A man was created from the dust (soil) and from that creation man had depended on soil for prosperity and survival. To a certain degree good soils are also dependent upon people and the use they make of soil.
Human society enjoys and uses the plants that grow on the soils for the supply of food and much of our fibre. Most of the clothing materials, medicines, drugs, and animals needed for man’s survival come from plants and soil organisms.
The Standard of living is often determined by the quality of soils and the kinds of plants and animals prevalent in the area.
The soil is useful to human societies as:
Solid and good foundation materials for building roads and highways also exert a strong influence on the life span of these structures. The engineering uses of soil demand knowledge of the diversities of soil properties which vary from one location to another.
The foundations of houses and factories thus determine whether the foundations are adequate. Soil is an important building material in form of earth fill and baked bricks.
Absorbing medium to domestic wastes through septic sewage systems and other wastes from industrial, municipal, and animal sources.
For making pots, jugs, plates, and other household usable structures.
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Growth medium for the plant by supplying water, air, and mechanical support for plant roots as well as heat to enhance chemical reactions.
Major supplier of plant nutrients that are essential for plant growth. These nutrients are slowly released from unavailable forms in the solid framework of minerals and organic matter to exchangeable sites associated with soil colloids and finally to readily available ions in the soil solution.
The nature of vegetation and types of animals on land are dictated by the properties of the soil.
Habitat for several living organisms including micro-organisms, reptiles, and even mammals, which in turn help in improving soil structure and fertility.
Read Also: The Different Types of Cropping Systems
Though the definition of soil depends on the users such as farmers, engineers, foresters, geologists, and environmentalists, soil universally could be defined as the unconsolidated, thin, and variable layer of the earth’s surface that supports land plants, and serves as the foundation for buildings and as sites for waste disposal.
The systematic study of the soil enables us to know the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil and the uses for which the soil could be put.
The variability of the soil confers different capabilities for different uses:
There is a need to study the different aspects of soil by foresters, farmers, engineers, pedologists, chemists, and a host of others.
Both field and laboratory studies of soil complement each other in the acquisition of thorough knowledge of soil characteristics.
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The smallest unit of the soil is the pedon while a polypedon or soil individual is made up of two or more pedons of similar properties.
Soils comprise a mixture of inorganic materials (mineral components), organic materials, air, and water in varying proportions depending on soil type.
Man’s existence on earth depends on the soil which supports the growth of plants needed for food, fibre, medicine, clothing, and drugs.
