Did you know that it takes 500 to 1,000 years to build just one-inch of soil? Soils form slowly and continuously, thanks to a number of factors, including:
- Climate: Temperature, wind and water “weather” or break down rocks and minerals that form soils.
- Life: Burrowing animals, plant roots, tiny bacteria and fungi mix soils and chemically change them.
- Topography: The slope and position of land determines how much light soil receives, how water travels over the land, and how much erosion takes place.
Viewer Tip: Scientists estimate that we are losing soils 10 to 40 times faster than they can be replaced – 60 percent of soils are washed into our rivers, streams and lakes where they can decrease channel depth, increase potential for flooding and smother aquatic wildlife habitat. You can control erosion at home by using mulch to cover garden beds and other areas of exposed soil. Planting groundcover plants or small shrubs will also help stabilize soil.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
(Sources: The Environmental Literacy Council. “Soil.” http://www.enviroliteracy.org/subcategory.php/36.html; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil.” http://forces.si.edu/soils/index.html; EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds. “Watershed Tips.” epa.gov/owow)
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