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IL
What is
Soil covers much of the land on Earth. It is made up of minerals
(rock, sand, clay, silt), air, water, and organic material (matter from
dead plants and animals). Soil provides a substrate for plants (roots
anchor in soil), a source of food for plants, and a home for many animals
(insects, spiders, centipedes, worms, burrowing animals, bacteria, and
many others).

What ARE THE

Soil is made up of distinct horizontal layers; these layers are called horizons. They
range from rich, organic upper layers (humus and topsoil) to underlying rocky
layers (subsoil, regolith and bedrock).

O Horizon - The top, organic layer of soil, made up

mostly of leaf litter and humus (decomposed organic
matter).

A Horizon - The layer called topsoil; it is found

below the O horizon and above the E horizon. Seeds
germinate and plant roots grow in this dark-colored
layer. It is made up of humus (decomposed organic
matter) mixed with mineral particles.

E Horizon - This eluviation (leaching) layer is light

in color; this layer is beneath the A Horizon and
above the B Horizon. It is made up mostly of sand
and silt, having lost most of its minerals and clay as
water drips through the soil (in the process of
eluviation).
< B Horizon - Also called the subsoil - this layer is beneath the E Horizon and above the
C Horizon. It contains clay and mineral deposits (like iron, aluminum oxides, and
calcium carbonate) that it receives from layers above it when mineralized water drips
from the soil above.
C Horizon - Also called regolith: the layer beneath the B Horizon and above the R
Horizon. It consists of slightly broken-up bedrock. Plant roots do not penetrate into this
layer; very little organic material is found in this layer.
R Horizon - The unweathered rock (bedrock) layer that is beneath all the other layers.

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What are the kinds of
Sandy soil – are light, warm, dry and tend to be acidic and low
in nutrients. Sandy soils are often known as light soils due to their
high proportion of sand and little clay (clay weighs more than
sand).

Clay soil – are heavy soils that benefit from high nutrients.
These soils are made of over 25 percent clay, and because of the
spaces found between clay particles, clay soils hold a high amount
of water.

Silt soil – are light and moisture retentive soils with a high
fertility rating. As silt soils compromise of medium sized particles
they are well drained and hold moisture well. As the particles are
fine, they can be easily compacted and are prone to washing away
with rain.

Peat soil – are high in organic matter and retain a large amount
of moisture. This type of soil is very rarely found in a garden and
often imported into a garden to provide an optimum soil base for
planting.

Chalk soil – can be either light or heavy but always highly

alkaline due to the calcium carbonate or lime within its structure.

Loam soil – are a mixture of sand, silt and clay that are
combined to avoid the negative effects of each type. Depending on
their predominant composition they can be either sandy or clay
loam. As the soils are a perfect balance of soil particles, they’re
considered as the gardener’s best friend.

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o
What are the uses of soil?

Agriculture
Soil has vital nutrients for plants. As a result, it is used in agriculture to nourish
plants. The roots of a plant receive nutrients from the soil to help it grow. The
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services notes that 13
essential plant nutrients come from the soil.

Building
Soil is an important part of the building process. Soil compaction, which increases
the density of the soil, is done as part of the building process. The purpose of the
compaction is to improve the load support. If not done, structural failure can result.
Soil can also be used as building materials such as adobe and red bricks.

Pottery
Clay soil is used in making ceramics, or pottery. When water is added to clay soil,
it can be used to create the ceramics. Once formed, you can leave it to dry and it
will retain its shape. Any type of ceramic can be created with the clay soil, such as
a vase, bowl, cup or sculpture.

Medicine
Soil is commonly used in antibiotics. Microbes created in the soil are harmful to
bacteria, which is why soil is used in medicine. Medicines created by soil include
skin ointments, tuberculosis drugs and anti-tumor drugs.

Beauty Products
Some beauty products are made with soil. Commonly used beauty products where
used soil is used in the production include blush and foundation. Soil rich in clay
can also be used in facial masks and toothpastes.

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