What Are All Types of Soil Made Out Of?
Soils can take thousands and even millions of years to form. Thousands of different soils exist, comprised of varying levels of minerals and biological material highly dependent on local environmental factors. Does this Spark an idea?
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Factors
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The properties of soil vary based on the local materials available, how much weathering occurs, regional geography and the amount of plants and animals around to dig up and further erode soil, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Features
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The primary component of soil is broken down rock called sediment, according to Penn State University's soil fact sheet. Water, air and organic material such as dead plants, get lodged in the pores of rocks. Organic matter decomposes with the help of bacteria to form different soil texture and provide nutrients.
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Types
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Organic soil contains pure biological material, like plant matter and wood. Topsoil contains lesser amounts of organic material and more sediment. Subsoil is lightly colored, dense and contains small amounts of organic matter.
Fun Fact
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The USDA reports that more than 70,000 types of soil exist in the world, each with different colors and levels of nutrients.
Further Reading
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The National Cooperative Soil Survey takes soil surveys of every county in the United States. You can receive more information on the soil in your region by going to the National Soil Survey Center homepage.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of WRI Staff
