SOIL

Soil is the mixture of minerals, organic

matter, gases, liquids, and the mass of
organisms that together support plant life.
Soil is a major component of the Earth's ecosystem.
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL

1. Soil acts as an engineering medium, a habitat for soil

organisms, a recycling system for nutrients and organic wastes,
a regulator of water quality, a modifier of atmospheric
composition, and a medium for plant growth.
2. Soils can effectively remove impurities, kill disease agents,
and degrade contaminants.

Soil formation is the combined effect of

physical,
biological
and
How are soilchemical,
anthropogenic
(human activities) processes
formed?
working on soil parent material.
Processes involved:
1.Weathering of rocks
2.Erosion of sediments or particles

Agents of Erosion
1. water
2. wind
3. gravity
4. animals loosen
soil
5. human activities

O) Top Soil Organic matter: organic deposit with litter layer of

plant residues in relatively non-decomposed form.
B) Subsoil: Subsurface layer reflecting chemical or physical
alteration of parent material. This layer accumulates iron, clay,
aluminum and organic compounds, a process referred to as
illuviation.
C) Parent rock: The parent material in sedimentary deposits.
Layer of large unbroken rocks. This layer may accumulate the
more soluble compounds .
R) bedrock: The parent material in bedrock landscapes. This
layer denotes the layer of partially weathered bedrock at the
base of the soil profile.

Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion

1.Planting grass or small plants
on the sides to prevent blowing
away of topsoil
2. terracing

Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion

3.Contour plowingflowing furrows across the
slope

4. Strip
farming- plant
grasses

Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion

5. Crop rotation

6. reforestation

Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion

6.Fertilization
using natural
fertilizers
7.Passing laws
to stop pollution

Compost

Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion

8. Education

Informationsharing of best
practices
Information
dissemination of
new technology

Ways to Prevent Soil Erosion

9. Individual Efforts

Doing our
share to stop
pollution by
segregating
waste, not
littering and
being
masinop