Topsoil: characteristics. Fertile soil layer How to improve the soil. Improving soil fertility

What is soil? This is the uppermost solid layer of the earth's crust, on which plants live and develop. The soil is the main condition for plant life - a source of water and essential nutrients.

In order to successfully engage in gardening, horticulture and floriculture, it is necessary to understand the structure of the soil - after all, it can be successfully processed. So, if necessary, we can change the composition of the soil, adapting it for the life of our plants.

Soil layers

The soil is made up of four layers.

Moist soil layer

it surface layer of soil, it is only 3-7 centimeters thick. The moistened layer has a dark color. Violent biological activity takes place in this layer - after all, most soil organisms live here.

Humus layer of soil

The humus layer is thicker than the moistened layer - about 10-30 centimeters. It is humus that is the basis of plant fertility. With a humus layer thickness of 30 cm or more, the soil is considered very fertile.

This layer is also inhabited by organisms - they process plant residues into mineral components, which in turn dissolve in groundwater, and then are absorbed by plant roots.

Pre-soil layer

Pre-soil layer also called mineral. A huge amount of nutrients is concentrated in this layer, but the biological activity here is not at all great. However, soil organisms also live in the mineral layer, which process nutrients into a form suitable for further consumption by plants.

parent rocks

Layer parent breeds biologically inactive. It is quite fragile - if not protected by previous layers, then it becomes thinner very quickly, as it is subject to washing out and weathering.

The mechanical composition of the soil

And what do the soil layers themselves consist of? They have four constituents: organic and inorganic solids, water and air.

Solid inorganic particles

Solid inorganic particles in the composition of the soil include sand, stone and clay. Clay is a key component of the soil because it is able to bind the soil and hold water and dissolved nutrients in it.

The space between solid soil particles is called pores. The pores perform a capillary role, delivering water to the roots of plants, as well as a drainage role, removing excess fluid, avoiding its stagnation.

Solid organic particles

The organic part of the soil is humus (humus) and soil fauna.

Soil bacteria and other organisms absorb plant residues and organic waste, process and decompose them, as a result of which simple mineral compounds (primarily nitrogen) are released that are necessary for plant nutrition. This process of decomposition of organic matter in the soil by bacteria is called humification.

Humus is the most significant part of the soil:

Humus is “responsible” for the transformation of any constituents that have entered the soil into a form available for plant nutrition.

In its natural state, humus is the immune system of the soil. It improves the health of plants and increases their resistance to disease-causing organisms.

Humus creates an optimal loose soil structure in which all processes are stabilized - oxygen and water exchange.

Soils rich in humus retain heat and warm up faster.

According to the degree of humus content, soils are divided into:

poor in humus (less than 1% humus),

moderately humic (1-2%),

medium humus (2-3%),

humus (more than 3%).

Only humus soils are suitable for agricultural needs.

However, it should be clarified that if the soil is improperly cultivated and overfertilized for many years, then the biological activity of the soil fauna is significantly reduced. Then the amount of humus can remain high, but the soil becomes unsuitable for planting, not fertile.

soil water

Soil water is not just a pure liquid, it is a nutrient solution that contains organic and inorganic substances characteristic of the soil. Water enters the soil with precipitation, from the air, from groundwater, and also with irrigation (if we are talking about soils used by humans).

Plants get their nutrition through soil water.

Different types of soil have different ability to absorb and retain moisture.

Sandy soils absorb water best, but they also retain it poorly - because the distance between particles (pores) in such soils is the largest.

Clay soils are poorly absorbent and poorly expel water due to their hard structure and minimal distances between solid particles.

The best soils in terms of structure are mixed humus soils, in which the structure is most balanced, so water is well absorbed, retained and carried to the roots of plants.

soil air

soil air also found between soil solids, along with water. It is needed to ensure the respiration of soil organisms and plant roots. Unlike the aboveground parts of plants, roots absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide. For this reason, there is more carbon dioxide in soil air than atmospheric air.

Soil loosening is used to provide the roots of plants with oxygen. If there is not enough oxygen in the soil air, the growth of the root system of plants slows down, and the metabolism is also disturbed - the plant cannot fully absorb water and absorb nutrients. In addition, with a lack of oxygen in the soil, instead of the process of humification, the process of decay occurs.

