The document defines soil as the uppermost layer of the earth's crust that supports plant growth and is essential for food and clothing. It describes various types of soil found in India, including alluvial, black, red and yellow, laterite, arid, and forest soils, along with their properties, regions, and crops grown. Furthermore, it discusses soil erosion, its causes, and preventive measures such as increasing vegetative cover and terracing.

1. Soil
S.st Holiday Home Work
2016-17

2. Soil - Definition
• Soil is the uppermost layered of the earth's crust which is
loose, fragmented and fine. It is rich in both organic and
inorganic materials and supports plant growth. It can also be
defined as a mixture of small rock particles/debris and
organic materials/ humus which develop on the earth surface
and support growth of plants.

3. Soil - Importance
Soil is an important resource because :-
It is the medium of plant growth.
It supports different types of living organisms on
earth.
Much of our requirements of Food, Clothing directly
or indirectly derived from soil.
Of all the Agriculture sources, soil is our prime source .

4. Factors for soil formations
Relief
Parent or bed rock
Climate
Vegetation and other forms of life.
Time- it provides maturity of soil
Temperature

5. Classification of soil
1. Alluvial soil
2. Black soil
3. Red and yellow soil
4. Laterite soil
5. Arid soil
6. Forest soil

6. Map - Soil types in India

7. Alluvial soil
Properties:-
 Alluvial oil have come into existence due to deposition of silt by
rivers hence, are suitable for agriculture .
 They are rich in mineral contents such as potash and phosphoric
acid .
 These soils do not develop cracks in the dry or hot season .
 New alluvium is termed as Khadar and old alluvium is termed as
Bhangar.

8. Alluvial Soil
Area / Region :-
 Northern Plains .
 Deltas of eastern coastal plains .
Crops Grown :-
 Sugarcane, Paddy, Wheat, Cereals and Pulses

9. Black Soil
Properties :-
 These soils have been derived from the weathered lava of Deccan
Trap .
 These soils are clayed, deep and impermeable .
 These soils develop cracks in the hot dry season .
 Rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate , magnesium,
potash and lime .

10. Black Soils
Area / Region :-
 Deccan Trap
 Plateaus of Maharashtra , Saurashtra , Malwa and MP
Crops Grown :-
 Cotton is the only crop which is grown in black soil .

11. Red and yellow soil
Properties :-
 Red soils develops on crystalline igneous rocks .
 These soils develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron
in crystalline and metamorphic rock .
 It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.
Seen mainly in low rainfall area.

12. Red and yellow soil
Area / Region :-
 Areas of law rainfall in the eastern and the southern part of
Deccan plateau .
It also found in parts of Orissa , Chhattisgarh , southern
parts of the middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont
zone of the Western Ghats .
Crops Grown :-
Wheat, cotton, pulses, tobacco,
oilseeds, potato etc are cultivated.

13. Laterite soil
Properties :-
Name from Latin word ‘Later’ which means Brick.
Become so soft when wet and so hard when dried.
Humus content is low.
Needs high content of manure and fertilizers .
Red color due to iron oxide.

14. Laterite Soil
Area / Region :-
It found in the areas of high temperature and high rainfall.
Karnataka , Kerala , Tamil Nadu , Madhya Pradesh .
Crops Grown :-
 Tea , Coffee And Cashew nuts .

15. Arid Soil
Properties :-
 They are sandy in texture and saline .
 Lack of moisture and Humus. High salt and calcium
content.
Kankar or Impure Calcium carbonate content is high which
restricts the infiltration of water.
Nitrogen is insufficient and Phosphate is normal.
Its color can be red to brown and sandy in texture .

16. Arid Soil
Area / Region :-
 Western Rajasthan
Crops Grown :-
 Wheat , Millets .

17. Forest Soil
Properties :-
Humus content is less and thus the soil is acidic.
Immature soil with low humus and acidic.
Loamy and silty in valley sides .
Area / Region :-
Forest of Himalayas .
 lower parts of the valleys .

18. Soil erosion
Soil erosion is one form of soil degradation. Soil erosion is a
naturally occurring process on all land. The agents of soil
erosion are water and wind, each contributing a significant
amount of soil loss each year. Soil erosion may be a slow
process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at
an alarming rate causing serious loss of topsoil. The loss of
soil from farmland may be reflected in reduced crop
production potential, lower surface water quality and
damaged drainage networks.

19. Human and Global activities that
increase soil erosion
 Agricultural practices.
 Deforestation.
 Roads and urbanization.
 Climate change.
 Land degradation.
 Sedimentation of aquatic ecosystems.
 Airborne dust pollution.

20. Strip Cropping

21. Prevention from Soil Erosion
The most effective known method for erosion prevention are
To increase vegetative cover on the land, which helps prevent
both wind and water erosion.
 Terracing is an extremely effective means of erosion control.
Windbreaks are rows of trees and shrubs that are planted
along the edges of agricultural fields, to shield the fields
against winds.
Traditional planting methods, such as mixed-cropping
and crop rotation have also been shown to significantly
reduce erosion rates.

22. Thank You
Made by :- Amit Choube
Class :- 10th “B”
Submitted to :- Mrs. Monika Rawal .