Soil

Soil is primarily made of minerals that result from the weathering of rocks, along with organic matter derived from decaying plants and animals. These minerals provide essential nutrients for plant growth, while the organic matter adds fertility and improves soil structure.

Urine contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium which are essential nutrients for plants. When urine is applied to soil, these nutrients can help improve soil fertility and promote plant growth. Additionally, urine can increase soil microbial activity, which helps break down organic matter and release additional nutrients for plants.

Certain plants grow well with certain levels of nutrients. Too high of a pH can actually be bad for most plants because this means there is too much acid in your soil. For one, it can cause your soil to erode, but it can also prevent your plants from reaching their full potential.

They have moist skin to breath

They have streamlined body to move easily underground

And much more but I can't be bothered to say lol :L

Answered by a 12 yr old at Grammar School

Adding a layer of pea gravel beneath topsoil and sod may improve drainage to some extent, but it's not a guaranteed solution. To address drainage issues effectively, it's essential to assess the underlying causes, such as compacted soil or improper grading, and address them accordingly. Consider consulting a landscaping professional for a tailored solution based on your specific situation.

Soil texture can change over time due to natural processes like weathering, erosion, and deposition. However, human activities such as agriculture, construction, and mining can also lead to changes in soil texture. These changes can affect the fertility and structure of the soil, impacting its ability to support plant growth.

Yes, alluvial soils are found in the Mississippi Valley.

The four brood processes of soil genesis are addition (inputs of materials to the soil), losses (outputs of materials from the soil), transformation (changes in soil material properties), and translocation (movement of materials within the soil profile).

Rhododendrons help protect the soil, but they are not heavy feeders and do not change the soil much. Their leaves help build up the richness of the soil after they fall off. Rhododendrons have very shallow roots, so the leaf litter on the ground is important to protect these shallow roots from heat, cold, sun, drought, and sudden temperature changes. That is why in cultivation, they do best when they are mulched.

Soil can be damaged or lost through erosion, which occurs when wind or water carries away the top layer of soil. Soil can also be degraded by chemical pollution from fertilizers or industrial runoff. Lastly, soil can be lost through deforestation, which removes vegetation that helps to protect and maintain the soil structure.

Sand tends to soak up water better than dirt because sand particles are larger and more porous, allowing water to flow through and be absorbed more effectively. Dirt, on the other hand, may have more compacted particles that can hinder water absorption.

Yes, soil compaction can result in increased flooding for an area as it reduces the soil's ability to absorb water, leading to more surface runoff. Compacted soil has poor infiltration rates, which can cause water to accumulate on the surface and increase the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall events.

Soil color has absolutely no influence on the rate at which water can pass through it.

Red soils are red because a microscopically thin layer of an iron oxide coats the mineral soil particles. If the Fe oxide coating is on sand particles, water will pass through it quickly. If the Fe oxide coating is on silt or clay particles, water will pass through it more slowly, unless the soil has favorable structure.

Take a sample of the red soil and wet it. If you can mold it and work it with your fingers to any extent, it has some clay in it. If it can be molded like modeling clay, it has a lot of clay in it.

Similarities: Both sand and loam soils contain mineral particles from weathered rocks. They both support plant growth by providing a medium for roots to anchor and access nutrients.

Differences: Sand soil has larger, coarser particles which drain water quickly and have low nutrient content, making it less fertile than loam soil. Loam soil, on the other hand, is a mix of sand, silt, and clay particles, offering good drainage, moisture retention, and nutrient content, making it ideal for plant growth.

Soil usually draws most of its mineral content from the weathering of rocks and minerals present in its vicinity. As rocks break down into smaller particles, they release minerals that become part of the soil composition. Additionally, organic matter, such as decaying plants and animals, can also contribute essential minerals to the soil.

Water would typically drain away faster through sandy soil compared to clay soil. This is because clay soil has smaller pore spaces that restrict water movement, whereas sandy soil has larger pore spaces that allow water to drain more easily.

Not that I've heard.

Many hydrangea strains will have different flower colors, depending on the aluminum content of the soil. When there is available aluminum, the flowers will be blue. When there is no available aluminum, they'll be pink. This doesn't work for white hydrangeas.

You can add aluminum sulfate, which is available at most garden centers, to turn pink flowers blue. In order to turn blue flowers pink, raise the soil pH by adding a liming material, and the aluminum will form insoluble compounds and no longer be available to the plants.

This is an interesting question, but not for the reasons you might think. The issue might be why any farmer might wish to improve the fertility of his soil - the answer to which is obvious: because without action on his or her part, the soil is relatively unproductive, and action to improve the fertility makes the crops grow better. But the question contains two important words: need, and artificially.

Dealing with "artificially" first, the word could simply mean to improve the fertility by adding something to it, which could include, for example, straw or manure. But more likely, it means increasing fertility by adding chemicals. Then the answer to the question might be "because the soil is deficient in an important element such as biologically active nitrogen, potassium or phosphorous".

The word "need" is interesting because it might suggest that the farmer is forced by some external agency to try to improve soil fertility. The answer to the question might then be "because unless the yield is big enough he will default on his bank loan and the bank will repossess the farm". Or perhaps "because decades of misuse of the soil has reduced its natural fertility to the point where additional chemicals are needed."

It's important to frame the question correctly!

Soil particles carried by water or wind can contribute to soil building by helping to transport nutrients and organic matter to new areas, aiding in the redistribution and mixing of soil components. Additionally, the deposition of these particles can lead to the formation of new soil layers or the enrichment of existing soils with minerals and organic material. Over time, this process helps to enhance soil fertility and structure, supporting plant growth and ecosystem development.

• Degradation of land includes soil erosion, salinization, nutrient depletion, and desertification. The rate of degradation has increased dramatically with growth in human populations and technology.
• Severe land damage accompanies large scale agriculture. Restoration is very problematical.
• Continued loss of arable land will jeopardize our ability to feed the world population.
• Land degradation is worldwide - both developed and developing countries.

Land degradation is not a good indication for the future because it can lead to decreased agricultural productivity, loss of biodiversity, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters like floods and droughts. This can result in food insecurity, habitat destruction, and economic hardship for communities that rely on the land for their livelihoods. It also threatens the long-term sustainability of ecosystems and the services they provide.

We tend to increase soil salinity on irrigated land.

Irrigation water contains some dissolved solids. When water is lost from the soil through evaporation and evapotranspiration, those salts are left behind. Over the years they can build up to the point where plants can't grow in the soil anymore, unless the farmer occasionally irrigates enough to leach the salts out of the root zone.

Field capacity is the maximum amount of water that soil can hold against the force of gravity after excess water has drained away. It represents the water content in soil that is available to plants for uptake. At field capacity, the soil is typically at its optimal moisture level for plant growth.