This explains the fact that even in seemingly well-moistened and nutritious soil, plants begin to feel oppressed - they lack oxygen for proper nutrition and health.

For definiteness, the topmost layer of soil, less than 5 cm, plus plant litter on it, will be called the surface layer of soil. We can say that this is a thin layer between heaven and earth, on their border.

The Importance of Surface Soil

The surface layer of the soil has an exceptionally great influence on the soil, on its root-inhabited part. If the surface layer is even and dense, then it is easily warmed up by the spring sun and the frozen soil quickly thaws after a frosty winter. Moisture through capillaries easily rises from the depth of the soil to its very surface and evaporates. But it is enough to loosen the surface layer shallowly, by about 5 cm, to destroy the capillaries at the very surface, how moisture will be stored in the root layer, it will water the plants even with a long absence of rain. The surface layer enriched with oxygen and warmed by warm air will create comfortable conditions for the respiration of the roots of plants of their development, for the development of soil microorganisms, various soil worms, and insects that have “frozen out” during the winter. However, if this continues for a long time, then the bare, uncovered soil under the influence of wind, rain, and hot sun gradually loses its fertility, its structure is destroyed, nutrients decompose or are washed away.

But under natural conditions, the surface layer of the soil is naturally protected by plants, covered with plant litter - dead parts of plants, grasses. Approximately the same thing happens in the root layer of the soil - the dead roots of various plants form "underground litter". Humidified and warmed litter, with a lack of oxygen, serves as food for various soil microorganisms, which decompose it into simpler compounds, which partly, together with water, enter the root layer of the soil. Living plants also feed soil microorganisms with their root secretions.

The semi-destroyed organic matter of litter and dead microorganisms, the root secretions of living plants use the following (in a chain) soil microorganisms - while some (aerobic), in the presence of oxygen, continue to destroy it to even simpler compounds - nutrients absorbed by plants, while others (anaerobic ), under conditions of lack of oxygen, also use the incoming organic matter for their needs. But how can both types of microorganisms exist simultaneously? To do this, anaerobic microorganisms produce a special glue - "fresh" humus. With this humus glue, anaerobes glue particles of soil into lumps like grains - aggregates. It is inside these lumps of soil (aggregates) that anaerobes create comfortable conditions for themselves with a lack of oxygen. And oxygen lovers, supplying partially destroyed organic matter, live outside these soil grains-aggregates. And the soil, as a result of such a symbiosis, becomes granular (structural), i.e. "cultural" and fertile.

If you look at the topmost layer of soil in the meadow, you can see that it is heavily penetrated by the surface roots of plants, which are often woven into a dense turf. Moreover, the thinnest, absorbing roots tightly braid the lumps of soil. This means that it is in them that plants receive the most nutrients. And it is here that most microorganisms live. After all, living plants themselves are not freeloaders: they feed the soil microflora with their root secretions. And it is in the root layer that the granular structure of the soil arises. And this is where most of the humus is formed. From this observation was born the famous grass field system of Academician Williams to restore soil fertility.

Forest litter and meadow sod

The influence of leaf litter in forests and meadow sod on the soil differ significantly. In forests, under the forest floor, as a rule, there is no black, humus-rich soil layer. On the contrary, in the steppes and meadows there is almost always a black layer of soil rich in humus, and even black soil. What is the reason for such a big difference?

There is not too big, as it seems at first glance, the difference in the composition of the litter: woody leaves in one case and the remains of herbaceous, usually cereal plants - in the other. The absence of direct sunlight under the forest canopy and its presence all day in the steppes. Usually acidic leaching soil, especially in northern forests, and calcareous, often salty soils in southern steppes with thick chernozem horizons.

C:N ratio (carbon:nitrogen)

If we say the same thing in other words, then this is what happens: the ratio of carbon to nitrogen C:N in the leaf litter of the forest litter is much higher than for the remains of herbaceous plants, therefore the forest litter is decomposed mainly by fungi, which process it into highly soluble fulvic acids, which , unlike humic acids do not form humus. In addition, the decomposition of any leaves produces a lot of acids. Similar processes occur when acidic, unventilated peat is incorporated into the soil.

