You may not have thought much about soil if you don’t have green fingers. I can assure you that soil is fascinating. It is a complex mixture of air, water, minerals, and the decaying remains of many organisms that were once living. It is the Earth’s skin and absolutely essential to support life on our planet.
The soil has many important functions within all ecosystems, and its job description is impressive:
- Most of the water on land is absorbed, released and purified by soil
- All plant life is supported by soil
- Absorbs and emits gases to modify the atmosphere
- It is a habitat for many animals that live there, as well as bacteria and fungi
- Useful as a construction tool to build foundations, roads and other types of construction
- It is a good recycler of nutrients, allowing them to be reused over and over.
Three main soil types exist: clay, loamy, and sandy. The most fertile soils are loams, which are a combination of clay, silt and sand. This amazing substance contains a billion organisms including worms and mites. It also contains fungi, tens thousands of bacteria, and even fungi.
It is not uncommon for soil to be threatened by human practices, such as intensive farming, chemical use, and pollution of the air, water, or land. All of these things will have an impact on the soil, and the ecosystem it supports. Man-made waste is the main cause of soil contamination. It is filled with chemicals that are not found in nature. For a Soil Remediation Service, visit https://soilfix.co.uk/services/groundwater-soil-remediation-services
In science, soil is classified into layers that descend from the surface to bedrock. This is known as a soil profile. Each layer is called a horizon.