"Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life of plants and soil organisms."
Understanding the properties and formation of soils including soil horizons, types of soil, and soil conservation.
Soil formation: The process by which soil is formed from parent materials like rocks, minerals, and organic matter.
Soil composition: The components of soil including mineral matter, organic matter, water, and air.
Soil texture: The physical composition of soil particles such as sand, silt, and clay.
Soil structure: The arrangement of soil particles and how they hold together in aggregates or clumps.
Soil horizons: Layers of soil with distinct physical and chemical properties.
Soil pH: The measurement of soil acidity or alkalinity.
Soil fertility: The ability of soil to provide nutrients to plants for growth.
Soil moisture: The amount of water held in the soil.
Soil erosion: The displacement of soil from one place to another by means of wind, water, or other natural processes.
Soil conservation: Practices used to prevent soil erosion and maintain soil health, such as terracing, crop rotation, and cover cropping.
Soil classification: The system used to categorize soils based on physical and chemical properties.
Soil mapping: The process of creating a detailed inventory of soil types and properties in a given area.
Soil microbiology: The study of the microorganisms living in soil and their impact on soil health and nutrient cycling.
Soil biota: The living organisms in soil including plants, animals, and microorganisms.
Sandy soil: Soil consisting mostly of sand particles that are porous and drain water quickly, but may not retain nutrients well.
Clay soil: Soil consisting mostly of fine clay particles that are tightly packed and hold water and nutrients well, but may drain poorly.
Silt soil: Soil consisting mostly of silt particles that are intermediate in size between sand and clay, with good water-holding capacity but may be prone to erosion.
Loamy soil: Soil consisting of a balanced mixture of sand, clay, and silt particles, with good drainage and nutrient retention.
Peat soil: Soil consisting largely of decomposing plant material, with high organic content and acidic pH.
Chalky soil: Soil consisting of porous rock fragments composed largely of calcium carbonate, with alkaline pH and good drainage.
Limestone soil: Soil consisting of rock fragments composed largely of calcium carbonate, with alkaline pH and good drainage.
Sandy loam soil: Soil consisting of a mixture of sand and loam particles, with good drainage and nutrient retention.
Clay loam soil: Soil consisting of a mixture of clay and loam particles, with good water and nutrient retention but also good drainage.
Silty loam soil: Soil consisting of a mixture of silt and loam particles, with good water-holding capacity and moderate drainage.
Saline soil: Soil with high levels of salt, which can be harmful to most plants.
Alkaline soil: Soil with a pH above 7, usually containing high levels of calcium or sodium.
Acidic soil: Soil with a pH below 7, usually containing high levels of aluminum, iron, or manganese.
Laterite soil: Soil formed in tropical regions with high rainfall, usually rich in iron and aluminum oxides, with low fertility.
Volcanic soil: Soil formed from volcanic ash and lava, often rich in minerals but may be highly eroded.
Red soil: Soil rich in iron oxides, often found in tropical regions and highly weathered.
Black soil: Soil rich in organic matter and minerals, often found in areas with high humidity and rainfall.
Mountain soil: Soil found at high altitudes, often thin and rocky, with low fertility.
Alluvial soil: Soil formed by river deposits, often rich in nutrients and highly fertile.
Tundra soil: Soil found in Arctic regions, often thin and composed largely of decomposing moss and other plants.
"Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from soil by restricting the former term specifically to displaced soil."
"Soil consists of a solid phase of minerals and organic matter (the soil matrix), as well as a porous phase that holds gases (the soil atmosphere) and water (the soil solution)."
"Soil is a product of several factors: the influence of climate, relief (elevation, orientation, and slope of terrain), organisms, and the soil's parent materials (original minerals) interacting over time."
"Given its complexity and strong internal connectedness, soil ecologists regard soil as an ecosystem."
"Most soils have a dry bulk density (density of soil taking into account voids when dry) between 1.1 and 1.6 g/cm3."
"Little of the soil of planet Earth is older than the Pleistocene and none is older than the Cenozoic."
"Collectively the Earth's body of soil is called the pedosphere."
"The pedosphere interfaces with the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere."
"Soil has four important functions: as a medium for plant growth, as a means of water storage, supply and purification, as a modifier of Earth's atmosphere, and as a habitat for organisms."
"All of these functions, in their turn, modify the soil and its properties."
"Soil science has two basic branches of study: edaphology and pedology. Edaphology studies the influence of soils on living things. Pedology focuses on the formation, description (morphology), and classification of soils in their natural environment."
"In engineering terms, soil is included in the broader concept of regolith, which also includes other loose material that lies above the bedrock, as can be found on the Moon and other celestial objects."