Four Layers of Soil
- Submitted by: Darlene
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- Category: Science
- Date Submitted: 02/06/2015 08:03 PM
- Pages: 3
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FOUR LAYERS OF SOIL
Soil is made up of distinct layers, called horizons. Each layer has its own characteristics that make it different from all of the other layers. These characteristics play a very important role in what the soil is used for and why it is important.
O HORIZON- This is the top layer of soil that is made up of living and decomposed materials like leaves, plants, and bugs. This layer is very thin and is usually pretty dark.
A HORIZON- This is the layer that we call "topsoil" and it is located just below the O Horizon. This layer is made up of minerals and decomposed organic matter and it is also very dark in color. This is the layer that many plants roots grow in.
B HORIZON- This is the layer that we call "subsoil" and it is located just below the A Horizon. This layer has clay and mineral deposits and less organic materials than the layers above it. This layer is also lighter in color than the layers above it.
C HORIZON- This is the layer that we call "regolith" and it is located just below the B Horizon. This layer is made up of slightly unbroken rock and only a little bit of organic material is found here. Plant roots are not found in this layer.
Soil Profile
The soil profile is one of the most important concepts in soil science. It is a key to understanding the processes that have taken in soil development and is the means of determining the types of soil that occur and is the basis for their classification. The soil profile is defined as a vertical section of the soil from the ground surface downwards to where the soil meets the underlying rock. The soil profile can be as little as 10 cm thick in immature soils and as deep as several metres in tropical areas where the climate is conducive to rapid alteration of the underlying rock to form soil. In temperate areas, the soil profile is often around a metre deep and in arid areas somewhat shallower than this.
Virtually all soil profiles are composed of a number of distinctive layers, termed...
Soil is made up of distinct layers, called horizons. Each layer has its own characteristics that make it different from all of the other layers. These characteristics play a very important role in what the soil is used for and why it is important.
O HORIZON- This is the top layer of soil that is made up of living and decomposed materials like leaves, plants, and bugs. This layer is very thin and is usually pretty dark.
A HORIZON- This is the layer that we call "topsoil" and it is located just below the O Horizon. This layer is made up of minerals and decomposed organic matter and it is also very dark in color. This is the layer that many plants roots grow in.
B HORIZON- This is the layer that we call "subsoil" and it is located just below the A Horizon. This layer has clay and mineral deposits and less organic materials than the layers above it. This layer is also lighter in color than the layers above it.
C HORIZON- This is the layer that we call "regolith" and it is located just below the B Horizon. This layer is made up of slightly unbroken rock and only a little bit of organic material is found here. Plant roots are not found in this layer.
Soil Profile
The soil profile is one of the most important concepts in soil science. It is a key to understanding the processes that have taken in soil development and is the means of determining the types of soil that occur and is the basis for their classification. The soil profile is defined as a vertical section of the soil from the ground surface downwards to where the soil meets the underlying rock. The soil profile can be as little as 10 cm thick in immature soils and as deep as several metres in tropical areas where the climate is conducive to rapid alteration of the underlying rock to form soil. In temperate areas, the soil profile is often around a metre deep and in arid areas somewhat shallower than this.
Virtually all soil profiles are composed of a number of distinctive layers, termed...