In contrast to leaves, the C:N ratio for herbaceous plant residues (about 35-65) is much more favorable for many types of soil microorganisms, including soil bacteria that need nitrogen for development. In this case, humic acids are synthesized, forming humus.

Soil, acidity and calcium

The acidity of the soil itself has a very great influence on the prevailing microflora: an acidic environment is more favorable for fungi, and slightly acidic, neutral and slightly alkaline are generally more favorable for soil bacteria, although there are also fungi that are resistant to such an environment. Neutral soil has a more diverse soil microflora, among which there are many species useful for plants. Most plants are also most favorable neutral and slightly acidic soil reaction.

In addition to the fact that calcium and magnesium reduce the acidity of the soil, they form water-resistant compounds with humic acids and contribute to soil structuring. The best soil-forming rocks for the formation and fixation of humus are loams, especially carbonate loesses, loess-like loams in the chernozem steppes.

Water meadows, top layer of settled silt

From time immemorial, the most successful and long-term farming has been on flood meadows of rivers. A small layer of fine particles of organic matter and clay covered water meadows and the remains of plants on them after the flood. And it was these lands that could be used for centuries for agriculture without destroying their fertility.

Soil improvement

In addition to organic matter and moisture, the sun's rays intensively penetrate into the upper soil layer, the thermal regime improves, the diversity and number of microorganisms increase, which reduce the number of pathogens. However, some pathogens can survive on infected plant debris on the soil surface. However, when mineral fertilizers NP (nitrogen-phosphorus) or full fertilizer, humus / compost are added to the top layer, or even infected plant residues are sprinkled with earth, it enhances biological activity and improves soil from harmful organisms (completely suppresses them during the season). In this case, the decomposition and disinfection of infected plant residues occurs much faster than when they are plowed into the soil.

Revitalization of the topsoil in spring

The surface layer of the soil enriched with oxygen and warmed by the sun will create comfortable conditions for the development of soil microorganisms that have “frozen out” during the winter, among which there are many useful ones that improve the soil and increase its fertility. But in the spring there are very few of them and they develop more slowly than harmful ones. Therefore, it will be beneficial to accelerate the development of beneficial microorganisms. To do this, you can use mulching with compost, manure humus, water the surface layer of the soil with their infusions (warm infusions, warm water), infusions of cultures of beneficial microorganisms (hay bacillus, trichoderma, etc.). In my opinion, it is impossible to refuse preparations of the so-called "EM - effective microorganisms" containing a complex of beneficial microorganisms. This is primarily "Siyanie", "Baikal" and the like: Tamir, Vozrozhdenie, etc. Beneficial soil microorganisms will suppress pathogens of plant diseases and quickly start the chain of restoration of ecological balance (organics, microorganisms, worms and insects, etc.).

Worms and insects

The top layer of soil, organic residues, protects the soil from the action of wind, rain, and hot sun, which destroy the soil structure. Loose, with a large amount of organic matter, the top layer stimulates the reproduction of soil insects and earthworms. Earthworms with their moves help to improve the structure of the soil, in addition, they drag the remains of plants deep into the soil and bring to the surface heaps of earth from their esophagus - caprolites (the so-called biohumus), which contain many nutrients for plants and are rich in beneficial soil microflora. Many insects live in the upper soil layer, many of which are useful (for example, predatory ground beetles) or are an important link in the ecological balance, including the most important food link for small animals and birds. Interestingly, some pests on moist soil rich in organic matter do not damage plants, but feed on soil organic matter (the so-called "facultative" pests). An example is the wireworm (larva of the click beetle), which is more aggressive on poor organic matter or parched soil.

glade

excerpt from V. Grebennikov's book "My World"

“Changes, of course, are taking place, but now that this meadow has become almost exactly what it was before people, changes are made slowly and hardly noticeable, and only the experienced eye of an ecologist can fix them. Take, for example, the soil. Fat, rich chernozem, disintegrating in the hand into weighty, strong, moist grains, like crumbly, but very dark buckwheat porridge - it continues to form here, unlike neighboring hayfields, and even more so arable land, every year, every day and hour, except, of course, winter.When the grass is not mowed, its dry remains immediately lie down and, with the help of rain and sun, bacteria and insects, ticks and other living creatures, turn into good humus. grows much faster than what happened in the treeless steppes - half a centimeter a year, or even a centimeter! looks now raised, high; this is especially noticeable in late autumn or early spring, when there are no leaves on the trees, and there is no snow on the Polyana.

