Soil Resources PDF

Soil Resources Learning Objectives At the end of the lesson, I should be able to: describe the unique properties, characteristics, and types of soil; give ways of conserving and protecting the soil for future generations, and create a terrarium that visually represents the layers...

Soil Resources Learning Objectives At the end of the lesson, I should be able to: describe the unique properties, characteristics, and types of soil; give ways of conserving and protecting the soil for future generations, and create a terrarium that visually represents the layers of soil. Performance Task #2: TERRARIUM No Soil, No Life! Not a new idea: ‘Essentially, all life depends upon the soil... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.’ -Charles E. Kellogg In other words… ….life above ground depends on the life below ground! What is a SOIL? 1. SOIL “SKIN OF THE EARTH” It is unconsolidated regolith modified over time by water, air, and organic material. Regoliths are the fragments of rock or mineral fragments. Soil components 1. SOIL 1 Edaphology is concerned with how soil influences organisms especially plants. Pedology involves the study of soil as a geologic 2 entity, meaning, its formation, classification, chemistry, and morphology. Why is soil considered to be such an integrator of Earth subsystems? Learn about it! Learn about it!  3. Major Soil Components Learn about it! Soil contains four major components; inorganic minerals, soil water, soil air, and organic matter. INORGANIC MINERALS Soils contain varying amount of insoluble materials - rock fragments and minerals that are not readily dissolve in water. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sodium, potassium, zinc, copper, iodine, and compounds of these elements are important in soils. Plants need a variety of chemical substances for growth and Ratios in fertile soil productivity potential. Major Soil Components Learn about it! SOIL WATER Soil water is both an ingredient and a catalyst for chemical reactions that sustain life and influence in soil development. As water moves through the soil, it washes over and through various soil components, dissolving some of these materials and carrying them through the soil. Ratios in fertile soil Leaching occurs as excess water removes water- soluble nutrients out of the soil, by runoff or drainage. Major Soil Components Learn about it! Ratios in fertile soil Major Soil Components Learn about it! ORGANIC MATTER The decayed remains of plant and animal materials, partially transformed by bacterial action, are collectively called humus. Humus supplies a soil with nutrients and minerals and provides an abundant food source for microscopic soil organism. Ratios in fertile soil What symbiotic relationship is associated between Learn about it! mycorrhizal fungi and plants? Mycorrhizae are symbiotic relationships that form between fungi and plants. The fungi colonize the root system of a host plant, providing increased water and nutrient absorption capabilities while the plant provides the fungus with carbohydrates formed from photosynthesis. Learn about it! Learn about it! Learn about it! 4. Soil differ because of where and how they are formed. Five major factors interact to create different types of soil. CLIMATE TOPOGRAPHY TIME PARENT ORGANISMS MATERIAL Pedogenesis can be defined as the process of soil development. 1. PARENT MATERIAL Every soil “inherits” traits Sandy soils are from the parent material derived from sandstone. from which it formed. It affects the rate of soil Soils formed on limestones are less erosion. erodible than the soils on basalts. It also dictates the chemical properties of the resulting soil to a large degree.  2. CLIMATE Temperature and precipitation are the two major climatic components. The warmer the temperature, the faster reactions occur. Precipitation affects the rate of leaching and plant growth, which directly influences a soils organic content and fertility.  Plants root, animals burrow, 3. ORGANISMS and bacteria – these and other organisms speed up the breakdown of large soil particles into smaller ones. Sources: https://capitalscoalition.org/one-teaspoon-of-soil- contains-more-living-organisms-than-there-are- people-in-the-world/ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=28527765 4331803&set=a.116999501159620  4. TOPOGRAPHY/RELIEF Slope: The rise or fall of the land surface is called slope. When the soil is steep (rising or falling sharply, almost 90° angle), it can be eroded easily and loss the topsoil. As a result, it becomes thinner.  4. TOPOGRAPHY/RELIEF Aspect: Aspect is the direction of the slope faces relative to the Sun. If the aspect is to the Sun, the soil will face high temperature that causes water loss from the soil.  5. TIME As soil ages, it starts to look different from its parent material. Components are added and lost. Some move from place to place within the soil. And some components are totally changed, or transformed. A soil scientist’s rule of thumb is that it takes about 500 years to form 2.5 cm (1 in.) of topsoil.  Learn about it! Factors that Affect Soil Formation 1 Parent Material or the type of rock eroded 4 Organisms and their activities affect formation 2 Time affects soil quality 5 Topography Climate 3 affects rates of weathering or the land surface  5. Layers of Soil Soil-forming processes operate downward, and at different depths. This results in the formation of various layers of soil and each layer is called a soil horizon. Soil profile is the vertical sequence of all the soil horizons. A typical soil profile has O, A, E, B, C, and R horizons. Note that not all horizons are present in all soil profiles. O HORIZON It is composed of organic materials such as plant litter and loose leaves on top and decomposed or humus layer at the bottom.  A HORIZON ❑ TOPSOIL ❑ It is the layer composed of mineral matter mixed with up to 30% humus. This horizon, together with the O horizon, makes up the topsoil. This is where plants and other organisms live. ❑ EVULIATION ZONE ❑ It is a light coloured, leached (washed down or eluviated due to rainwater from ‘A’ level) horizon. Mainly it contains silicates.  