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Nov 8, 2024 · soil, the biologically active, porous medium that has developed in the uppermost layer of Earth’s crust. Soil is one of the principal substrata of life on Earth, serving as a reservoir of water and nutrients, as a medium for the filtration and breakdown of injurious wastes, and as a participant in the cycling of carbon and other elements through the global ecosystem.
- Garrison Sposito
Soil plays a vital role in the Earth’s ecosystem and without soil, human life would be very difficult. Caption: A pine tree's root system with mycorrhizal threads (hyphae) that assist the tree to absorb additional nutrients. Credit: David Read. Soil provides plants a foothold for their roots and holds the necessary nutrients for plants to grow.
Soil science is the study of soil, a complex natural system that plays a vital role in agriculture, environmental protection, and human health. Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, air, and water that supports plant growth and provides habitat for a wide range of organisms.
Minerals are an important element of the soil. These are solid components composed of atoms. These occur naturally and have a fixed chemical composition. Olivine and feldspar are the main minerals present in the soil. Gaseous Components. The air-filled pores of the soil contain the gaseous components.
- 3 min
Soil degradation, where soil loses the physical, chemical, or biological qualities that support life, is a natural process but it is being accelerated by human activity.
- Jon Heggie
- 2 min
In short, soil is a mixture of minerals, dead and living organisms (organic materials), air, and water. These four ingredients react with one another in amazing ways, making soil one of our planet’s most dynamic and important natural resources. Soil is used by people in numerous ways. Because of this, it has many definitions.
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soil - Soil is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and matter or the ability to support rooted ...
