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Introduction To Soil Science

Intro to soil science and formation

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Sunshine DeCaires
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392 views30 pages

Introduction To Soil Science

Intro to soil science and formation

Uploaded by

Sunshine DeCaires
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to

Soil Science
Soil Science is the study of soil as a natural
resource, including its formation, classification,
mapping, and how it supports plant growth.

Sunshine De Caires
Importance

Soil supports ecosystems, food


production, and filters water.
Understanding soil is key to sustainable Sunlight

agriculture and environmental


conservation. Carbon Dioxide

Water
Importance

Within a given climatic regime, soil


properties are the major control
Sunlight
over ecosystem distribution and processes

Carbon Dioxide

Water
Importance

Soil is a source of 2 of the 3 major


plant resources (H2O & nutrients)
Sunlight

Carbon Dioxide

Water
Importance

Provide a physical support system (i.e.,


rooting medium) for plants,
Sunlight
and habitat for soil micro-, meso- and
macroorganisms
Carbon Dioxide

Water
Importance

Soil physical/chemical/biological
properties influence ecosystems
Sunlight
which, in turn, influences soil
physical/chemical/biological properties
Carbon Dioxide

Water
Importance

Intersection of bio, geo, and chemistry


(i.e., biogeochemistry) occurs
Sunlight
largely in soil i.e. a very thin film
over earth’s surface
Carbon Dioxide

Water
Five Soil 1. Parent
Forming Factors Material
The original mineral or organic
material from which the soil
forms. It influences soil
texture, structure, and
nutrient content. For example,
soils derived from volcanic ash
are often fertile and well-
drained, while soils from
granite may be coarse and
nutrient-poor.
Parent rocks/minerals → more stable forms
Weathering – Physical: disintegration of parent
material into smaller and smaller
Particles (no chemical change)
Rock Cycle: Formation & • Important for soil structure
weathering of parent • Increases the surface area: volume ratio
material – Chemical: minerals in parent material and
• Important source of soils react with acidic and oxidizing agents
nutrients to change chemical form
• Lithosphere cycles every • Primary minerals (feldspars, micas) →
100-200 million years secondary minerals (silicate clays) → other
secondary minerals
• Important source of nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg;
but not N
Five Soil 2. Climate
Forming Factors
Climate, especially temperature
and precipitation, plays a
crucial role in weathering
processes, organic matter
decomposition, and soil moisture.
Warm, humid climates often lead
to faster soil formation and
greater leaching, while cold or
dry climates result in slower
soil development.
Climate

Physical weathering (Direct) –


Leaching and erosion –
Expansion/contraction (wet/dry &
freeze/thaw) – Abrasion (wind,
ice, water) • Chemical
weathering rates (Indirect) –
Process rates • Biological
activity (Indirect) –
Productivity, decomposition,
nutrient cyclin
Five Soil 3. Organisms
Forming Factors
Plants, animals, and
microorganisms contribute to soil
formation by adding organic
material, breaking down residues,
and aiding nutrient cycling. For
example, earthworms aerate the
soil and improve structure, while
plant roots stabilize the soil
and contribute to humus.
Physical weathering (plant roots)
• Chemical weathering (carbonic acid)
Organisms
– H2O + CO2 ↔ H+ + HCO3
- ↔ H2CO3
• Primary production → organic matter quantity
and quality
– OM is an important component of soils
• Distributed through soil profile by
biological (roots, microand macrofauna) and
physical (leaching) forces
– OM → organic acid → chemical weathering
• Geologic pumps
– Redistribute bio-essential elements to
surface soils
Five Soil 4. Topography
Forming Factors
The landscape's slope, elevation,
and orientation affect erosion,
drainage, and soil depth. Steep
slopes often have thinner, less
developed soils due to erosion,
while lowland areas accumulate
deeper soils.
2. Differential transport of fine soil
Topography particles via erosion and deposition

Topography influences soil


formation through 2 main
processes
1. Climate effects
Solar radiation →
differences in temperature
and moisture → differences
in weathering rates &
chemical processe
Five Soil 5. Time
Forming Factors
Soil formation is a slow process
that occurs over long periods.
The length of time that parent
material has been exposed to
weathering and biological
activity influences soil
properties. Older soils tend to
be more developed, with well-
defined horizons and greater
nutrient depletion.
Time Most soil processes occur slowly, and
time interacts with other state factor
Weathering preferentially
removes Si, Ca, Na, Mg, and
enriches Fe and Al
– Susceptibility to weathering:
Cl > SO4 > Na > Ca > Mg > K > Si
> Fe > Al
• Biota enrich soils in C,
O, H, N
Are humans a 6th state variable?

• Direct impacts • Indirect


– Nutrient and sediment inputs, – Changes in atmospheric
irrigation, land use composition (climate), and
change (modification of biota), alteration of microenvironment
acceleration of erosion
and deposition, reductions in SOM
(e.g., ag fields), etc.
Inside the soil
Mineral Particles (45%): Sand, silt,
and clay.
Organic Matter (5%): Decayed plants,
animals, and microorganisms.
Water (25%): Essential for nutrient
transport.
Air (25%): Helps roots and soil
organisms breathe.
Soil profile
development
•Soil formation is the result of a dynamic
balance in continual flux determined by:
1. Additions to and losses from soil
2. Transformations and transfers
within soi
Soil Additions
• Inputs from outside ecosystem
– Atmospheric inputs: Precipitation, dust
– Horizontal inputs: Floods, deposition
• Inputs from within ecosystem
– Weathering of parent material
– Organic matter
• Primary production
• Litterfall and root turnover
Soil Losses
Leaching (driven by the movement of H20)
– Monovalent cations (Na+, K+) and anions (Cl-
,NO3-) lost most easily
2. Gaseous loss (driven by microbial activity
and diffusion gradients)
– Loss of organic matter as CO2 and CH4, N trace
gases, etc.
3. Erosion and mass wasting
– Increases surface
area : volume ratio

Physical
Transformation
Predominate in severe environments
• Cracks (e.g., roots) or abrasion (e.g.,
glaciers
• No chemical change
• Produces coarse textured soils
– What are main
acids in soils?

Chemical
Transformation
Involves chemical change
– Conversion from primary to secondary minerals
• Promoted by water and heat (i.e. climate)
• Varies with parent material
• Stimulated by acidity
Soil Tranfers
Vertical movement largely determines soil
profiles
– Downward leaching driven by water
– Upward capillary rise (e.g., salinization)
– Distribution of plant roots; plants as
geochemical pumps
– Soil mixing by animals
Soil Horizons
Driven by additions,
transformations, transfers,
accumulations, and losses
Soil Horizons Organisms

Topography

O Horizon (Organic layer): Rich in


organic material like decomposed
leaves and plants.
A Horizon (Topsoil): Contains Time

minerals mixed with organic


material. Most plant roots grow
here. Parent
Weather Material
Soil Horizons Organisms

Topography

B Horizon (Subsoil): Accumulates


minerals from above layers.
C Horizon (Parent Material):
Partially disintegrated and Time

weathered rock.
R Horizon (Bedrock): The underlying
solid rock layer. Parent
Weather Material
Typical Soil Profile

Presence/absence and
degree of formation of
profiles is
used to classify soils
into broad soil orders
Soil order is determined
Typical Soil Orders largely by degree of
weathering

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