Properties of soil
Properties of Soil
The properties of soil are determined by the
composition of the soil, depending on different
amounts of biotic and abiotic components.
The combinations of these components determine the
physical and chemical properties of soil.
Properties of soil : Physical , Chemical and Biological
Properties
Physical Properties
Soil texture
Soil structure
Soil density
Soil porosity
Soil aeration
Soil consistency
Soil color
A. Physical Properties
Soil Texture
Soil texture refers to the size of the soil particles that is
dependent on the relative proportions of mineral
components like sand, silt, and clay.
Soil texture is defined as the relative proportion of sand
silt and clay.
The dominant size fraction is used to describe the
texture, for example, as clay, sandy clay, silty clay etc.
If no fraction is dominant the soil is described as loam.
Soil texture is further influenced by soil porosity,
infiltration, and water retention capacity.
Ranges of diameter
Cont…
The ranges of diameters of the three separates are
sand (2 – 0.05 mm) , silt (0.05 – 0.002 mm) and clay (<
0.002 mm).
Importance of soil texture
Drainage
Water holding capacity
Aeration
Susceptibility to erosion
Organic matter content
Cation exchange capacity
pH buffering capacity
Soil Textural Class
Soil textural classes are based in the relative
proportion of the various soil separation (sand , silt
and clay).
There are 12 different soil textural classes. They are
sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, silt loam, silt,
sandy clay loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, sandy clay,
silty clay, and clay.
Soil texture triangle
B. Soil Structure
Soil structure is arrangement of the primary soil particles
(sand , silt and clay) and other soil materials into distinct
aggregates.
Sand , silt and clay ( soil particles) occur in aggregated form
and their arrangement into certain pattern is called soil
structure.
A soil aggregate is a group of primary soil particles that
cohere to each other more strongly than to other
surrounding particles. Soil aggregates form through the
combined action of cohesion and fragmentation processes.
Natural aggregates of soil particle are peds, and artificial
formed soil mass are called clod.
Granular
Roughly spherical, like grape nuts.
Usually 1-10 mm in diameter.
Most common in A horizons, where plant roots,
microorganisms, and sticky products of organic matter
decomposition bind soil grains into granular
aggregates
Aggregated - this structural type is often not included
in classifications, but represents a soil where some
granular components have aggregated, but not to the
extent found in prismatic or columnar structures.
Platy
Flat peds that lie horizontally in the soil.
Platy structure can be found in A, B and C horizons.
It commonly occurs in an A horizon as the result of
compaction.
Prismatic
Larger, vertically elongated blocks, often with five sides.
Sizes are commonly 10-100mm across. Prismatic structures
commonly occur in fragipans.
In Soil Taxonomy a fragipan (from the Latin fragilis, meaning
“brittle”) is defined as a layer that is 15 cm or more thick, contains a
very coarse prismatic, columnar, or blocky structure (or is massive),
has a firm or firmer rupture-resistance class (brittle) in more than
60% of its volume
Columnar
The units are similar to prisms and are bounded by flat or slightly
rounded vertical faces.
The tops of columns, in contrast to those of prisms, are very distinct
and normally rounded.
Blocky
Roughly cube-shaped, with more or less flat surfaces.
If edges and corners remain sharp, we call it angular
blocky.
If they are rounded, we call it subangular blocky.
Sizes commonly range from 5-50 mm across.
Blocky structures are typical of B horizons, especially
those with a high clay content.
They form by repeated expansion and contraction of
clay minerals
Structureless soils
Single grain
Very sandy soil, every grain acts independently and
there is no binding agent to hold the grains together
into peds .
Permeability is rapid.
Massive
Compact , coherent soil not separated into peds of any
kind.
Massive structures in clayed soil usually have very
small pores, slow permeability and poor aeration.
Major Impact on
Fertility levels
Infiltration and drainage rates
Water holding capacity
Bearing strength
Ease of cultivation
Shrink and swell potential
Ability to crack on drying
Susceptibility to erosion
c. Soil Density
Soil density is the relation between the mass and the
volume of a dry soil sample.
The soil particle density is lower for soils with high
organic matter content and higher for soil with higher
mineral content.
Bulk Density
A measurement of how tightly soil particles are
pressed together.
Soil bulk density is the mass per unit bulk volume of
the soil that has been dried to a constant weight at 105
degree.
Particle Density
The mass per unit volume of soil particle excluding the
pore space.
Cont…
Soil particle density is different from soil bulk density which
is always less than soil particle density.
Soil density usually depends on the soil texture and
structure and the composition of the soil.
The particle density is higher if large amounts of heavy
minerals such as magnetite, limonite, hematite are present.
With an increase in organic matter of the soil, the particle
density decreases.
When particle density is divided by density of water, a
relative weight number is obtained is called specific gravity.
d. Soil Porosity
Soil porosity is defined by the number of pores present
within the soil.
