SOIL: Make it Work for You!

Bulk Density: a measure of soil compaction

Sample is made of
Solids and 1 cm. (so, there is 1 cubic centimeter
Pore Spaces of soil)
1.33 gms.

To calculate Bulk Density:

Volume = 1 cm3 1.33

Bulk Density =
Weight = 1.33 gms 1

Weight of Soil Bulk Density = 1.33 gms / cm3

Bulk Density =
Volume of Soil
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Bulk Density & Compaction Zones
Depth Bulk Density
(grams / cm3
0 inches

1.43 Plow Layer

1.90
7 inches
8 inches 1.87 Compacted Zone
9 inches 1.84
10 inches
1.80
Uncompacted
1.60 subsoil
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Basic Soil Components
Soil Particles:
Pore Spaces:
Mineral and Organic
location of air and
water
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!

• Soil Moisture: some terms and concepts

– Field Capacity: water that remains in soil beyond
the effects of gravity.
– Permanent Wilting Percentage: amount of water
after the permanent wilting point is reached.
– Available Water: amount of water in the soil
between the field capacity and the permanent
wilting percentage.
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Relationship between soil texture and water
availability

4
Inches of
Water Per 3
ft. of Soil

Sand Sandy Silt Clay Clay

Loam Loam Loam
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Soil at Different Moisture Levels:
At Saturation At “Available Water
Water on soil
Pore Spaces are filled with water particle surface
Pore Space
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Soil at Different Moisture Levels:
At Permanent Wilt Compacted

No water remains attached to soil Pore spaces are collapsed

particles
SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Compacted Zone
Impermeable Layer
H 2O H2O

Non-
Compacted

Compacted
SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Sand Over Clay
Impermeable Layer
H2O H2O
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Clay Over Sand
H2O
Perched Water TableH O
2
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Soil Sandwiches
Wet & Dry Layers
H 2O H2O
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Soil Salads
H 2O Patchy Soil Moisture H2 O
SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Summary of Water Movement:
• Rate depends on:
– pore space (structure) and consitence
– particle sizes (texture) and particle size distribution.
• Changes in bulk density:
– changes water movement (e.g. compaction).
– may result in perched water tables through creating
an impermeable layer.
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!

Soil Chemistry
• Chemical bonding
• pH
• Nutrient Availability
• Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
A Water Molecule
H2O
(+)
(+)

Hydrogen
Hydrogen

(+)

Oxygen
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
The Chemistry of Clay:

- - - - - - - - - -
-
- -
- Clay Particle -
-- -
--------
Clay particles carry negative charges
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
With Magnets In Soil
CLAY CLAY
Unlikes Attract

+
+ - - NH4+
Ammonium
K+
Potasium

CLAY
Likes Repel

- + -
+
NO3
-
Nitrate
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!

The Strange Properties of Water:

• Water ionizes: it falls apart into ions.

• H2O  H+ + OH-
• Called the self ionization of water.
• Only a small amount.
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!

What is pH?:
• It’s simply a measure of the relative
amount of H+ ions
• In the soil, it is driven by the ionization of
water: H2O  H+ + OH-
• We us pH to measure the acidity or the
alkalinity (basicity) of a solution (a soil
solution)
SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Possible pH Ranges Under Natural Soil Conditions

Neutral
Acid Basic

Very Very
Strong Moderate Slight Slight Moderate Strong strong
strong

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Most desirable
Most agricultural soils
Extreme pH range for most mineral soils
apple: 5.0-6.5
spinach: 6.0-7.5
tomato: 5.5-7.5
cranberry:4.2-5.0
cucumber: 5.5-7.0
carrot: 5.5-7.0
white pine: 4.5-6.0
black walnut: 6.0-8.0
 SOIL: Make it Work for You!
Physical and Chemical Characteristics of
Soil: what does it all mean to you?
• Soil Texture and physical nature of the soil
• Water availability:
– soil texture
– bulk density
• Soil Chemistry:
– Charged elements / molecules & soil particles
– pH and nutrients