Explain different layers of soil with diagram and their properties.
Answers
Explanation:
Soil has different layers, which are called horizons. These layers begin with leaf litter, and end with the bed rock. The layers are:
[i] Leaf litter- This layer is the topmost layer and consists of leaf litter and decomposed organic matter. Above this layer are the plants' shoots.
[ii] Topsoil- This layer is slightly dark in color. It is made up of humus. Seeds germinate here.
[iii] Leaching layer- This layer is light in color. It is the third layer of soil. This layer is deprived of minerals because of the process of eluviation.
[iv] Subsoil- This layer contains mineral deposits. It gets its minerals from drips from the layer above (through process of eluviation).
[v] Regolith- This is the second last layer of soil. This has broken-up rocks from the bed rock. Plant roots and organic material are nil here.
[vi] Bed rock- The last comes the bed rock. This is made up of unweathered rocks and is below all the other layers.