I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in

my career. I’ve lost almost 300

games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted
to take the game-winning shot and
missed. I’ve failed over and over
again in my life. And that is why I
succeed.
-Michael Jordan
PEDOSPHERE
“The living skin of Earth which is the sum total of all the organisms, soils, water and air.”
The Components of Soil
Soil Formation
Soil forms when rock weathers.
Weathering, or the breakdown of rocks
may result from a chemical or physical
change.
Soil formation may be a slow or a rapid
process, depending on the factors at
play.
Factors that affect soil Formation

Composition of the parent material

Climate
Topography
Biological Factors
Time
Parent Material
The parent or source material is a material
that is important in soil formation because
its chemistry and type will determine the
kind of soil that will be formed along with
the effects of the other factors.
Soils formed on site through the
weathering of the underlying rock are
called residual soils.
CLIMATE
Temperature, rainfall and moisture affects
the pattern and intensity of soil – forming
processes such as weathering, leaching,
transportation and distribution.
Climate also affects the type of
organisms, biological activity, and rates of
chemical reactions. Thus, soil types vary
depending on climate.
Topography

The gradient of the slope

affects water flow and
erosion.
Biological Factors

Organisms such as plants,

animals, microorganisms
and humans affect soil
formation.
Time
The formation of soil is a long and
continuous process which may take
hundreds or thousands of years
depending on the climate and
environment.
 Soil Texture
Is defined as the relative proportion of the
particle sizes in the soil – (sand, silt and clay)
Clay - <0.002mm
Silt – 0.002-0.005mm
Sand – 0.005-2.00mm
(Particles larger than the coarse-grained sand
are called gravel and rock if they are
>75.00mm).
 The proportion of clay, silt and sand
are plotted in the soil textural triangle
to determine its soil type based on
particle size. The ideal soil for
agricultural use is LOAM. Loam
provides good aeration and drainage
properties of large particles with
nutrient-retention and water-holding
abilities of clay particles.
 Soil Profile
Soil formation is a gradual process which
involves the development of a succession
of zones or soil horizons.
Each horizon has a distinct set of
physical, chemical, and biological
characteristics.
 The sequence of soil horizons form the
surface down to the underlying bedrock
is called a soil profile.
Soil Profile
The surface horizon (A) is composed of mineral matter
mixed with some dark organic humus. The subsoil (B) is the
accumulated clay and other nutrients from the layers
above it. The substratum (C) is composed of partially
altered parent material. Some soils have an organic horizon
(O) on the surface, composed of loose or partly decayed
organic matter. Some have horizon (E) that is characterized
by a significant loss of minerals (eluviation) and leaching.
The hard bedrock, which is not soil, uses the letter (R) while
the layer of loose, heterogeneous, superficial material
covering the bedrock is collectively called regolith.
Soil Orders
The most general level of classification is the soil
order consisting of 12 types.
1. Gelisols — Frozen soils found in the coldest regions on
Earth
2. Histosols — High organic content and wet
3. Spondosols — Sandy and acidic soils found in moist
climates that often support dense forests
4. Andisols — Co osed of volcanic ash
5. Oxisols — Very weathered and common in tropical
climates
6. Vertisols --- Claylike soils that shrink and swell
The most general level of classification is
the soil order consisting of 12 types.

7.Aridisols - Very dry soils in arid regions

8.Ultisols --- Weathered soils
9.Mollisols - Deep and fertile soils
10.Alfisols - Moderately weathered productive
soils found in temperate and humid regions
11.Inceptisols --- Slightly developed, young soils
found on steep slopes and mountain ranges
12.Entisols Newly-formed soils found in steep
rocky lands
Soil and Soil Quality

Soil is not dirt – it

is a resource.
Soil Services
1.Arable land for agriculture
2.Regulating water and filtering
potential pollutants
3.Nutrient cycling
4.Foundation and support
5.Mineral deposits
How human activities degrade soil quality

Soil is a nonrenewable, finite

resource which is generally not
recoverable within a human
lifespan.
 How human activities degrade soil quality

The Food and Agriculture Organization of

the United Nations (UN FAO) define soil
degradation as a change in the soil
health status resulting in a diminished
capacity of the ecosystem to provide
goods and services for its beneficiaries.
Degraded soils cannot provide the
goods and services required by its
ecosystem.
How human activities degrade soil quality

Soil erosion - refers to absolute soil losses in

terms of topsoil and nutrients. It is indeed the
most visible effect of soil degradation. Soil
erosion is a natural process but is often
made much worse by poor management
practices.
How human activities degrade soil quality

Soil compaction - reduces the amount

of air, water, and space available to
roots and soil organisms. An example of
compaction is caused by repeated
traffic or traveling on wet soil.
 How human activities degrade soil quality

Desertification - is the irreversible change of

the land to such a state where it can no
longer be recovered for its original use. It is
characterized by droughts and arid
conditions as a rate result of human
activities and exploitation. Desertification is a
major threat to world soils and currently
affects about one-sixth of the world's
population and a quarter of the world's
land.
 How human activities degrade soil quality
Intensive agriculture - has been increasing since the
1960s in an effort to feed the world population more
efficiently. However, this intensification of agriculture
has led to the use of more and heavier machinery,
deforestation, and clearing of land for use in
cultivation. As a consequence, these activities led to
the loss of organic matter, soil compaction, and
damage to soil physical properties. The over-
application of nutrients with fertilizers and pesticides led
to contaminated soil and water supplies leading to the
further loss of soil fauna and flora which are an essential
parts of a healthy soil.
 How human activities degrade soil quality

Urbanization - or the increasing population has led

to the conversion of land to urban centers which
are generally characterized by concrete
structures, roads, and pavements. These concrete
structures represent a significant loss of soil,
particularly because this loss becomes more or less
permanent as soil is sealed with concrete. Such
sealing hinders the soil's interaction with the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere which
affects nutrient cycling and other soil services.
According to the UN FAO, 33% of
global soil is moderately to highly
degraded through erosion, salinization,
compaction, acidification, chemical
pollution, and nutrient depletion which
hamper soil functions and limit food
production.
Conservation of Soil Resource

Increasing soil organic matter

Keeping the soil covered and
vegetated
Avoiding excessive tillage
Manage pests and nutrient efficiently
Promoting crop rotation
Reducing erosion and preventing soil
compaction