The porosity of soil is determined by the movement of
air and water within the soil.
Healthy soils usually have more number of pores
between and within soil aggregates, whereas poor
quality soils have few pores or cracks.
Soil porosity is influenced by soil texture and structure.
The pore size in soil affects the ability of plants and
organisms to access water, oxygen, and other gases and
minerals.
e.Soil Aeration
The constant movement of air in the soil mass
resulting in the renewal of gases is known as soil
aeration.
f. Soil consistency
Soil consistency refers to the ability of the soil to stick to
itself or other objects and to resist deformation and
rupture.
Three moisture conditions define soil consistency; air-
dry, moist, and wet.
The consistency of dry soil ranges from loose to hard,
whereas that of wet soil ranges from non-sticky to
sticky.
Soil consistency is an important property that
determines the ability of soil to support buildings and
roads.
g. Soil Color
In well aerated soils, oxidized or ferric (Fe+3) iron
compounds are responsible for the brown, yellow, and
red colors in the soil.
When iron is reduced to the ferrous (Fe+2) form, it
becomes mobile, and can be removed from certain
areas of the soil. When the iron is removed, a gray
color remains, or the reduced iron color persists in
shades of green or blue.
Soil color is determined primarily by the organic
composition of the soil.
Soil color is one of the factors that help in the prediction
of other soil characteristics within a soil profile.
Observation of soil color is a qualitative means of
measuring organic, iron oxide, and the clay contents of
the soil.
Besides, soil color is also influenced by the mineral
content of the soil as the color might change as a result
of oxidation of degradation.
Dark brown or black: indicates high organic matter
Red: indicates iron accumulation or oxidation in oxygen
rich , well aerated soil
Gray or blue: anaerobic, saturated environment, redox
reduction or depletion of iron
Green: Iron reduction, minerals: glauconite,
melanterite, and celadonite
Yellow: less oxygen-rich environment than red soil,
White: soils with salt, carbonate, calcite accumulation
B. Chemical properties
As plant material dies and decays it adds organic
matter in the form of humus to the soil, improving soil
moisture retention.
Some plant nutrients and metals exist as positively
charged ions, or “cations”, in the soil environment.
Among the more common cations found in soils are
hydrogen (H+), aluminum (Al+3), calcium (Ca+2),
magnesium (Mg+2), and potassium (K+).
Most heavy metals also exist as cations in the soil
environment.
a. Cation exchange capacity
(CEC)
Clay and organic matter particles are predominantly
negatively charged (anions), and have the ability to
hold cations from being “leached” or washed away.
The adsorbed cations are subject to replacement by
other cations in a rapid, reversible process called
“cation exchange”.
Cont…
The “cation exchange capacity”, or “CEC”, of a soil is a
measurement of the magnitude of the negative charge
per unit weight of soil, or the amount of cations a
particular sample of soil can hold in an exchangeable
form.
The greater the clay and organic matter content, the
greater the CEC should be, although different types of
clay minerals and organic matter can vary in CEC.
Cont….
Cation exchange is an important mechanism in soils for
retaining and supplying plant nutrients, and for
adsorbing contaminants.
It plays an important role in wastewater treatment in
soils.
Sandy soils with a low CEC are generally unsuited for
septic systems since they have little adsorptive ability
and there is potential for groundwater.
The cation exchange capacity of the soil is taken as an
indicator of soil fertility, nutrient retention, and the
ability of soil to protect groundwater from cation
contamination.
Cation exchange capacity is the maximum amount of
total cations that a soil sample is capable of holding at
a given pH.
b. Soil pH
The reactivity of soil is expressed in terms of the soil
pH, which determines the acidity and alkalinity of the
soil.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with values below
7.0 acidic, and values above 7.0 alkaline.
A pH value of 7 is considered neutral, where H+ and
OH- are equal, both at a concentration of 10-7
moles/liter.
A pH of 4.0 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 5.0.
Cont…..
Effect of pH in the soil is on ion solubility, which in turn
affects microbial and plant growth.
pH range of 6.0 to 6.8 is ideal for most crops because
it coincides with optimum solubility of the most
important plant nutrients.
Minor elements (e.g., iron) and most heavy metals are
more soluble at lower pH.
Cont…..
Usually, soils with high acidity contain higher amounts
of aluminum and manganese, and soil with higher
alkalinity has a higher concentration of sodium
carbonate.
Calcium and magnesium are basic cations; as their
amounts increase, the relative amount of acidic cations
will decrease.
In terms of soil fertility, agricultural production tends
to be more in acidic soil.
Factors
Factors that affect soil pH include parent material,
vegetation, and climate.
Rocks and sediments produce soils that are more
acidic than others: quartz-rich sandstone is acidic;
limestone is alkaline.
