Question

Which are the types of soils in India? Explain each{ Location, characteristics, formation}

Answer 1

Different Types of Soils in India

Key Difference: There are many different types of Soils present in India. They are primarily differentiated on the basis of composition and structure. Black, red, alluvial, laterite, desert, mountain, saline and marshy are some prominent soils present in India.

The term soil has been derived from the Latin word ‘solum’ which means ground. It is composed of the inorganic, organic components, living organisms like bacteria and algae and also air and water which takes the place at pore spaced between soil particles. It

Forest and Mountain Soil – These soils are found on the hill slopes region covered by forests. These soils of mountainous regions are very susceptible to soil erosion. These soils are thin in texture and not very fertile. These soils have a high content of humus. They are found in regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himanchal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Assam, etc. The characteristics of this soil are defined by the organic matter which it takes from forest growth. It is suitable for plantation of coffee, tea, tropical fruits and spices.

Desert Soil – These soils are found in regions having low rainfall. It is found in desert areas of temperate and tropical zones. The texture of this soil is sandy. They have high phosphate content nearly same as in the case of alluvial soils. However, they have low nitrogen content, but still nitrates are present to fill that gap for it. These are found mainly in the deserts of Rajasthan and in the southern regions of the Punjab and Rann of Katchch. This soil is not good for agriculture but still some agricultural activity can be carried out with irrigation. Crops like groundnut, wheat and Bajra are grown on these types of soils.

Saline and Alkaline Soil – These are found in areas which receive little more rainfall than in comparison to desert soils. They contain good amount of salts and alkalis and that is why these are known as saline and alkaline soils. Tidal water collects in adjoining coasts due to lack of proper drainage and gives rise to the formation of this kind of soil. Presence of salts makes it unsuitable for agriculture. It is found mainly in the drier regions of Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, etc. and nearly covers 68,000 sq km of area.

Peaty and Marshy Soil – Peaty soils are formed in the humid region as a result of accumulation of organic matter in the souls. These soils remain covered under water at the rainy season and therefore are utilized for paddy cultivation later. The color of this soil is black and heavy. It is highly acidic in nature. It is mainly found in western regions of Kottayam district and Alappuzha district. Marshy soils are formed due to water logging anaerobic conditions of the soil. It contains iron and organic matter in different quantities.  Marshy soils are found in northern Bihar, Tamil Nadu, coastal parts of Orissa, West Bengal and in some parts of UP.

Alluvial Soil – This soil has been formed due to depositions by the river during flood. They are known to be good productive types of soils. However, they have low content of nitrogen, phosphorous and humus, however they are rich in potassium. It is suitable for cultivation of crops like sugarcane, paddy and plantain. It is found in areas of Punjab, Bihar, Haryana, Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, delta regions of southern India, etc. It is coarser in upper regions whereas the quality in deltas is much fine. Fertile ones are locally known as khaddar, whereas coarser ones are known as bangar.

Answer 2

☆ Alluvial Soil

These soils are formed by the sediments brought down by the rivers. They are also rich in chemical ingredients. The rivers deposit very fine particles of soil called alluvium in their plains during their long course of journey. Alluvial soil is also known as riverine soil because it is mainly found in the river basin.

☆ Desert soil

These soils are found in Thar desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan. This soil is formed from arid conditions with practically negligible rainfall. This type of soil is highly pervious and has a low density. It requires densification to increase its bearing capacity and shearing strength. Commonly recognised plants that grow in these soils are cacti.

☆ Black soil

Central India and Deccan plateau mainly constitutes this type of soil. The soil is suitable for growing cottons. These are residual deposits from trap or basalt rocks. This type of soil is typically of the Deccan trap region spread over Northwest Deccan plateau and is made of lava floors. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and extend in South-East direction along Godavari and Krishna valleys. These soils contain essential clay minerals as montmorillonite. These soils cover an extensive area of 300,000 km2. The engineering properties of such soils are as follows:
•High compressibility
•Low bearing capacity
•Low shearing strength

☆ Laterite Soil

Laterite soil"s are formed from chemical decomposition of rocks. These soils mainly contain iron oxide which gives them characteristic pink or red color. These soils are found in Central, Eastern and South India. These are residual soils formed from basalt and have high specific gravity. These soils are mostly composed as calcite depositions.

☆ Marine deposits

These soils are found in narrow belt near the south-west coast of India. These soils have low shearing strength and high compressibility. The marine clays are soft and highly plastic.They contain large amount of organic matter and are not suitable for construction of megastructureslike buildings, cranes etc.