SOIL: ORIGIN, DEFINITION &
BRANCHES
Dr. Rajeswari Das
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Soil Science & Agricultural
Chemistry
School of Agriculture, GIET University
SPHERES OF EARTH
The Earth's four spheres are subsystems that
include everything in the Earth's system:
Lithosphere
The land, which includes the oceanic
lithosphere and the continental lithosphere
Hydrosphere
The water, which includes the oceans, rivers,
lakes, groundwater, and glaciers
Biosphere
The living things, which is the only biotic sphere
because it contains organisms
Atmosphere
The air, which includes the troposphere and the
stratosphere
CHARACTERISTICS
Atmosphere
[Link]: Predominantly Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), [Link]: Composed of the
[Link]: Comprises all water
with trace gases like argon, carbon Earth’s crust (continental and
bodies, including oceans (saltwater),
dioxide, and water vapor. oceanic) and the uppermost solid
rivers, lakes, glaciers (freshwater),
[Link]: Divided into five mantle, made up of rocks and
and groundwater.
layers—troposphere, stratosphere, minerals.
[Link]: Includes surface water
mesosphere, thermosphere, and [Link]: Divided into tectonic
(oceans, lakes, rivers), subsurface
exosphere—based on temperature plates that rest on the semi-fluid
water (groundwater), and frozen
gradients. asthenosphere beneath.
water (glaciers, ice caps).
[Link]: Extends up to about [Link]: Ranges from about 5
[Link]: Varies widely; oceans
500-1,000 km, with the majority of km (oceanic crust) to 70 km
average around 3.7 km deep, with
the mass concentrated in the (continental crust).
the Mariana Trench being the
troposphere (up to 12 km). [Link]: Provides the foundation
deepest at about 11 km.
[Link]: Regulates climate, for terrestrial life, stores natural
[Link]: Essential for life,
supports life by providing oxygen, resources, and is involved in
climate regulation, nutrient cycling,
and protects the Earth from harmful geological processes like plate
and supporting marine ecosystems.
solar radiation. tectonics and erosion.
LITHOSPHERE
▪ The term lithosphere refers to the Earth’s rigid, rocky outer layer. It is
made up of the crust and the uppermost solid layer of the mantle.
Furthermore, it extends to a depth of about 60 miles.
▪ It’s crucial because it’s where the living things on Earth thrive and
strive. The lithosphere provides us forests, grasslands for grazing land
for agriculture and human settlements and is also a rich source of
minerals.
▪ There are two types of lithosphere:
i) Oceanic
ii) Continental
The main differences between the two are their
age, density, and thickness:
Oceanic lithosphere
This type of lithosphere is associated with the
oceanic crust and is found in ocean basins. It's
usually between 50–140 km thick, and is made
up of dense basaltic rocks. The oldest oceanic
lithosphere is around 200 million years old.
Continental lithosphere
This type of lithosphere is associated with the
continental crust and is found beneath
continents and continental shelves. It's usually
between 40–280 km thick, and is made up of
less dense granitic rocks. Continental
lithosphere can be billions of years old, with
some sections being almost as old as the Earth
itself.
PEDOSPHERE
The pedosphere is the uppermost layer of
the lithosphere that, through the soil-
forming process, chemically reacts with the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
The pedosphere is the skin of the Earth and
only develops when there is a dynamic
interaction between the atmosphere (air in
and above the soil), biosphere (living
organisms), lithosphere (unconsolidated
regolith and consolidated bedrock) and the
hydrosphere (water in, on and below the
soil).
WHAT IS SOIL?
PEDOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW EDAPHOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW
Soil is a weathered product of rock and Soil is a natural medium for plant growth
mineral
DEFINE SOIL
Hilgard (1892): Soil is more or less a loose and friable material in
which plants, by means of. their roots, find a foothold for
nourishment as well as for other conditions of growth
V.V. Dokuchaev (1900): Soil as a natural body composed of
mineral and organic constituents, having a definite genesis
and a distinct nature of its own.
Jenny (1941): Soil is a naturally occurring body that has been
evolved due to combined influence of climate and living
organisms acting on parent material as conditioned by relief
over a period of time .
H. O. Buckman and N. C. Brady (1969): Soil is a dynamic
natural body on the Earth's surface in which plant grows,
composed of minerals, organic materials and living form.
THE FATHER OF SOIL SCIENCE
Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev (1846) is known as the
father of soil science because his work established the
scientific basis for the study of soils in their natural
setting. Dokuchaev was a Russian naturalist and
professor of mineralogy and geology at St. Petersburg
University. His contributions include:
▪ Soil as a living system
▪ Soil classification
▪ Soil formation
SOIL SCIENCE
Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including
soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility
properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.
There are 6 branches of Soil Science
1) Soil Fertility
2) Soil Chemistry
3) Soil Physics
4) Soil Microbiology
5) Soil Conservation
6) Soil Pedology
BRANCHES OF SOIL SCIENCE
[Link] Fertility: Refers to the soil's ability to provide essential nutrients to plants in adequate amounts for their growth
and development.
[Link] Chemistry: Involves the study of chemical composition, reactions, and processes within soils, focusing on
nutrient availability, pH, and soil amendments.
[Link] Physics: Concerns the physical properties and processes of soils, including texture, structure, porosity, and water
retention, influencing plant growth.
[Link] Microbiology: Examines the diversity and function of microorganisms in soils, and their roles in nutrient
cycling, organic matter decomposition, and soil health.
[Link] Conservation: Involves practices and techniques to prevent soil erosion, degradation, and loss, ensuring
sustainable use of soil resources.
[Link] Pedology: The study of soil formation, classification, and mapping, focusing on understanding the origin and
distribution of different soil types.