Some types of vegetation, particularly conifers,
produce organic acids, which can contribute to lower
soil pH values.
Cont…..
In humid areas such as the eastern Nepal, soils tend to
become more acidic over time because rainfall washes
away basic cations and replaces them with hydrogen.
Addition of certain fertilizers to soil can also produce
hydrogen ions.
Liming the soil adds calcium, which replaces
exchangeable and solution H+ and raises soil pH.
Liming is the application of calcium- (Ca) and
magnesium (Mg)-rich materials in various forms,
including chalk, limestone, burnt lime or hydrated lime
Biological properties
Organisms, both animals (fauna/micro-fauna) and
plants (flora/micro-flora) are important in the overall
quality, fertility and stability of soil.
They are responsible for the formation of humus, a
product of OM degradation and synthesis.
Moreover, organisms aid in the physical manipulation,
mixing, and formation of soil & its structural
stabilization.
Cont…
Soils contain a vast number and wide range of
organisms.
A greater proportion of these belong to the plant
family
Organisms are important in the myriad of
biochemical reactions and intricate biological
processes that take place within the soil
Soil Organism
Organisms (biological component) of the soil
play major roles in:
– Nutrient cycling & release (breakdown of organic
compounds)
– Biochemical weathering of minerals & soil
development
– Ameliorating soil physical & chemical properties
Cont….
Soil organisms include plants and animals.
– Majority of soil organisms are plants (microflora),
but animals are equally important (have more physical
role)
– Most are microscopic, i.e., microflora and
microfauna.
Role of Organism
Types of Soil
A. Sandy Soil
Sandy soil is a type of soil that contains a higher
proportion of sand and less clay.
Sandy soil is light, dry, and warm that tends to be more
acidic than other types of soil.
Because the size of the sand particle is larger than other
particles, they have low water retention capacity and
fewer nutrients.
The lack of enough moisture and nutrients makes the
soil less suitable for crop production.
However, the soil can be made suitable by adding
organic matter to increase water and nutrient content.
B. Clay Soil
Clay soil is a type of soil that is comparatively heavy as
it has higher water retention capacity and a higher
concentration of nutrients.
The soil is made up of over 25% clay particles that are
smaller in size and thus hold a large amount of water.
Clay soil drains water slowly and thus takes longer to
warm up in the summer without drying out.
However, because it is a heavy and dense type of soil,
it doesn’t provide space for plant roots to flourish.
C. Silt Soil
Silt soil is a light soil with a higher fertility rate with soil
particles that are large than clay but smaller than sand.
The soil is smooth and of fine quality that holds water
better than the sandy soil.
The soil can also be easily transported by moving
currents, and it is found near water bodies.
Silt soil is considered the best type of soil for
agricultural practices as it has sufficient nutrients and
enough moisture for plant growth.
D. Loam Soil
Loam soil is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay soil that
combines the properties of all three types of soil to
make it more fertile.
The soil has enough pores as well as water retention
capacity to promote crop production.
The level of calcium and pH of loam soil is also of the
appropriate amount due to the presence of inorganic
matter.
Types of Soil of Nepal
Alluvial Soil
Sandy Soil
Red Gray Soil
Talaiya Soil
Himali Soil
Alluvial Soil
Found in Terai and in basin.
Formed with mixture of the soil deposited by rivers
and decomposed leaves
Soil has an equal proportion of sand and hard soil.
Mixture of minerals like lime , phosphorous and
potassium etc.
Suitable for agriculture
Paddy, jute, sugarcane , tobacco ,pulses grow
Sandy Soil
Found in Bhawar region , inner Madhesh and Chure
hill.
Made of sand piled up by river , pebbles loose and
round rocklike material.
Low fertility and low organic matter
Irrigation is difficult
Economically important tree like teak, sissoo
Soil covered by forest
Red Gray Soil
Mixture of decomposed weeds in the broken rocks of
steep cliff of the Mahabharat is called Red Gray Soil.
Contain low organic matter and low ionized iron so soil
with red , gray and yellow.
Mineral like lime, nitrogen and phosphorous are low in
soil
Paddy, sugarcane, jute , tobacoo are not cultivated in
this soil but fruit , tea potatoes, maize and millet are
cultivate as it contain minerals like acid and iron.
Talaiya Soil
Soil formed due to the drying of the lake is called
Talaiya Soil.
Contain lot of decompose weeds so color of the soil is
black.
Soil is thick and contain lot of organic matter.
Best for cultivation found in Kathmandu valley.
Cultivation in less rainfall
Paddy, wheat and vegetable
Himali Soil
Mixture of soil , sand, pebbles, conglomerate and rock
deposited by glacier.
Found at the foot of inner and high Himalayan region.
Climate is cold and dry.
Soil are thin and less organic matter (low fertility rate).
Maize , barley, potato, finger millet are grown.
