Getting the Dirt on Soils
4 Basic Soil Processes
Presented by Name, Position
Member/Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America
General Pathway
Soils are Dynamic
What are the 4 basic processes that occur in the soil?
Additions (+)
• Material(s) that can be added to
the soil
– Organic
– Mineral
– Nutrients
– Water
• Specific processes
– Leaf fall (litter)
– Rain and Snow (precipitation)
– Fertilization
– Deposition
Losses (-)
• Material(s) removed from the
soil body
– Organic
– Mineral
– Nutrients
– Water
• Specific processes
– Leaching
– Erosion
– Plant Uptake
– Evaporation
– Evapotranspriation (ET)
Translocations (↕)
• Material(s) moved within the soil
body
– Organic
– Mineral
– Nutrients
– Water
• Specific processes
– Eluviation
– Illuviation
– Salt and movement of
other soluble materials
– Water infiltration
– Burrowing
– Mechanical disturbances
Transformations (↔)
• Material(s) altered within the soil • Specific processes
body
– Decomposition
– Organic
– Freeze-thaw
– Mineral
– Compaction
– Nutrients
– Dissolving solids
– Water
– Mineral formation
Examples
Dust Bowl
Questions?
The UN Declared 2015 as the International Year of Soils (IYS)
to bring more attention to this important natural resource.
The Soil Science Society of America celebrates IYS and is
happy to bring you this presentation. We hope you take the
time to learn more about soils at the many resources listed at
the end of this presentation, as you learn more about how…
Soils Sustain Life
Thank you for listening!
For further information, visit:
Soils.org/discover-soils – information about all things soil!
Soils4teachers.org – Lesson plans, activities, etc. for teachers
Soils4kids.org – activities for the K-12 audience
Follow us on facebook.com/iheartsoil
Soils sustain life!