Edaphology

Edaphology is a fairly young science, whose main objective is the study of the soil. Appears at the end of the last century and studies the soil from all points of view. It studies morphology, composition, properties, formation, distribution, taxonomy, utility, recovery and conservation. It is a branch that is also studied in the environmental sciences for having great applications in the environment.

Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to introducing you to all the characteristics, area of ​​study and concepts of edaphology.

Main features of Edaphology

In edaphology, there is a concept of soil and land that is often misleading. However, soil is considered the top layer of the planet’s solid surface. This layer is formed by the weathering of rocks in which plants can be rooted. The soil is the particular ecological environment for certain types of living beings and thanks to it they can develop and reproduce. The concept of soil can also be said as a more or less loose mixture of small rock fragments and materials of organic origin which, together with liquids and gases in varying proportions, fulfills a certain productive capacity.

It must be taken into account that edaphology is important for many branches. For example, when studying the usefulness of a soil for agriculture, it is important to know all its components and its productive capacity. When studying particles, some main aspects must be taken into account. On the one hand, the characteristics of the place where it is located and the specificities of the soil. Among these characteristics we have the composition, morphology and properties.

When we analyze the characteristics of the site to carry out a soil science study, we must take into account the fundamental aspects. They are the following:

• Terrain shape: corresponds to the relief factor in which the soil was formed.
• Slope: Slope is the degree of slope of the relief. The slope must be determined as accurately as possible. Usually it is usually referred to the middle of the slope where the soils are.
• Vegetation: the vegetation of good use that is given to the land is studied to see the type of cultivation, artificial or natural, that exists. When we refer to artificial, we mean plants grown by humans.
• Climate: the climate is deduced from the data provided by meteorological stations. Depending on the climate of an area, the characteristics of its soils tend to vary.

Aspects of edaphology

Let’s see what are the main aspects of edaphology that have to do with soil characteristics. The first thing to study in a soil is its morphology. Based on morphology, horizons, color, texture, porosity, traces of biological origin, activity and human structure are studied. All these aspects are important to analyze a soil in its entirety. Let’s see what all these points are and what they are about.

edaphic horizons

Horizons refer to soil morphological diversity to establish a strict nomenclature system. It is designated with a capital letter that indicates the genetic type. Some letters are used for organic horizons, others for mineral horizons and others to see which layers constituted by the original material are more or less transformed. Some of the letters may be accompanied by others to describe an important characteristic that is not included in the definition of the corresponding capital letter. It is usually a number.

The transitional horizons are those that lie between the two writings. In this way, we see that these inhabitants have mixed properties and it is difficult to choose one of them. Mixed horizons are those located between two principles that interpenetrate in such a way that they constitute a complete mixture. It is different from the other transition between the two properties are completely blended.

Color and texture in soil science

The color of the pavement is very variable, but also very important. The matrix of horizons and the presence of spots are differentials in the identification of soil types. All the essential minerals that make up the clayey fraction are whitish in color. However, it is not the usual color of clays extracted from the soil. Color is not in itself a frivolous property, but rather offers us numerous characteristics about the formation of a soil and its behavior.

As for the texture, it is about how the soil particles are distributed by size. Its determination must be made through a corresponding analysis. However, in the field you can indirectly see some balls between the fingers to know what kind of association is taking place. With some experience, various textural types of soils can be distinguished.

Porosity, characteristics and human activity

The determination of porosity must be done by indirect methods, as well as by permeability. The relationship between these two forms helps determine the density and water retention of the soil. The water holding capacity is important if the soil is used for gardening or agriculture. All of them can inform us about the total volume of cigars that exist in a soil. It does not offer us the way in which the pores are distributed in the soil, their shape or orientation. However, it is decisive information for certain aspects of the soil.

Another notable aspect is the relative destruction between the various soil horizons. In many cases, that’s usually enough to explain your behavior. When we refer to traits of biological origin, we are describing the presence of an animal or evidence of it at some point. For example, there may be traces of morphs, galleries, nests, etc. Let them be characteristic of the presence of an animal. Human activity is also important to analyze in a soil that is going to be used for this. It is important to analyze the presence of Lozada fragments, debris, evidence of garbage or any foreign material on the ground and that there are signs of human intervention.