what soil is and how it is formed about the different types of Irish soils (including the soil in your local area) about the relationship between soil and vegetation how soil influences economic activities how people interact with a natural resource like soil about the sustainable exploitation of soil.
ICE-BREAKER ACT VITY
(a) Work in groups of four. Fill a third of a glass jar with a sample of soil from your area. Look at your soil sample and discuss the following questions with your group:
• What colour is the soil sample? • What is the soil sample made up of? • What does the soil feel like? Record the group’s findings in your copybook.
(b) Look at the soil texture chart (Figure 16.3). Do you know which soil type your sample belongs to? Record your answer in your copybook.
Soil Learning Intentions
In this section, you will learn: zz that soil is made up of five main ingredients zz that soil texture refers to the percentage of sand, zzsilt and clay particles in the soil zz about soil profiles zz that rainfall can cause leaching of minerals in soils.
Mineral Humus Nutrients Texture
Soil profile
Bedrock Horizon Plant litter Leaching Hardpan
Soil is a thin layer of material on the Earth’s surface. Plants have their roots in the soil and cannot grow without it. People and animals use plants as a food source, so soil is a very important natural resource.
