Types of soils

types of soils that exist

In the different ecosystems of our planet there are numerous types of soils that depend on environmental conditions such as climate, vegetation, rainfall, wind regime and the five factors that form the soil: climate, parent rock, relief, time and organisms that live in it.

In this article we are going to tell you about the different types of soils that exist, their characteristics and importance.

Soil definition and components

types of soils

The soil is the biologically active surface part of the earth's crust, resulting from the disintegration of rocks or physical and chemical changes and the remnants of biological activities that settle on it.

As mentioned above, each region of the world has different types of soil. This is because the soil formation factors change throughout the space. For example, the climate of the whole earth is different, the terrain is different, the creatures that live in it are also different, etc. So the soil slowly and gradually changes its structure as we go through different ecosystems.

Soil is made up of various components such as rock, sand, clay, humus (decomposing organic matter), minerals, and other elements in varying proportions. We can classify the composition of the soil in:

  • inorganic substances like sand, clay, water and air, yeah
  • Organic materialsuch as plant and animal remains.

Humus is all the decomposed organic matter that makes the soil fertile. From dry leaves to insect carcasses, they are part of the soil humus. This is found in the upper layers, and together with some minerals, it turns yellow-black, which gives it a high degree of fertility.

soil properties

pastureland

Soils vary in their physical, chemical, and biological properties.

Physical properties

Texture determines the proportion of mineral particles of various sizes present in the soil. Structure is the way soil particles come together to form aggregates. Density affects the distribution of vegetation. Dense soils are able to support more vegetation. Temperature also affects the distribution of vegetation, especially in height. The color depends on its composition and changes with the moisture content of the soil.

Chemical properties

  • Exchange Capacity: It is the ability of the soil to exchange clay and humus, which provide nutrients to plants by absorbing mineral particles.
  • Fertility: is the amount of nutrients available to plants.
  • pH: The acidity, neutrality or alkalinity of the soil. Later we will see how to change the pH of the soil.

biological properties

Here we can find the types of organisms that live in it, including bacteria, fungi and other animals. Animals also perform their functions on the ground, depending on their diet, activity, size, etc.

Types of soils

andosol

The type of rock from which the soil originated, the topographical features of the area, weather, climate, and organisms that inhabit it are the five main factors that determine the type of soil.

Based on these soil-forming factors, we distribute these types of soils throughout the world:

Sandy ground

As the name suggests, sandy soils are formed primarily from sand. This type of structure, due to its high porosity and low aggregation, does not retain moisture, which translates into its low organic content. Therefore, this soil is poor and not suitable for planting on it.

limestone floor

These soils contain large amounts of calcium salts. They are usually white, dry and arid. The type of rock that abounds in these soils is limestone. So resistant that it does not allow agriculture because the plants do not absorb nutrients very well.

Wet floor

These soils are also called black soils because they are rich in decaying organic matter, which stains the soil black. It is dark in color and retains a lot of water, making it ideal for agriculture.

Clays

These are mostly clay, fine-grained, and yellowish in color. This type of soil retains water by forming puddles and can be suitable for agriculture if mixed with humus.

rocky ground

As its name suggests, they are full of rocks and stones of all sizes. Since it does not have enough porosity or permeability, it does not retain moisture well. Therefore, it is not suitable for agriculture.

mixed floor

They are soils between sand and clay, that is, two types of soils.

How to change soil pH

Sometimes our soils are too acidic or alkaline to support the vegetation and/or crops we want to grow.

When we want to change the pH of an alkaline soil to make it more acidic, we can use the following methods:

  • Powdered sulfur: slow effect (6 to 8 months), but more used because it is very cheap. Add 150 to 250g/m2 and mix with the soil and measure the pH from time to time.
  • Ferric Sulfate: It has a faster effect than sulfur, but it is necessary to measure the pH because we can reduce it to an unnecessary level. The dose to lower the pH by 1 degree is 4 grams of ferric sulfate per liter of water.
  • Golden Peat: Its pH is very acidic (3,5). We have to dump 10.000-30.000 kg/ha.
  • On the other hand, if we want to change the pH of an acidic soil to make it more alkaline, we have to use:
  • ground limestone: You have to spread it and mix it with the earth.
  • calcium water: It is strongly recommended to raise the pH only in small corners.

In any case, we have to measure the pH, because if we grow acidic plants (Japanese maple, camellia, etc.) and raise the pH above 6, they will immediately show signs of iron deficiency chlorosis, for example.

soil importance

Soils are very important throughout the world and are degrading due to the constant pressure that humans put on them. It supports the world's crops, plantations and forests and is the foundation of all terrestrial ecosystems.

In addition, it interferes with the water cycle and the cycle of the elements. Much of the transformation of energy and matter in the ecosystem is found in the soil. This is where plants grow and animals move.

urbanization of cities has deprived them of land and they are increasingly degraded by persistent forest fires and pollution. Because soil regenerates very slowly, it must be considered a non-renewable and increasingly scarce resource. Human beings obtain most of their food not only from the soil, but also from fiber, wood, and other raw materials.

Finally, due to the abundance of vegetation, they help soften the climate and facilitate the presence of water currents.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the different types of soils that exist and their characteristics.


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