• Question: What is soil made up of?

    Asked by helenstride to Eoin on 22 Mar 2011.
    • Photo: Eoin Lettice

      Eoin Lettice answered on 22 Mar 2011:

      Hi helenstride,
      Thanks for your soil question!
      The simple answer is lots of things. First, there is the non-living part of soil – that includes small pieces of rock which has broken away from larger rocks to form sand, silt or clay. Some of those rocks were themselves formed millions of years ago by decaying animals and plants.
      As well as the physical part of soil there is also the biological parts. Soil is full of bacteria and fungi which breakdown plants and animals which die and this way, tehy get put back into the soil in a sort of circle of life!
      Soil also contains lots of insects, nematodes, earthworms, etc, which all add to the biodiversity and unique nature of the soil environment. Soil is different wherever you go becasue it is made up of different physical components and different biological components. Thats why soil is so interesting!

      Eoin

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