Soil ‘Many of the materials that plants need to produce their cells are taken in through their roots from soil. Since we depend upon plants for our own body cells, soil is vital to us. It’s not just dirt! How soil is formed Soil comes from broken-down rock. It can form quite quickly, as it did on the volcano which formed the new island of Surtsey in 1964. Plants were growing on this new island within five years. ‘The actions of wind and rain, sun and ice break rock down into fragments of varying size. Oxygen and carbon dioxide, dissolved in rain water, react with the rock producing clays and soluble salts. ‘These enable small plants to grow. When the plants die, their remains decay to a dark coloured substance called humus. Itis humus that makes the mixture of rock fragments, clay, water and salts into soil. Humus provides soil with nitrogen and other plant food, and it lightens the soil structure. ‘Types of soil No two soils are the same. The structure of a soil depends upon the type of rock it comes from and upon the amount of humus it contains, For good plant growth, sol should crumble easly, be able to hold water with dissolved salts, and have air trapped in it. Light soil This is sandy with large particles giving big air spaces and good drainage. It breaks up very casily when dug and also warms up quickly. Unfortunately, it dries out very quickly and loses its mineral salts. Humus added as farmyard manure holds the sand together and improves its water-holding. Heavy soil "This consists of small clay particles which stick closely together giving little air space and poor drainage. Itis difficult to dig; it becomes water-logged in wet weather; it cracks in dry weather. Addition of humus makes the clay form larger particles (crumbs), allowing more air and water in. Lime has the same effect. [ear Loam This is a mixture of sand and clay soils. It has a mixed (ae Particle size and rich humus content, which makes it very fertile. | Sno come roms J Brown'to yelow Soil profiles 285016), Fertile soil is usually no more than 20 cm deep. Below it lies the E9630 020} some materal subsoil — much lighter in colour than topsoil because very little Spe ates ‘humus penetrates into it. The layers of soil and subsoil which can be Gaee - seen in a very deep trench are called the soil profile. imma 176Composition of soil An old can with both ends removed may be used for collecting soil. Pressed into the ground, the can cuts out a sample wehout disturbing the soil structure. Air This may be measured by dropping the can into a large cylinder half-filled with water. Water Another sample is weighed and then left in a warm place for several days. Reweighing shows the amount of water lost. Humus By heating the same dry sample strongly, the humus is burnt away giving further weight loss. Solid particles These may be separated by emptying another urs (floating) sample into a cylinder filled ~ciay (suspended) with water. When shaken up and left to settle overnight sit yer different layers of particles sand layer separate. art stones Bacteria in soil Also present in soil but too small to be seen are microscopic organisms called bacteria. Bacteria decompose dead plants and ¥ amimals forming humus and ammonium compounds. Other sinifying bacteria turn ammonium compounds into nitrates using oxygen trapped in the soil. The bacteria gain energy in this process assanimals do by respiration. There are others called denitrifying bacteria which break up nitrogen compounds and release nitrogen 2s into the air. Acidity (pH) of soil The acidity of a soil depends upon the parent rock and the condition ofthe plant remains. Limestone soils are usually alkaline, pH = 8. Cy soils and bogs with partly-decomposed plant remains (peat) may be strongly acidic, pH = 4 or 5. Most plants grow best in soils of pH = 6.5. Lime counteracts excess acidity and ammonium sulphate can be used to acidify an alkaline soil. Questions ‘What does soil come from? Describe how it forms. ‘What is the dark substance in soil? How is it formed? . What are the requirements of a good soil? Describe light and heavy soils. How does humus improve both? What is the usual depth of soil? What lies beneath it? . How can you show that soil contains (a) air, (b) water, (c) ‘bums, (d) sand and silt? Give two effects of bacteria present in soil. . Give the range of soil pH. What value suits most plants? ‘asarrexapes” | Gy orginalevel Seying out bacteria growing onjely 17