Soil Texture and

Structure
Ann M. Rossi
ORISE Research Fellow at US EPA
Wetlands Division
[email protected]
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Soil Mineral Particles
• Mineral Separates
• Coarse Fraction (Rock Fragments): >2.0 mm diameter
• Fine Earth Fraction: <2.0 mm diameter
• Sand: 2.0 – 0.05 mm diameter
• Silt: 0.5 – 0.002 mm diameter
• Clay: <0.002 mm diameter

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 Property Sand Silt Clay
Size range (mm) 2.0 – 0.05 0.05 – 0.002 <0.002
Means of observation Naked eye Light microscope Electron microscope
Attraction of particles for each Low Medium High
other (cohesion)
Attraction of particles for water Low Medium High
(adhesion)
Water-holding capacity Low Medium-High High
Aeration Good Medium Poor
Resistance to pH change Low Medium High
Nutrient holding capacity Very Low Low Medium-High
Potential to be compacted Low Medium High
Susceptibility to wind erosion Moderate High Low
Susceptibility to water erosion Low High Depends on degree of
aggregation
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Adapted from Brady and Weil, 2007
Soil Texture
• Soil Texture - Describes the
relative proportions of sand, silt,
and clay
• Soil texture classes group soils
with similar distributions of
particle sizes

• Sand, silt, and clay are texture

classes AND particle sizes
• Loam refers to a soil that
has equal influence of
sand, silt, and clay

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Soil Texture

Example:
Clay = 15%
Sand = 20%
Silt = 65%

Silt Loam

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Soil Texture

For hydric soil delineation,

soil texture classes are often
grouped into two categories
• Sandy (sands and loamy
sands)
• Loamy/Clayey (sandy loams
and finer textures) Loamy/Clayey

Sandy

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Measuring Soil Texture
• In the lab – based on how quickly particles drop out
of suspension
• In the field – Texture by Feel

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Measuring Soil Texture
• In the lab – based on how quickly particles drop out
of suspension
• In the field – Texture by Feel

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Soil Texture – Coarse Fragment Modifiers
• Coarse fragments are described by size and shape

Shape and Size Class

Spherical or Cube-like
> 2 – 76 mm diameter Gravel
> 76 – 250 mm diameter Cobbles
> 250 – 600 mm diameter Stones
> 600 mm diameter Boulders
Flat
> 2 – 150 mm long Channers
> 150 – 380 mm long Flagstones
> 380 – 600 mm long Stones
> 600 mm long Boulders

Photo Courtesy NRCS

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 Soil Texture – Coarse Fragment Modifiers
• Rock Fragment Modifiers are added to the texture class when
the volume of rock fragments is greater than 15%

Rock Fragments
by Volume Modifier Example Usage
< 15% No texture class modifier loam
15% to < 35% Use fragment-size adjective gravelly loam
35% to < 60% Use “very” with fragment- very gravelly loam
size adjective
60% to < 90% Use “extremely” with extremely gravelly
fragment-size adjective loam
≥ 90% No modifier. Use the gravel
fragment-size class in lieu of
texture

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Mineral vs. Organic Soil Material
• Mineral soils form from rocks or materials
transported by wind, water, landslides, or ice
• Organic soils form from plant debris

Organic Soil (USDA NRCS, 2010) Mineral Soil (USDA NRCS, 2010) 13
Distinguishing Organic and Mineral Soil Materials
Organic Soils:
• Feels greasy or slippery when rubbed between fingers
• Often stain fingers when rubbed
• Porous and squishy – can be compressed
• Light in weight (low density)
• Range from pudding-like muck to fibrous peats
• Almost no internal strength

Mineral Soils:
• Feel gritty or sticky, but not greasy
• Resists compression
• Heavier than organic soils when water is removed
• Maintains internal structure (forms distinct peds)

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Distinguishing Organic and Mineral Soil Materials

Organic

Mucky-Modified
Mineral

Mineral

Organic Carbon
Organic Matter =
0.58
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 Organic Soil Material

Distinguished by degree of
decomposition

Fiber content
Organic Soil Description after rubbing Soil Texture
Fibric Slightly ≥ 40% Peat
decomposed
Hemic Moderately 17 to < 40% Mucky Peat
decomposed
Sapric Highly < 17% Muck
decomposed

Photo Courtesy John Kelley, NRCS

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Soil Structure
• Describes the aggregation and arrangement of primary soil
particles (e.g. mineral grains) into secondary units or peds
• Characterized by size, shape, and degree of distinctness (grade)
• Form as a result of pedogenic processes

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Granular Soil Structure

• Associated with organic-rich,

near-surface mineral horizons
• Roughly spherical, crumb shaped
peds, typically 1 – 5 mm in
diameter
• High porosity and permeability
Photo Courtesy John Kelley, NRCS

soilquality.org 18
Platy Soil Structure

• Thin, plate-like peds, aligned parallel

to the soil surface
• If well developed can impede
infiltration
http://www.soilsofcanada.ca/

Soil Survey Division Staff, 1993

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Blocky Soil Structure
• Angular or Sub-Angular
• Common to subsoil horizons
• Held together by coatings of
translocation materials, such as
clays
Photo Courtesy John Kelley, NRCS
• Structure often maintained by root
channels between peds

Photo Courtesy John Kelley, NRCS Soil Survey Division Staff, 1993
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Prismatic Soil Structure
• Vertically oriented, elongated blocks
or prisms

Columnar Soil Structure

Photo Courtesy John Kelley, NRCS

• Similar to prismatic structure,

but prism tops are rounded
• Found in soils with high amounts
of exchangeable sodium
Photo Courtesy of Agriculture Canada, Canadian Soils Information
System (CANSIS)

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Structureless

Single Grain
Massive

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Soil Structure and Hydraulic Conductivity

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Soil Texture and Structure
• Used to describe physical characteristics of the soil, in soil
profile descriptions and to differentiate horizons
• Texture - size of primary particles
• Mineral soil – relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay
• Organic soil – based on the degree of decomposition
• Structure – describes the aggregation of mineral grains into
secondary units or peds
• May reflect natural pedogenic processes (e.g. weathering,
illuviation) or disturbances (e.g. compaction)
• Influence porosity and pore connectivity
• Aeration
• Water storage
• Water movement into and through the soil (infiltration, permeability,
and hydraulic conductivity)
• Root penetration and ability of plants to access water, air, and
nutrients
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Questions?

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