B HORIZON ❑ SUBSOIL ❑ This layer has clay and mineral deposits and less organic materials (humus) and more amount of minerals than the layers above it. ❑ This is also often referred to as the zone of accumulation.  C HORIZON ❑ REGOLITH ❑ It is made up of small lumps of rocks with cracks and crevices. A little bit of organic material is found here. Plant roots are not found in this layer. The layer also referred as parent material layer.  R HORIZON ❑ BEDROCK ❑ It denotes the layer of partially weathered or unweathered bedrock at the base of the soil profile. Unlike the above layers, R horizons largely comprise continuous masses of hard rock that cannot be excavated by hand. OA, EBa Ca Rin, Dzai! SOIL TYPES Soils are not uniform but rather are composed of different particles that vary in sizes.  Learn about it! Soil Texture Soil texture is a basic property which strongly influences the ability of soil to retain and transmit air and water. Different soil types SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM  Sandy Soil ❖ It is also known as the “light soil”. It has a low nutrient content since water in these soils drain too rapidly and dry out quickly. It warms very fast during spring and dry out during summer. These soils are also acidic. Uses: Construction, drainage and planting some vegetables. SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM  Clay Soil ❖ It holds high amount of water and has rich in mineral content. These soils are sticky when moistened and can be molded. It also compact easily making it difficult for plant roots to grow. USES: Ceramics and pottery, medicinal, and construction Clay Soil SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM  Silty Soil ❖ It has high nutrient content and promote water retention and air circulation. These soils are smaller than sand and larger than clay. It often more fertile than other types of soil. It is commonly used for gardening. SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM Peat Soil SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM SANDY CLAY SILTY PEAT CHALKY LOAM Soil Resources in the Philippines The Republic of the Philippines is consists of 7, 641 islands. Link source: https://www.slideshare.net/CarissaYap2/philippine-natural-resourcespptx Link source: https://www.slideshare.net/CarissaYap2/philippine-natural-resourcespptx Soil Degradation Soil degradation is the physical, chemical and biological decline in soil quality. It can be the loss of organic matter, decline in soil fertility, and structural condition, erosion, adverse changes in salinity, acidity or alkalinity, and the effects of toxic chemicals, pollutants or excessive flooding. Major Land Degradation Issues 1. Reduction of forest vegetation due to socio-economic driving forces and consequent soil erosion by water, decline of biodiversity and wildlife, reduced water yield by the watershed, and increased flooding incidences. Major Land Degradation Issues 2. Declining land productivity (soil fertility decline and loss of organic matter. Major Land Degradation Issues 3. Loss of bio- productive functions of the ecosystems due to other activities (land use conversion). Major Land Degradation Issues 4. Impacts of biodiversity degradation in terms of increased incidence of pests and diseases, loss of natural predators (biological control), and reported presence of invasive species. AZOLLA Methods for Soil Conservation 1. Provide technical assistance to upland and sloping land farmers on appropriate farming technologies that improve soil fertility and prevent soil erosion. Normally, a joint project with the local government unit or the academe. Small Water Impounding project Cloud seeding operations to alleviate impacts of prolonged drought on standing crops Methods for Soil Conservation 2. Afforestation: Soil can be preserved by expanding the area covered by forests. Improving plant life can also prevent soil erosion, leading to water infiltration and estabilising the soil. Methods for Soil Conservation 3. Contour ploughing: To slow down water runoff and lessen soil erosion, plough along the land’s contours rather than up and down slopes. This technique makes ridges and furrows, which serve as barriers to keep soil from washing away. Methods for Soil Conservation 4. Windbreaks: By slowing the wind and forming a barrier that protects the soil, planting rows of trees or shrubs as windbreaks can help reduce wind erosion. Methods for Soil Conservation 5. Conservation tillage: Minimizing soil disturbance during planting and cultivation is known as conservation tillage. So, this technique aids in keeping crop residues on the soil’s surface, which prevents erosion and strengthens the soil. Methods for Soil Conservation 5. Conservation tillage: Minimizing soil disturbance during planting and cultivation is known as conservation tillage. So, this technique aids in keeping crop residues on the soil’s surface, which prevents erosion and strengthens the soil. Methods for Soil Conservation 6. Cover crops: When the primary crop is not actively growing, cover crops like legumes or grasses can be planted to prevent soil erosion. Cover crops add organic matter, enhance soil structure, and keep the soil in place. Methods for Soil Conservation 7. Crop rotation: Rotating different crops can improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and break the cycles of disease and pest infestation on the same piece of land. Methods for Soil Conservation 8. Strip cropping: It alternates strips of closely sown crops such as hay, wheat, or other small grains with strips of row crops, such as corn, soybeans, cotton, or sugar beets. Strip cropping helps to stop soil erosion by creating natural dams for water, helping to preserve the strength of the soil. Methods for Soil Conservation 9. Checking overgrazing: Overgrazing may lead to soil erosion and depletion. A land area may benefit from fewer grazing animals to prevent soil deterioration.  "We cannot all be doctors; someone has to till the soil." José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda