Classification of soil

Prepared by: EZRA SHARIN M. MARATO

OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson the learners must have to:

Define the meaning of the soil.Identify the different types of soil.

Appreciate the importance of the soil.

What is soil?Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids, and countless organisms that together support life on Earth.

Soil is called the "Skin of the Earth"

SANDY SOILo is a naturally occurring granular

material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particle.

osoils with particle sizes ranging from 2.0 to .05 mm.

othis type of soil is easy to cultivate but, since it allows for more drainage than needed, it is important to water it regularly, especially during summer days.

It is defined by size, being finer than gravel and coarser than silt.

In terms of agriculture: Sandy soil is ideal for crops such as watermelon, peaches, and peanuts, and their excellent drainage characteristics make them suitable for intensive dairy farming.

Sand Dunes in the Idehan Ubari, Libya

Arenosols or sandy soils occur throughout Europe. However, in many parts of the world, Arenosols present major problems for agriculture. The picture shows an Arenosol in southern Africa.

SILTY SOILis one of the most fertile of soils. It

can occur in nature as soil or as suspended sediment in water column of water body on the surface of the earth. It is composed of minerals like quartz and fine organic particles.

Silty soil has much smaller particles than sandy soil so it’s smooth to the touch. When moistened, it’s soapy slick. When you roll it between your fingers, dirt is left on your skin.

Texture: Silt soil is finer than sand, and feel smooth and silky.Color: Usually a brown to black in color.Structure: Silt soil is similar to loam but contains smaller ratios of both sand and clay particles.is granular material of a size

somewhere between sand and clay.serves as a smooth, water-rich and

fertile soil that is able to be used for growing most kind of plants.

Silt lines the pond on the Dick Nissen farm near Vermillion. He had dug more than 5,000 tons of silt from a 60 acre pond.

CLAY SOILis a fine-grained natural rock or soil

material that combines one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter.

exhibits plasticity when mixed with water in certain proportions.

When dry, clay becomes firm and when fired permanent physical changes occur.

heavy and easily saturated.becomes sticky when wet.

CROPS GROWN IN CLAY SOIL:lettuce, chard, snap beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and many more.

Quaternary clay in Estonia

LOAM ideal mixed and equal combination

of sand, silt, and clay. consisting of 40% sand, 40% silt

and 20% clay.Loamy soil is ideal for most garden

plants because it holds plenty of moisture but also drains well so that sufficient air can reach the roots.

Fine, loam-rich field ideal for farming vegetables in the UK

Thank you and

GODBLES!