The upper layer of the Earth, which gives life to the inhabitants of the planet, is just a thin shell covering many kilometers of inner layers. Little more is known about the hidden structure of the planet than about outer space. The deepest Kola well, drilled into the earth's crust to study its layers, has a depth of 11 thousand meters, but this is only four hundredth of the distance to the center of the globe. Only seismic analysis can get an idea of ​​the processes taking place inside and create a model of the Earth's structure.

Inner and outer layers of the Earth

The structure of the planet Earth is heterogeneous layers of inner and outer shells, which differ in composition and role, but are closely related to each other. The following concentric zones are located inside the globe:

• The core - with a radius of 3500 km.
• Mantle - approximately 2900 km.
• The earth's crust is an average of 50 km.

The outer layers of the earth make up a gaseous shell, which is called the atmosphere.

Center of the planet

The central geosphere of the Earth is its core. If we raise the question of which layer of the Earth is practically the least studied, then the answer will be - the core. It is not possible to obtain exact data on its composition, structure and temperature. All information that is published in scientific papers has been achieved by geophysical, geochemical methods and mathematical calculations and is presented to the general public with the reservation "presumably". As the results of the analysis of seismic waves show, the earth's core consists of two parts: internal and external. The inner core is the most unexplored part of the Earth, since seismic waves do not reach its limits. The outer core is a mass of hot iron and nickel, with a temperature of about 5 thousand degrees, which is constantly in motion and is a conductor of electricity. It is with these properties that the origin of the Earth's magnetic field is associated. The composition of the inner core, according to scientists, is more diverse and is supplemented by even lighter elements - sulfur, silicon, and possibly oxygen.

Mantle

The geosphere of the planet, which connects the central and upper layers of the Earth, is called the mantle. It is this layer that makes up about 70% of the mass of the globe. The lower part of the magma is the shell of the core, its outer boundary. Seismic analysis shows here a sharp jump in the density and velocity of compressional waves, which indicates a material change in the composition of the rock. The composition of the magma is a mixture of heavy metals, dominated by magnesium and iron. The upper part of the layer, or asthenosphere, is a mobile, plastic, soft mass with a high temperature. It is this substance that breaks through the earth's crust and splashes to the surface in the process of volcanic eruptions.

The thickness of the magma layer in the mantle is from 200 to 250 kilometers, the temperature is about 2000 ° C. The mantle is separated from the lower globe of the earth's crust by the Moho layer, or the Mohorovichic boundary, by a Serbian scientist who determined a sharp change in the speed of seismic waves in this part of the mantle.

hard shell

What is the name of the layer of the Earth that is the hardest? This is the lithosphere, a shell that connects the mantle and the earth's crust, it is located above the asthenosphere, and cleans the surface layer from its hot influence. The main part of the lithosphere is part of the mantle: out of the entire thickness from 79 to 250 km, the earth's crust accounts for 5-70 km, depending on the location. The lithosphere is heterogeneous, it is divided into lithospheric plates, which are in constant slow motion, sometimes diverging, sometimes approaching each other. Such fluctuations of the lithospheric plates are called tectonic movement, it is their fast tremors that cause earthquakes, splits in the earth's crust, and magma splashing onto the surface. The movement of lithospheric plates leads to the formation of troughs or hills, the frozen magma forms mountain ranges. Plates do not have permanent boundaries, they join and separate. Territories of the Earth's surface, above the faults of tectonic plates, are places of increased seismic activity, where earthquakes, volcanic eruptions occur more often than in others, and minerals are formed. At this time, 13 lithospheric plates have been recorded, the largest of them: American, African, Antarctic, Pacific, Indo-Australian and Eurasian.

