Types and Uses of Soil

Do you know the different soil types that exist? Do you know the many uses and applications that can be giving to soil?

Subject: Types and Uses of Soil

Date: 22-Feb-2012 Source: QuimiNet Related Industries: Agriculture

Irrigation system

The word “soil” is derived from Latin solum, which means soil, land or plot.

Soils are formed by the combination of five interacting factors: parent material, climate, topography, living organisms and time.

Soils can be classified into 10 main classes, most notably in the Alfisols (soils that are rich in iron and aluminum) and Mollisols (grassland soils), both of which are considered the best agricultural soils.

Soil Type	Percentage Area in the World
Aridisols	19.2
Inceptisols	15.8
Alfisols	14.7
Entisols	12.5
Oxisols	9.2
Mollisols	9.0
Ultisols	8.5
Spodosols	5.4
Vertisols	2.1
Histosols	0.8
Diverse Soil	2.8
Total	100

These types are used for different purposes depending on their capacity.

Land suitable for cultivation

Class	Features	Principal Uses	Secondary Uses	Conservation Methods
I	Excellent land, flat and well-draining	Agriculture	Recreation, wildlife, pasture	None
II	Good soil with minor limitations such as slight slope, sandy composition or poor drainage	Agriculture, pasture	Recreation, wildlife, pasture	Furrow cultivation, contour tillage
III	Moderately good land with important limitations in soil, slope or drainage	Agriculture, pasture, catchment area	Recreation, wildlife, urban industry	Contour tillage, row crops, waterways, terraces
IV	Regular land, severe limitations in soil, slope or drainage	Limited pasture, orchards, limited agriculture, urban industry	Pasture, wildlife	Contour tillage, row crops, waterways, terraces

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Types and Uses of Soil

Do you know the different soil types that exist? Do you know the many uses and applications that can be giving to soil?

Subject: Types and Uses of Soil

Land suitable for cultivation

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