The Importance of Soil Quality
Defining Soil Quality The quality of soil is important when you are planning on a landscape project.
When we say soil quality, this refers to how well it does to what we are planning to use it for.
People have different thoughts on soil quality as their needs for it also vary.
Specifically, soil quality is defined as the capacity for it to perform its function whether naturally or managed.
Some of its functions include supporting animal activities and sustaining life to plants.
It also includes maintaining better air quality and habitation to both human and animals.
What Does Soil Quality Do? Good soil quality is vital to the success of any planting endeavor.
Aside from that, having healthy soil can give better air quality and clean water.
Agricultural lands, forests and other areas where planting is done can also thrive and give out a bountiful harvest.
There are five essential functions that soil does.
You should be able to determine these and understand how it helps in giving you a good looking garden.
1.
Water Regulator.
The condition of the soil is important as this will absorb excess water that falls to the ground.
This runoff water may come from rain, irrigation or even snowmelt.
2.
Sustaining Life.
Plants and animals are also sustained by the quality of soil.
The better the soil quality is the better plants can thrive.
This results to more productivity of the produce that is eaten by both animals and humans.
3.
Pollutants Filter.
The soil is also responsible in filtering pollutants that are brought about by wastes in the environment.
It is also responsible in having both organic and inorganic materials detoxified.
4.
Nutrient Cycle.
Soil is also responsible in getting nutrients such as nitrogen and carbon cycled.
These nutrients are stored in the soil after a process that gives it good quality for plants to grow abundantly.
5.
Structure Support.
Infrastructures are supported by stable soil.
It also plays an important role in protecting treasures that have been buried through the course of time.
Qualities of Good Soil There are two qualities that you should know about good soil.
These are the inherent and the dynamic soil.
The inherent soil has the ability to function naturally while the dynamic soil changes its functions depending on how it is managed.
Take note that the characteristics of inherent soil is difficult to alter.
For instance, sandy soil drains water faster compared to a clay soil.
Deep soil can also hold more plant or tree roots compared to soil situated on bedrock surfaces.
On the other hand, dynamic soil can be changed depending on how it is managed.
The soil quality, amount of nutrients, depth and structure are dependent on the choices of management done.
Focusing on Organic Matter in Soil Organic matter is the most important component of having good soil quality.
It serves as the reservoir of water and nutrients needed by the soil, reduces crusting and compaction on surfaces and infiltrates water.
However, organic matter is often disregarded and misunderstood.
The following are the benefits of organic matter in soil:
When we say soil quality, this refers to how well it does to what we are planning to use it for.
People have different thoughts on soil quality as their needs for it also vary.
Specifically, soil quality is defined as the capacity for it to perform its function whether naturally or managed.
Some of its functions include supporting animal activities and sustaining life to plants.
It also includes maintaining better air quality and habitation to both human and animals.
What Does Soil Quality Do? Good soil quality is vital to the success of any planting endeavor.
Aside from that, having healthy soil can give better air quality and clean water.
Agricultural lands, forests and other areas where planting is done can also thrive and give out a bountiful harvest.
There are five essential functions that soil does.
You should be able to determine these and understand how it helps in giving you a good looking garden.
1.
Water Regulator.
The condition of the soil is important as this will absorb excess water that falls to the ground.
This runoff water may come from rain, irrigation or even snowmelt.
2.
Sustaining Life.
Plants and animals are also sustained by the quality of soil.
The better the soil quality is the better plants can thrive.
This results to more productivity of the produce that is eaten by both animals and humans.
3.
Pollutants Filter.
The soil is also responsible in filtering pollutants that are brought about by wastes in the environment.
It is also responsible in having both organic and inorganic materials detoxified.
4.
Nutrient Cycle.
Soil is also responsible in getting nutrients such as nitrogen and carbon cycled.
These nutrients are stored in the soil after a process that gives it good quality for plants to grow abundantly.
5.
Structure Support.
Infrastructures are supported by stable soil.
It also plays an important role in protecting treasures that have been buried through the course of time.
Qualities of Good Soil There are two qualities that you should know about good soil.
These are the inherent and the dynamic soil.
The inherent soil has the ability to function naturally while the dynamic soil changes its functions depending on how it is managed.
Take note that the characteristics of inherent soil is difficult to alter.
For instance, sandy soil drains water faster compared to a clay soil.
Deep soil can also hold more plant or tree roots compared to soil situated on bedrock surfaces.
On the other hand, dynamic soil can be changed depending on how it is managed.
The soil quality, amount of nutrients, depth and structure are dependent on the choices of management done.
Focusing on Organic Matter in Soil Organic matter is the most important component of having good soil quality.
It serves as the reservoir of water and nutrients needed by the soil, reduces crusting and compaction on surfaces and infiltrates water.
However, organic matter is often disregarded and misunderstood.
The following are the benefits of organic matter in soil:
- Water Holding Capacity.
Compared to a sponge, organic matter has the ability to hold about 90 percent water.
This number is more than its total weight that will be released to give food to the plants.
On the other hand, clay soil can hold more water but is not available to feed the plants. - Stable Nutrient Supply.
Organic Matter serves as a pool of nutrients.
A percentage of these nutrients containing 20 to 30 pounds of nitrogen, 2 to 3 pounds of sulfur and 4 to 6 pounds of P2O5 are released to the plants annually.
It is widely released during the summer and spring making plants receive more benefits during this season than in winter. - Combination of Soil Structure.
This is the ability of the soil to hold water after the organic matter has clumped and formed soil combination.
This is also another way to improve soil quality. - Preventing Erosion.
Due to the ability of the organic matter to infiltrate water, the aggregates formed make a stable soil structure.
In return, erosion is prevented.
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