulitisol and Vertisol.

What is the importance of Soil?

- Microorganism that decopost (Fertilizers)
- Agriculture

Arable Land for Agriculture

- Comes from the Latin word "Arabilis" which means "able to plowed"

Nutrient Cycle

- Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and other essential nutrients are stores, transformed, and cycled in the soil.

Nitrogen Cycle

- A repeating cycle of processes during which nitrogen moves through both living and non-living things: the atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals and bacteria
- In order to move through the different parts of the cycle, nitrogen must change forms

Terms in Nitrogen Cycle

Lightning breaks the bond of the Nitrogen and turns it into "Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria"

N2 = Nitrogen
NO2 = Nitrite
NO3 = Nitrate
NH3 = Ammonia
NH4 = Ammonium Ion

Phosphorus Cycle

- Biogeochemical process that involves the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.

STEPS
- Weathering. Absorption by Plants. Absorption by Animals. Return to the Environment through Decomposition.

Phosphate Sugar

- Backbone of DNA

Carbon Cycle

inaral na toh, kaya na yan :)) HHAHHSAH

Foundation and Support

- Soil structures provides a base for plant roots
- Soils along the human shelter and structures such as houses and roads

Laterites

- Soils are mined for their mineral contents

Soil Deposits

Red Soil = Has Iron
Yellowish = Sulfer (??)

Soil Erosion

Causes the loss of topsoil and nutrients in the soil

Soil Compaction

Reduced the amount of air, water and space available to roots and soil organism

Desertification

Type of land degration in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become increasingly arid

Intensive Agriculture

Led to the loss of organic matter, soil compaction, and damage wih fertilizers and pesticides.

Urbanization

Increasing of population has led to the conversion of land to urban centers which are generally characterized by concrete structures.

Conservation of Soil Resources

- The effects of human activity on soil can be mitigated through sustainable management such as
- Increased soil organic matter content, keeping the soil vegetated, avoiding excessive tillage, using nutrients wisely, crop rotations and preventing soil compaction.