Soils: From whence all Creation Comes

ENS102

March 27, 2006

Soil was an essential component of Creation

1:1- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

1:7- And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so.

2:7- then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Soil

• ?#1. What is soil?

Soil is;

• A physical entity with real structure and characteristics

• Deserts

• Grasslands

• Tropical

• Deciduous

• Coniferous

Structure varies

?#2 How does soil structure form?

• Weathering– Chemical– Physical

• Biological action

Weathering

• Physical Weathering forms soil– Granite = igneous rock

• Feldspar

• Mica

• Quartz

Biological Action

• Primary succession

• Humification– The breakdown of detritus to humus by

detritivores

• Mineralization– The breakdown of humus to mineral soil by

decomposers

Results of Biological Action

• What do you notice about these two samples?

Soil Formation Summary

• Physical

• Biological

Soil Formation Summary

• Physical

• Biological

Soil is;• An Ecosystem

?#3 What is the function of soil?

• A water

and

nutrient retention system

Water/Nutrient Retention

• Infiltration

• Leaching– Soil texture and porosity

• Permeability

• Water holding capacity– Dry to waterlogged

– Sand to clay

• Evaporative water loss

• Aeration vs compaction

• pH

Water/Nutrient Retention

• Clay

• Silt

• Sand

Soil is;

• A link between ecosystem components

Soil is;?

• Take out a piece of paper and write a poem or a story about the structure, process, or importance of soil.

For Wed - Friday

• Wednesday - Soil Problems

• Continued data collection and analysis. If you need anything you need to let me know on Wed. as your groups are on your own in Lab on Thursday.

• Friday Read Chapter 9 and watch online video