Soil Horizons & Soil Degradation

O-Horizon

the top layer of soil, made up of organic materials like plant roots, dead leaves, and animal waste. It’s basically the layer that contains decomposing plants and animals

A-Horizon

topsoil, is the layer of soil that contains humus, which is decomposed organic matter, along with minerals. This layer is very active biologically, with earthworms and microbes that help break down materials and release nutrients for plants

B-Horizon

subsoil, is the layer below the topsoil. It's lighter in color and mostly made up of minerals with very little organic matter. It does contain some nutrients, but not as much as the topsoil

C-Horizon

layer of soil that is least changed by weathering and is closest to the original parent material, often called bedrock. It’s more like the foundation of the soil layers above it

Soil Degradation

soil loses its ability to help plants grow. This can happen for various reasons, like erosion or pollution

Loss of Topsoil

farmers turn the soil and remove plants, making it more vulnerable to erosion from wind and rain. This causes the soil to dry out, lose nutrients, and decrease the organisms that help recycle those nutrients

Compaction

heavy machines, animals, or people press down on the soil, making it harder and less fluffy. This means the soil can't hold as much water. When the soil is dry, it can wash away more easily. Also, dry soil isn't good for plants, so there are fewer roots to hold the soil together, which leads to even more washing away

Nutrient Depletion

when the same crops are grown in the same soil too often, which takes away important nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This makes it harder for future crops to grow well