soil: Media
pedology
Videos
Learn how weathering of rock and the activities of organisms help in soil formation
Soil forms through the weathering of rock and the action of organisms on organic...
How do plants absorb water and nutrients?
Video showing how roots take up substances from the soil via osmosis, diffusion,...
Images
Chernozem soil profile
Chernozem soil profile from Germany, showing a thick humus-rich surface horizon with...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
soil map of the world
Interactive soil map of the world. Click on a continent to see a detailed map of...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Podzol soil profile
Podzol soil profile from Ireland, showing a bleached layer from which humus and metal...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
soil profile
The soil profile, showing the major layers from the O horizon (organic material)...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
soil textures
Soil texture as a function of the proportion of sand, silt, and clay particle sizes.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Inceptisol
Microscopic view of an Inceptisol, showing small crystallites of carbonate minerals...
Hari Eswaran, USDA-NRCS
soil profiles on hillslopes
The thickness and composition of soil horizons vary with position on a hillslope...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Ferralsol soil profile
Ferralsol soil profile from Brazil, showing a deep red subsurface horizon resulting...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
Mollisol soil profile
Mollisol soil profile, showing a typically dark surface horizon rich in humus.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Survey Staff
carbon cycle
Carbon is transported in various forms through the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
nitrogen cycle
The nitrogen cycle transforms diatomic nitrogen gas into ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Leptosol soil profile
Leptosol soil profile from Switzerland, showing a typically shallow surface horizon...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
Fluvisol soil profile
Fluvisol soil profile from South Africa, showing strata typical of sediments deposited...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
Andosol soil profile
Andosol soil profile from Italy, showing a dark-coloured surface horizon derived...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
Cryosol soil profile
Cryosol soil profile from Canada showing patterned deformations caused by cycles...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
climate and soil
The effects of climate on soil worldwide. A schematic cross section of Earth illustrates...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
lime deposits
Depth to lime accumulation in relation to annual rainfall. Lime (CaCO3)...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Anthrosol soil profile
Anthrosol soil profile from the Netherlands showing surface layers made homogeneous...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
U.S. soil regions
Soil regions of the United States, showing areas covered by soil orders of the U.S....
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Alfisol soil profile
Alfisol soil profile, showing a brown humus-rich surface horizon and a red iron-rich...
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Survey Staff
Phaeozem soil profile
Phaeozem soil profile from South Africa, showing a surface layer with high humus...
© ISRIC, www.isric.nl
soil erosion
Effect of topography and climate on water-induced soil erosion. On shallow slopes...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
soil erosion and vegetation
Soil loss versus vegetative cover. The amount of topsoil lost by water erosion depends...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
bioremediation
Degradation of toluene in soil. Removal of the pollutant toluene from the soil requires...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
podzolic soil
Podzolic soil with organic topsoil composed of leached gray-white subsoil and iron-rich...
Richard Hartnup
Asian soil groups
Distribution of Asian soil groups as classified by the Food and Agriculture Organization...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Australia: soil groups
Distribution of Australian soil groups as classified by the Food and Agriculture...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
distribution of European soil groups
Distribution of European soil groups as classified by the Food and Agriculture Organization...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
distribution of North American soil groups as classified by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Soil regions of the United States, showing areas covered by soil orders of the U.S....
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
South American soil groups
Distribution of South American soil groups as classified by the Food and Agriculture...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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