Earth's crust

Compared to other layers, the earth's crust is the thinnest and most fragile layer of the entire earth's surface. The layer in which organisms live, which is the most saturated with chemicals and microelements, is only 5% of the total mass of the planet. The earth's crust on planet Earth has two varieties: continental or mainland and oceanic. The continental crust is harder, consists of three layers: basalt, granite and sedimentary. The ocean floor is made up of basalt (basic) and sedimentary layers.

• Basalt rocks- These are igneous fossils, the densest of the layers of the earth's surface.
• granite layer- absent under the oceans, on land it can approach a thickness of several tens of kilometers of granite, crystalline and other similar rocks.
• Sedimentary layer formed during the destruction of rocks. In some places it contains deposits of minerals of organic origin: coal, table salt, gas, oil, limestone, chalk, potassium salts and others.

Hydrosphere

Characterizing the layers of the Earth's surface, one cannot fail to mention the vital water shell of the planet, or the hydrosphere. The water balance on the planet is maintained by ocean waters (the main water mass), groundwater, glaciers, inland waters of rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. 97% of the entire hydrosphere falls on the salt water of the seas and oceans, and only 3% is fresh drinking water, of which the bulk is in glaciers. Scientists suggest that the amount of water on the surface will increase over time due to deep balls. Hydrospheric masses are in constant circulation, they pass from one state to another and closely interact with the lithosphere and atmosphere. The hydrosphere has a great influence on all earthly processes, the development and life of the biosphere. It was the water shell that became the environment for the origin of life on the planet.

The soil

The thinnest fertile layer of the Earth called soil, or soil, together with the water shell, is of the greatest importance for the existence of plants, animals and humans. This ball arose on the surface as a result of erosion of rocks, under the influence of organic decomposition processes. Processing the remnants of life, millions of microorganisms have created a layer of humus - the most favorable for crops of all kinds of land plants. One of the important indicators of high soil quality is fertility. The most fertile soils are those with an equal content of sand, clay and humus, or loam. Clay, rocky and sandy soils are among the least suitable for agriculture.

Troposphere

The air shell of the Earth rotates together with the planet and is inextricably linked with all processes occurring in the earth's layers. The lower part of the atmosphere through the pores penetrates deep into the body of the earth's crust, the upper part gradually connects with space.

The layers of the Earth's atmosphere are heterogeneous in composition, density and temperature.

At a distance of 10 - 18 km from the earth's crust extends the troposphere. This part of the atmosphere is heated by the earth's crust and water, so it gets colder with height. The decrease in temperature in the troposphere occurs by about half a degree every 100 meters, and at the highest points it reaches from -55 to -70 degrees. This part of the airspace occupies the largest share - up to 80%. It is here that the weather is formed, storms, clouds gather, precipitation and winds form.

high layers

• Stratosphere- the ozone layer of the planet, which absorbs the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, preventing it from destroying all life. The air in the stratosphere is rarefied. Ozone maintains a stable temperature in this part of the atmosphere from -50 to 55 ° C. In the stratosphere, an insignificant part of the moisture, therefore, clouds and precipitation are not typical for it, in contrast to significant air currents.
• Mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere- the air layers of the Earth above the stratosphere, in which a decrease in the density and temperature of the atmosphere is observed. The layer of the ionosphere is the place where the glow of charged gas particles occurs, which is called the aurora.
• Exosphere- a sphere of dispersion of gas particles, a blurred border with space.

LAYERS OF FERTILITY SOIL.

Dear farmers. I offer my opinion about soil and agriculture. About the Earth as a carrier of soil.

The word "farmer" in Russian was formed from the phrase to make the earth. Not to grow, but to make fertile land. The word "Earth" is used as a geographical, historical, mathematical, symbolic, literary symbol.

The term "Soil" refers to the biological, biophysical, biochemical environment or soil substrate. The soil is a living being. Soil is the stomach of plants. The soil is light plants. Soil is the environment where the root system of a plant lives.

Thanks to the soil, the plant is held upright and determines where the top is, where the bottom is. Soil is part of the plant body. The soil is a habitat for nano and microflora and microfauna, through the efforts of which the natural fertility of the soil is created.

