The Earth Contents

5. Soils

Soils play a key role in the ecosystem

Soils occur where the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere meet and interact. They are vital to plant growth, acting as the medium through which nutrients are re-cycled to allow new growth. They are also an environment in their own right with huge numbers of organisms living in and dependent upon them. Any soil (and there are many different sorts) is a dynamic mix of living and dead organic matter, solid and dissolved minerals, water and air. The structure of a soil is influenced by a number of factors, including the parent material, the climate (both precipitation and temperature), topography (slope and drainage) and biological activity.

Soils occur where the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere meet and interact

The parent material for residual soils is the underlying bedrock, whereas transported soils form on unconsolidated deposits. As the slopes become steeper, soil becomes thinner.

Why are soils important in the ecosystem?