I S S U E 0 6 - G re a t O u td o o r s
Soil Science! Ever wonder what’s going on underfoot while you’re out enjoying nature? There is an entire ecosystem alive in the soil!
tunnels that break up the soil and improve drainage, making it easier for plants to grow.
SOIL IS A FILTER. SOIL IS A GLORIOUSLY GRUBBY MIXTURE…
Of organic and inorganic matter. Organic matter is anything that comes from living things. Fallen leaves, grass cuttings and animal droppings are all examples of organic matter. Inorganic matter is made up of non-living substances. Pebbles and rocks are inorganic, but soil also contains tiny inorganic particles of things like sand, silt and clay.
so next time an adult moans about the dirt on your clothes, you can tell them how important it is! Soil is amazing for many reasons. It is a life-support
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machine. It provides plants with the water and nutrients that they need to survive and grow. We need soil to grow the crops that feed us and that feed the livestock we eat.
It doesn’t only store water. The tiny particles in soil also help to cleanse water of harmful chemicals and pollutants. When plants grow in soil, their roots form tangled networks that help to stabilise the soil and bind it together. This helps to prevent erosion and flooding.
SOIL IS A HOME.
It’s teeming with living things, such as bacteria, fungi, like the toadstool Fly Agaric and worms. These underground marvels work hard to improve the quality of the soil. Bacteria (above), for example, convert nitrogen in the air into soil-based forms of nitrogen that plants can use for growth. Fungi help to break down fallen leaves and dead animals, releasing nutrients into the soil. Earthworms (below) dig
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