1 - Soil Resources

Land resources
‘The solid portion of the earth’s surface’.
The science dealing with land is known as pedology .

Soil
formation
What is a Soil Horizon?
• Soil horizons are the layers in a soil profile used to classify soil types.
• Horizons based on color, texture, roots, structure, rock fragments, and any
unique characteristic worth noting.
• Master Soil Horizons are depicted by a capital letter in the order (from top
down): O, A, E, B, C, and R
O-Horizon
The “Organic Matter” Horizon
• Surface-layer, at depths of 0-2 feet
• Dark in color, soft in texture
• Humus - rich organic material of
plant and animal origin in a stage of
decomposition
• Leaf litter – leaves, needles, twigs,
moss, lichens that are not
decomposing
• Several O-layers can occur in some
soils, consisting only of O-horizons
A-Horizon
“Topsoil” or “Biomantle” Horizon
• Topmost layer of mineral soil, at depths
of 2-10 feet
• Some humus present, darker in color
than layers below
• Biomantle - most biological productive
layer; earthworms, fungi, and bacteria
live this layer
• Smallest and finest soil particles
E-Horizon
The “Leaching Layer” Horizon
• Small layer between A & B horizons
• At depths of 10-15 feet
• Light in color, mainly due to leac sand
& silt
• Poor mineral and claying – the loss of
water-retaining plant nutrients to the
water table
• Soil particles larger than in A horizon
but smaller than in B horizon
B-Horizon
The “Subsoil” Horizon
• Rich in clay and minerals like Fe &
Al
• Some organic material may reach
here through leaching
• Plant roots can extend into this
layer
• Red/brown in color due to oxides of
Fe & clay
C-Horizon
The “Regolith” Horizon
• Made up of large rocks or lumps of
partially broken bedrock
• Least affected by weathering and
have changed the least since their
origin
• Devoid of organic matter due to it
being so far down in the soil profile
R-Horizon
The “Bedrock” Horizon
• At depths of 48+ feet
• Deepest soil horizon in the soil
profile
• No rocks or boulders, only a
continuous mass of bedrock
• Colors are those of the original rock
of the area
Functions of soil
• Role in nutrient cycles
• In agriculture
• Regulate the water
• Regulate the emissions of trace gases
• Degrade pollutants and filter ground water
• Producing clay
• Provide the structural material as brick, cement
etc…
• Sequester carbon as organic matter.
Land Degradation
The fertility of land supports the growth and productivity of

natural vegetation and agricultural crops. A number of
natural and man-made factors lower the quality of land. This
is commonly referred to as land degradation.
Causes of land degradation
Natural factors
•Heavy rains
•High speed wind and storms
•Natural disasters like earthquakes ,floods, prolonged
drought, etc.
•Overgrazing, soil erosion ,etc..
Anthropogenic factors
•Mining.
•Urbanization
•The indiscriminate and uncontrolled removal of trees
•Excess use of fertilizers
•industrial discharges
Soil Erosion
Soil erosion is removal of top soil from its resting place by various
physical agencies like wind and water. It can be defined as “the
detachment and transport of the fertile layer of soil by water or air.”
It is also known as the creeping death of land.
Causes of Soil Erosion
Large scale deforestation
Floods
Overgrazing
Large Violent Winds
Improper agricultural techniques

Effects of soil erosion and method to
control
 Effects:
 Decrease in productivity of land
 Desertification of land
 Deposition of soil in water bodies
 Reduction of agricultural land at the banks of river
 Methods to control:
 Stubble mulching and reduce tillage in mild
sloped areas.
 Contour bunding, Vegetative bunds and contour
cultivation in gentle sloped areas.
Methods to control Soil Erosion
Contour bunding
Strip cropping
Construction of small check dams
Afforestation Terracing
Desertification
 A desert is a barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and
consequently living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life.
Causes of desertification:
 Natural factors
• very low rainfall
• Excessive evaporation
• High salinity of soils
Anthropogenic Factors
• excessive use of fertilizers
• Excessive plugging
• Overgrazing
• Over irrigation
• deforestation
Effects and controls
Effects
• Rapid soil erosion
• Poor soil quality
• Low water table.
Controls
• Promoting plantation
• Changing agriculture practices
Importance of forests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdeBW_Z-6ug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4osIBchx7k
Desertification: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRJBuM7qjQ0
Deforestation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VgybjZOLnc
Causes and impacts due to mining: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0S8iayJDhQ
Soil profile https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zigo6T7fZ88

1. The importance of land is because it gives us
a. Food
b. Mineral deposits
c. Shelter
d. All the above
2. Soil profile is a vertical cross section

a. From surface down to the parent rock
b. The plants species present in the soil
c. The animal species present in an area
d. Water bodies present in a park
3. The main layers/horizons for the soil profile are

a. Top soil, Subsoil and Parent material
b. Subsoil and parent material
c. Subsoil and bed rock
d. Parent material and bed rock
4. Land degradation affects the quality of land by

a. Lowering its fertility
b. Increasing its fertility
c. Replacing the soil
d. None of the above
5. Soil erosion can be caused by

a. Heavy floods in rivers
b. Overgrazing by cattle
c. Dry violent winds
d. All the above

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Land resources

‘The solid portion of the earth’s surface’.

The science dealing with land is known as pedology .

The fertility of land supports the growth and productivity of

Large scale deforestation

Large Violent Winds

Improper agricultural techniques

Construction of small check dams

Causes and impacts due to mining: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0S8iayJDhQ

Soil profile https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zigo6T7fZ88

2. Soil profile is a vertical cross section

3. The main layers/horizons for the soil profile are

4. Land degradation affects the quality of land by

5. Soil erosion can be caused by

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