Short Note on Soil

The loose surface substance that covers most land is called soil. Both inorganic and organic particles make up this substance. Soil is a source of water and nutrients for agricultural plants. Soils have a wide range of chemical and physical properties. Leaching, weathering, and microbiological activity all contribute to a wide range of soil types. For agricultural productivity, each variety has distinct strengths and limitations. 

Soil is sometimes known as earth or dirt; some scientific definitions differentiate dirt from the soil by limiting the former term to displaced soil. The lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere all interact with the pedosphere.

The definition, composition, types, and uses of soils are discussed in this article.

Definition of soil

“Soil is a thin layer of material that covers the earth’s surface and is formed by the weathering of rocks. Mineral particles, organic materials, air, water, and live beings make up the majority of it, which interact slowly yet continually”.

Composition of Soil

Soil is a multi-component system with five major components.

• Mineral substances are formed by the separation and breakdown of rocks
• Plant remnants, animal remains, and microbial tissues decompose into organic matter
• Water is received from the atmosphere and chemical, physical, and microbiological interactions in soil
• Root responses, microorganisms, and chemicals in the soil are all affected by air or gases from the environment
• Creatures, both large and little (worms, insects) (microbes)

Minerals, organic matter, water, and air are the basic components of soil. The average soil is 45 % mineral, 5% organic matter, 20-30% water, and 20-30% air. At best, these percentages are estimates. The soil, in actuality, is a complex and dynamic system. The soil composition can change on a daily basis, based on a variety of factors such as water supply, agricultural practices and/or soil type.

Types of soil

1. Sand

It is the most often used building material. It is made up of rock fragments and hard minerals like silicon dioxide. They are the biggest dirt particles, with each one visible to the naked eye. The big, relatively stable sand particle size enhances soil aeration, improves drainage in compacted soils, and provides tilt, or plant growth support. Coarse sand has a particle size of 2–4.75mm, medium sand has a particle size of 0.425–2mm, and fine sand has a particle size of 0.075–0.425mm.

2. Silt

Silt is a sediment substance that is between sand and clay in size. It is carried by floodwaters and produces a fertile deposit on the valley floor. Silt particles range in size from 0.002 to 0.06 mm. Because of its fineness, silt is a non-plastic or low-plasticity substance. When wet, silt soil forms a smooth mud that we can easily mould into balls or other shapes.

3. Clay

Clay particles are the smallest of all soil particles, measuring less than 0.002 millimetres in diameter. It’s made up of minute and sub-microscopic particles that form when rocks decompose chemically. Clay is a cohesive fine-grained clay. When wet or dry, they stick together easily and have a sticky or gluey quality.

4. Loam

Loam is made up of clay, sand, and silt, and it benefits from the properties of all three textures, promoting water retention, air movement, drainage, and fertility. These soils are nutrient-dense, easy to deal with, and well-draining. Depending on their major makeup, they could be sandy or clay loam.

Soil uses

Soil can be used for a variety of things.

• Food, clothes, recreation, aesthetics, building materials, and medicine are just a few of the applications for oil-grown plants
• Plants require soil for their survival
• The construction process relies heavily on the soil
• Clay soil is utilised in the making of pottery
• Soil is used in sewage treatment systems

Conclusion

We learned in this article that, the soil is the loose surface layer that covers the majority of the land. It contains both organic and inorganic particles. Soil provides structural support as well as a source of water and nutrients for agricultural plants. Soil’s chemical and physical properties differ greatly. Soil helps to regulate climate and stores more carbon than all of the world’s trees combined.