1. Because weathering has bullied Earth since the dawn of time.
Soil
Because weathering has bullied Earth since the dawn of time.

2. Soil Defined
Weathering breaks up the rocks on Earth’s surface, this produces SOIL.
Soil- made of loose, weathered rock and organic material in which plants with roots can grow.

3. How Soil Forms
Soil forms from PARENT MATERIAL. Based on this material the soil can be either RESIDUAL or TRANSPORTED SOIL.
RESIDUAL SOIL: underlying bedrock has parent material.
TRANSPORTED SOIL: soils formed from material transported by winds, rivers, and glaciers.

4. Soil Profile
Soil Profile- The cross section of earth exposed by digging.
Layers of the soil profile include:
Topsoil
Subsoil
Parent Material
Bedrock
Soil Profile Song

5. Soil Erosion
It takes approximately 100 years to form 1 inch of topsoil.
We lose 1% of our topsoil every year to erosion.

6. Preventing Soil Erosion
What can we do to reduce soil erosion?
Plant shelter belts to protect crops from wind erosion
Practice no-till farming
Use animals to graze over vegetation instead of plowing
No Till

7. Soil Quality Soil quality is important agriculturally for farmers.
The parent rock can affect soil quality by releasing different minerals into the soil also affecting the nutrients vegetation receives during growth
Using a tropical rainforest for farm land would not be beneficial because the soil is only good for farmers for a few years before the nutrients are gone because the soil is almost infertile below the first few centimeters.
Why we need to take care of soil