NSM 1400 Chapter Notes -Pedogenesis, Soil Texture, Regolith
Document Summary
What is soil: regolith- a layer of rock and mineral fragments that covers earth"s surface almost completely, soil- the combination of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Soil texture and structure: soil texture- the proportion of different particle sizes in soils, sandy soils- drain too quickly and have a hard time retaining nutrients, clay rich soils- prevent drainage which may result in puddles. It influences the ease in which soil can be cultivated and how susceptible that specific soil is to erosion. Controls of soil formation: soil has many important factors, parent material, time, climate, plants & animals, topography. Time: the quality of soil is greatly influenced by the length of time processes have been operating. 4: note: the longer a soil has been forming, the thicker it becomes and the more it varies from the parent material. Earth science section 8. 3 & 8. 4: soil & controls of soil formation.
