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Soils are an important component of the ecosystem.
They provide anchorage for plants and are the nutrient store upon which plant life is dependent.
Soils are made of the following-components:
a) Mineral (sand, silt)
b) Humus or organic component Sand
c) Soil air
d) Soil water
e) Soil micro-organisms
There are other things to note about soils:
- Soil contains both abiotic and biotic components and provides the vital link between living and non-living phenomena, without which terrestrial ecosystems would not operate.
Soil is defined as a residual three-dimensional layer of material which has accumulated over time and in which plants grow. .
- Soil can be regarded as ecosystem in its own right.
- Dynamic body - changes its characteristics
- Contains physical, chemical and biological components
- Soils are a major source of mineral nutrients for the ecosystem
Other qualities or characteristics of soils include texture (proportion of silt, sand, clay), which determines the degree to which roots penetrate the soil, which in turn determines the water content, aeration and soil temperature. Sand for example has large pore spaces. This decreases the capillary so that sandy soils cannot hold water. On the contrary, clay soils have small pore spaces, thus water is easily held. The thin layer found around each soil particle is referred to as hygroscopic water or water of adhesion. This water is bound to the soil particles. It is unavailable to plants. Bound to the water of adhesion is another body of water known as water of cohesion or capillary water. It is the propensity of water to adhere to the surface and get pulled up. The water is loosely held to the soil particles on the water of adhesion.
francis1897 answered the question on February 27, 2023 at 11:49
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