1. JSS MAHAVIDYAPEETHA MYSORE 04
JSS INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, SAKALESHPUR
Topic- SOIL
Submitted by
Mamatha B L
1st Year teacher trainee
2nd semester
JSS Institute of Education,
Sakaleshpur
3. INTRODUCTION
• Soil is a renewable resource like water.
• Soil provides salts and water required for the plants to prepare
their food.
• The food prepared by the plants is the food of all animals living
on the earth.
• Soil is necessary for the natural growth of plants.
• Soil is very important in the life of all the animals on the earth.
4. TOP SOIL AND IT'S IMPORTANCE
Leaves and logs of trees and dead bodies of animals decompose and get
mixed with the upper layer of the soil. Hence the upper layer of soil is Rich
in humus and minerals. These layers supporting the plant life are known as
Top Soil.
The top soil is not just a non-living medium. Instead it contains a wide
variety of organisms. Some of them decompose dead bodies of organisms.
Thus, they add salts to the soil and make it supportive to the plants.
The top soil provides nutrients to plants. It also provides water to the
plants. If the top soil is lost, the plants cannot survive.
5. SOIL EROSION
The lose of fertility of the top soil or the removel of the top soil
itself is called SOIL EROSION.
Reasons for soil erosion:-
• Strong wind
• Fast flowing water
• Deforestation
• Over grazing.
6. Soil conservation:-
Soil is very important for the growth of plants. These plants provide
food for all other living beings. Nature takes thousands of years to form
soil on the earth. But due to the carelessness of man this soil is destroyed
with in a few years.
Protection of top soil from erosion is called SOIL CONSERVATION.
You know the different causes of soil erosion. Of these causes are
controlled,soil erosion can be controlled and the fertility of the soil can
be retained.
7. Preventive measures to check soil erotion :-
1. Afforestation
2. Construction of binds
3. Shelter belts
4. Contour farming
5. Planned grazing
6. Method of crop rotation
7. Method of mixed cropping.
8. Types of SOIL :-
You already know that the soil consists of a number of
components like powdered rock , humus, inorganic Solutes
and a number of soil organisms. You should not think that the
soil all that. Different components of soil different areas vary
in proportion. The soil in different areas is of different
colours as it contains different chemicals. Depending on the
size of soil particles and colour of the soil, soil is classified
in different ways .
9. Important ones are given below.
1. Sandy soil
2. Silty soil
3. Clay
4. Laterite (loam) soil
5. Alluvial soil
6. Loamy soil
10. 1. Sandy soil :- Sandy soil has the largest particles among the different soil
types. It is dry and gritty to touch. The soil particles have big spaces
between them. Water percolates quickly through these particles. Areation is
very good. This soil is less useful for cultivation.
2. Slity soil :- Silty soil is considered as the most fertile soil. It is present as
soil layers or as suspended sediment in the water column of a water body.
This soil has enough space for water percolation and it is aerated. This type
of soil can hold more moisture and at times become compact.
3. Clay (Black soil) :- Clay consists of very fine garin material with very
narrow or no air spaces between soil particles. Due to this, water cannot
percolate easily. So it is difficult to cultivate field with such soil as the
drainage in this soil is low. Hence , there is a possibility of water logging. As
a e
Result of this the areation in the soil is very poor.
11. 4. Laterite soil :- Laterite soil is suitable for horticultural
activities. It contains a balance is all the three soil types - silt,
sand and clay. It has higher iron and aluminum levels. Laterite soil
is Brown in colour and is mealy soft, dry and crumbly- in your
hands.
5. Alluvial soil :- Alluvial soil is very fertile and it contains
moderate quantities of humus and nutrients. This soil has good
water holding capacity and soil aeration is also good.
6. Loamy soil :- Loamy soil has a mixture of sand, clay, silt and
humus. This is also one of the types of fertile soils. Calcium is
higher in this soil. It is able to hold nutrients and water fairly well.
12. Conclusion
This is the general information about soil. Soil is natural
resource which is essential for the living beings. Top soil is upper
layer of the soil rich in minerals. Soil erosion caused various
reasons and prevent the soil erosion follow some measures.
Finally we discussed types of soil. There are 6 types of soil and
explain all types of soil briefly.
