NREM 301NREM 301 Gas 25%

Mineral Matter 45%NREM 301NREM 301

Soil BasicsSoil Basics Water 25%

Solid 50%

D G B l dD G B l d Organic Matter 5%

Dr. Greg BrulandDr. Greg Bruland

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We know more about the movement ofWe know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot.underfoot.

Leonardo Da Vinci (1500s)

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Components of a typical healthy loam soil

Mineral Matter 45%

Gas 25%

%

Solid 50%

Water 25%

Organic Matter 5%

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USDA Textural Triangle

Classify a soil withsoil with 15% clay, 70% silt, 15% sand:

(Brady & Wiel 2002)2002)

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Soil StructureGranular

Blocky(Angular)(Subangular) ( g )( g )

Platy

Wedge

ColumnarPrismatic

Wedge

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Soil ColorSoil Color

•Color is an indicator of different soil types, useful property for classification

•Munsell soil color system classifies soil color on basis of HUE VALUE & CHROMAon basis of HUE, VALUE, & CHROMA

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Hue: spectral or rainbow color; for a given hue there are 5 gradationshue there are 5 gradations

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Value: darkness or lightness of color; values range from 0-10values range from 0 10

All li ht fl t d10 hit All light reflected10 = pure white

5 = gray

No light reflected0 = pure black

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Chroma: strength or concentration of huehue

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Soil Colors

M t i d i t lMatrix = predominant color

Mottles = spots of color that differ from matrix

• Mottling occurs where water table fluctuates periodically

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5 Soil Forming Factors: Parent Material, Climate, Organisms, Topography, Time

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20(Kohnke & Franzmeier 1995)

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Soil Biota

35The number of organisms that live in 1 m2 of soil (Nardi 2003)

(Nardi 2003)

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Actinomycetes

37(Nardi 2003)

Nematodes

Types of mouths L to R: (1) bacteria; (2) roots &(1) bacteria; (2) roots & fungi; (3) protozoa, rotifers, other nematodes

Predation of nematodes by fungi:

(1) with sticky hyphae;

(2) constricting loops

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(2) constricting loops

(Nardi 2003)

EarthwormsEarthworms

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(Nardi 2003)

Mites

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(Nardi 2003)

Dung Beetles

•Dung goes down, subsoil goes up

•Even before dung hits ground, beetles can pick up its scent and

h t l i th i d

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rush to claim these prized resources(Nardi 2003)

Ants

Dr. Tschinkel stands next to the cast of a harvester ant colony that he excavatedthat he excavated after pouring plaster of paris down the colonies burrow. Five thousand ants dug these tunnels & chambers in 5 days!

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(Nardi 2003)

(Brady & Wiel& Wiel 2002)

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(Brady & Wiel 2002)

What is this?

(Troeh et al. 2004) 45

What is this?

(Troeh et al. 2004) 46

(Troeh et al. 2004)

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PhytoremediationPhytoremediation

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Hyperaccumulating plantsyp g p

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