Shiloh Frederick 4r29

Biology Assignment- Soil

Monday 11th, October, 2021
Biology for CSEC page 17 (#2-6)
2. Name the three main soil types and give two general characteristics of each.
The three main types of soil and two general characteristics of each are:
Clay soil
 This soil is made up of very small rock particles.
 Water takes a long time to seep through the soil and is composed of small particles
which do not leave much space for air.

Sandy soil

 Sandy soil has fairly large particles with large pores or spaces between them for air and
water, so it drains quickly.
 This sand has very little organic matter. Sandy soil do not hold or retain water very well and
as a result, it is not good for growing most plants.
Loam/Silt soil

 This soil is made up of a mixture of large and small rock particles and organic material.
 It has enough space for air and water drains through it quickly.

3. What is humus and how does it get into soil?

Humus, is decomposed organic matter that is formed from decayed plants and animals by soil
microorganisms. When plants drop twigs, leaves and other material on the ground, it piles up. This
material is called leaf litter. When animals die, their remains add to the litter. Over time, all this
litter decomposes and forms what is known as humus.

4. What soil type contains the most humus?

Loamy soil is the type of soil which is richest in humus content.
5. Give four reasons why organic material is good for the soil.
 Organic material is good for the soil because it provides it with nutrients that plants
need as well as, food for small organisms.
 Organic material increases the soil health and its fertility and as a result, positively
impacts plant growth because of the presence of various nutrients like carbon and
nitrogen.
 Organic material also assists in the improvement of the soil structure, so that it is
not too compact or loose to hold plant roots.
 Humus also helps the soil retain moisture by creating void spaces in the compost
and increases water retention.

6. Sandy soils have large particles and large air spaces. How does it affect:
a) The way the soil holds water.
 As a result of sandy soils possessing large particles and large air spaces water
does not hold water well.
b) How well water drains through the soil.
 In sandy soil water drains quickly through the soil because of the large
particles and air spaces which give no compaction and the soil is left very
loose, so water drains very well through sandy soil.
c) How well plants grow in dry and wet seasons.
 Since sandy soils contain large particles and air spaces, plants grow poorly in
the dry season because nutrients and water are two necessities for plants to
grow in sandy soils and because that lacks in the dry season plants don’t
grow very well. Also since sandy soils have large air spaces water isn’t
retained very well and water is necessary for plants to grow.
  Plants in sandy soil grow fairly well in the wet season because water is
greatly available and since air spaces are large, the soil is filled with required
air which is a necessity to grow and survive.
d) How easy it is for roots to penetrate the soil.
 It is easy for roots to penetrate through the soil because of its large air spaces
giving the roots total freedom to penetrate through. Since this soil is not
greatly compacted, soil penetration is relatively easy.
e) The amount of air in the soil.
 Sandy soil has large air spaces and as a result the amount of air in the soil is
positively impacted because sandy soil may contain high amounts of air, so
that organic matter can be broken down.
f) The ways in which people cultivate the soil?
 People must formulate specific cultivation techniques when dealing with this
soil in order for plants to grow, as result of its large rock and air particles.
They must ensure that a decent amount of organic matter is added to the soil
so that it may retain water and keep the plant’s roots in place.