Importance of living organisms in the formation of soil
Not all living organism play a part in soil formation, so here are the few major list of the most important ones the directly have massive impart in the process of soil formation through a process called weathering.
Worms and insects like the termite helps in breaking down and decomposition of organic matter.
Human activities on the rocks in the forms of mining, drilling and other quarry activities like making roads also affects the rate of soil formation.
Construction of roads by humans like in the farm, therefore leads to breaking of rocks.
The roots of trees growing on top of rocks causes the rock to crack or break gradually to form soil.
It is worthy of note that the process of soil formation takes a gradual and precise direction which happens over time which invariably means that time is also a factor of soil formation.
A long period of time allows for the development of mature soils whereas a short period of time allows for immature formation of soil.
It will take some time for a small pieces of rock to break into grains of soil. And it will also take time for living organisms like plants and animals to decay, turn humus and become part of the soil.
EFFECTS OF ORGANISMS ON SOIL FORMATION
SOIL ORGANISMS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE DEGRADATION OF ORGANIC MATTER AND SUBSEQUENT SOIL HUMUS FORMATION. WHEN PLANTS DIE, LEAVES ARE DROPPED ONTO THE SOIL SURFACE WHERE MICRO ORGANISMS CAN “ATTACK” AND DECAY PLANT TISSUE
THE ORGANIC MATTER IS USED AS AN ENERGY SOURCE FOR MICRO ORGANISMS, INCREASING THEIR POPULATION IN THE SOIL. THESE ORGANISMS UTILIZE EASILY DIGESTIBLE MATERIALS (Like SIMPLE SUGARS AND CARBOHYDRATES) FOUND IN THE PLANT MATERIAL, LEAVING MORE RESISTANT MATERIALS (SUCH AS FATS AND WAXES) BEHIND.
THE MATERIAL LEFT BEHIND IS NOT EASILY DECOMPOSED; IT COMPRISES THE HUMUS FOUND IN SOIL. HUMUS ACTS AS A BINDING AGENT, ESSENTIALLY HOLDING PRIMARY SOIL PARTICLES (SAND, SILT, CLAY) TOGETHER TO FORM SECONDARY AGGREGATES ’. THESE ORGANISMS AND THE HUMUS THEY HELP CREATE AID IN THE SOIL DEVELOPMENT AND THE FORMATION OF SOIL HORIZONS.
THE EFFECT SOIL ORGANISMS, SPECIFICALLY VEGETATION, HAVE ON THE CREATION OF HUMUS AND SOIL FORMATION.
THE FIGURE SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF HUMUS CONTENT TENDS TO BE GREATER IN GRASSLAND SOILS, AS COMPARED TO CONIFEROUS FOREST SOILS. THE REASON BEHIND THIS OBSERVATION IS QUITE SIMPLE; DEAD GRASSLAND PLANTS TEND TO HAVE A SOMEWHAT NEUTRAL PH AS COMPARED TO FOREST NEEDLES, WHICH TEND TO HAVE AN ACIDIC PH.
THE RELATIVELY BASIC PH OF THE GRASSLAND PLANTS MAKES THEM EASIER FOR MICROORGANISMS TO DEGRADE AND TURN INTO HUMUS. OPPOSITELY, NEEDLES ARE MORE DIFFICULT FOR MICROORGANISMS TO DEGRADE; THUS, THE HUMUS CONTENT OF CONIFEROUS FOREST SOILS TENDS TO BE LESS THAN GRASSLAND SOILS. THE ACIDIC NATURE OF THE FOREST LITTER, HOWEVER, CAUSES ACIDS TO FLOW THROUGH THE soil profile AND HELP DEVELOP HORIZONS QUICKER THAN A GRASSLAND SOIL. THE ACIDS CAN DISSOLVE SOIL MATERIALS AND REDEPOSIT THEM DEEPER IN THE SOIL, WHICH HELPS TO MORE QUICKLY CREATE SOIL HORIZONS.
THAT HUMUS CONTENT DECREASES WITH SOIL DEPTH. THIS MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE HUMUS IS DERIVED FROM DECAYING PLANT MATERIAL WHICH ORIGINATES AT OR NEAR THE SOIL SURFACE. read how to make compost manure here
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HERE YOU WILL FIND EVERY AVAILABLE TOPICS ABOUT AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY. AND THE LINKS TO THEIR VARIOUS SOURCES.
1. DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE
2. IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
3. SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE
4. COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE
5. PROBLEM OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
6. SOLUTIONS TO POOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
7. AGRICULTURAL LAWS AND REFORMS
8. ROLES OF GOVERNMENT IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
9. AGRICULTURAL POLICIES
10. PROGRAM PLANNING IN AGRICULTURE
34. FORESTRY
35. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
36. FACTORS AFFECTING LAND AVAILABILITY
37. TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SOIL BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
40. SOCIAL-ECONOMIC FACTORS
41. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
42. CLIMATIC FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
43. TEMPERATURE
44. RAINFALL
45. WIND
46. SUNLIGHT
47. SOLAR RADIATION
48. BIOTIC FACTOR AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
49. PESTS OF CROPS
51. DISEASE TYPES
52. SOIL MICRO-ORGANISMS
53. SOIL PH
54. ROCK FORMATION
112. THE MAINTENANCE OF SOIL FERTILITY
113. CROP ROTATION
114. APPLICATION OF ORGANIC MANURES
115. FARM YARD MANURE
116. APPLICATION OF INORGANIC MANURE
117. LIMING
118. FARMING PRACTICES
119. BUSH BURNING
120. CLEARING
121. FERTILIZER APPLICATION
122. ORGANIC MANURING
123. FARM YARD MANURE
126. CROP ROTATION
133. FARM POWER AND MACHINERY
134. SOURCES OF FARM POWER
135. HUMAN SOURCE
149. PLOUGHS
142. FIELD MACHINES
157. PLANTERS
164. SIMPLE FARM TOOLS
165. AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION
166. THE CONCEPT OF MECHANIZATION
