NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Getting the Dirt on Soils
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE What are 4 things we cannot live without?
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE SOILAIR WATER SUNLIGHT
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE SOILAIR WATER SUNLIGHT
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Does Soil = Dirt?
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NO! Dirt is the stuff under your fingernails or that you sweep off the floor
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts Topsoil is the most productive layer Five tons of topsoil spread over an acre is only as thick as a dime Soil supplies water and nutrients for plants Most of our food comes from soil It can take more than 500 years to form one inch of topsoil
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts An acre of corn gives off 4000 gallons of water a day in evaporation Soil Scientist have identified over 70,000 different soils in the U. S. Erosion of soil clogs rivers and lakes Soil influences the life spans of roads
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts Soil is alive…. 1 gram of soil contains up to a billion bacteria There many thousands of types of bacteria in soil 15 tons of soil per acre pass through earthworms each year
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil Facts Soil is the largest single wastewater treatment unit in North Carolina 4 million North Carolinians rely on soil to treat and disperse wastewater Soil is extremely effective at wastewater treatment Best of all…
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil makes great mud pies …and is just plain fun!
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE A soil is a porous natural body of mineral, air, water and organic matter that changes, or has changed, in response to climate, topography, time, and organisms.
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE What do you see in these photos?
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE What is soil made of? Soil is composed of minerals, organic matter, air,water
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soil is made of: Solid material –Minerals –Dead organic material –Living organic material Pore space –Air –Water
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Factors of Formation
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Factors of formation Parent Material Topography Vegetation/Biology Climate Time
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE The soil forms through the interaction of these factors.
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Parent Material
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Parent Material Transported materials Bedrock or residual material Organic materials
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Transported Sediments Water transported or deposited –Marine –Fluvial –Lacustrine Wind transported –Aeolian Gravity transported –Colluvium Ice transported –Glacial
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Topography
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Slope Names Summit or Ridge top Shoulder Back or side slope Foot slope Toe slope Terrace Drain way or channel
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Summit Drainage way Side or back slope Shoulder Foot slope Toe slope
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Soils on a slope
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Vegetation/Biology
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Grass Vegetation Thick top soil (A horizon) Stable soil structure
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Forest Vegetation Thin top soil (A horizon)
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Coniferous Vegetation Acidic Highly leached by organic acids Low fertility
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Mixed Forest Vegetation In general more fertile In general less acidic
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Climate
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Humid Climate High rainfall Obvious horizons Illuviation/eluviation process dominant Organic matter accumulation at surface Clay accumulation
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Arid Climate Low rainfall Little organic accumulation Salts or carbonates may accumulate Horizons less obvious
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Time Past, present, and future
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Newly Deposited Material
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE Undisturbed to Disturbed
NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE NC STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT of SOIL SCIENCE