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Feb 17, 2023 · Soil Horizons. The soil is the topmost layer of the earth’s crust consisting of air, water, inorganic minerals (rock, sand, clay, and slit), and organic matter (dead plants and animals). It forms the source of food for plants.
Soil horizons are layers in the soil, each with different characteristics. They form over time, due to various natural processes. From top to bottom, these layers have different colors, textures, and materials. This soil profile helps scientists understand soil’s health and composition.
A soil layer is a zone in the soil, approximately parallel to the soil surface, with properties different from layers above and/or below it. If at least one of these properties is the result of soil-forming processes, the layer is called a soil horizon.
Soil horizons are typically categorized into three main layers: the A horizon (topsoil), B horizon (subsoil), and C horizon (parent material). The characteristics of each soil horizon can vary significantly depending on climate, vegetation, and land use practices.
Most soils have three major horizons (A, B, C) and some have an organic horizon (O). The horizons are: O (humus or organic): Mostly organic matter such as decomposing leaves. The O horizon is thin in some soils, thick in others, and not present at all in others.
Jun 7, 2020 · What Are Soil Horizons? Soil horizons, according to Britannica, are layers of soil that are underground, which “develop from the combined actions of living organisms and percolating water.” This definition basically means that many living creatures and other forces of nature shape the soil in a way that creates identifiable layers.
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The horizon description system begins by splitting soil horizons into two distinct groups: organic and mineral horizons. Organic horizons are those that contain 17% or more organic carbon; mineral horizons have less than 17% organic carbon.