Soil fertility depends on its physical and biophysical state: looseness, density, porosity. Chemical and biochemical composition, the presence of primary chemical elements and chemical elements that are part of hydrocarbon mineral-organic chains. Soil fertility can be artificial, mineral, chemical. And natural biological fertility.

Soil is a thin layer, a unique component of the biosphere, separating the gaseous and solid environment of the planet's biosphere. In fertile soil, all life-support processes for plants and animals begin. Aimed at creating a healthy, fulfilling, stable life. This means that the full life of all terrestrial plants and animals depends on the condition of the soil.

Natural, unlimited, soil fertility is created by: obsolete (remains) plant organics (hay, grass, straw, litter and sawdust, branches), and the remains of obsolete, deceased, animal organics. (microorganisms, bacteria, algae, microfungi, worms, insects and other animal organisms). Nano and micro plants (algae). These animal microorganisms are integral representatives of fertile soil, invisible to our eyes. The weight of the living part of the soil reaches 80% of its mass.

Only 20% of the soil mass is the dead mineral part of the soil. The living microflora and microfauna of a fertile soil creates a living organic matter of plants from dead chemical elements and a dead mineral-organic part.

Living microflora and microfauna, which is part of the fertile soil, are united by one name: "Soil-forming microflora and microfauna". Together, the soil-forming microflora and microfauna are united by one name of the soil-forming microbiocenosis. Soil-forming microbiocenosis is a key link in restorative bioprocesses that create boundless, natural, soil fertility.

Nature creates supports from plant and animal remains, with the help of soil-forming microflora and microfauna, an infinitely fertile, multi-layered soil structure.

The infinitely fertile soil consists of five consecutive interdependent layers. Successive layers of soil thicken, expand, grow, move into each other every year. They create a fertile layer of chernozem and mineral clay.

First soil layer. NATURAL TURF OR MAN-MADE MULCH. Consists of plant and animal remains. Last year's grass, stubble, leaf litter. Various, diverse micro-organisms, fungi, molds, and dead micro-animals and animals.

Beneath the layer of mulch, nature has provided a latrine for a variety of micro-animals and micro-insects. Worms, beetles, midges, fleas. The number of microanimals in fertile soil reaches several tons per hectare of land. All this living army moves, moves, drinks, eats, takes care of its natural needs, multiplies, and dies. Dead bodies of animal organisms, bacteria, microbes, viruses, worms, insects, animals living in the soil decompose after death to their primary biogas and biomineral state.

All animal bodies are made up of a large number of nitrogen compounds. Ammonia released during their decomposition and absorbed by the root part of plants.

Question. Should it be applied to soil-nitrogen fertilizers if it contains a large number of living and diverse bacteria, microfungi, insects, various worms and many other plant and animal organisms?

Second soil layer; Biohumus. Biohumus is excretions, waste products, faeces, various microanimals and insects. The thickness of the biohumus layer of fertile soils reaches 20 or more centimeters. (Biohumus is processed, in the stomachs, of various worms and insects, the remains of the deceased root system of plants, plant and animal, organic remains. These are the remains of food of microanimals and microinsects. Various midges and fleas). Biohumus serves as colostrum for plants. Gives the plant, through its root system, good nutrition, which contributes to the activation of development, stimulates the immune system and develops the immunity of the plant. Protects the sprout emerging from the grain from stress. A seed sown in a cold, dense and dark earth, from the first minutes of germination, finds itself in an unnatural situation for it, not provided for by the evolutionary process of development, and immediately falls into a stressful situation.

Biohumus is the colostrum of plants. Biohumus is necessary for plants, in the first hours of their life, for successful growth and healthy development. Similarly, animals that did not receive mother's milk (colostrum) in the first minutes of their birth grow and grow up frail, weak, sick. So the seeds of plants planted in a plowed, dug up, dead layer of cold soil, without Biohumus, grow frail and weak.

Third soil layer. Biomineral.

Biomineralized soil layer consists of natural remains of plant and animal organic matter and biohumus. The biomineralized soil layer of the soil, over the course of many years, is gradually created by microorganisms, micro-plants, micro-animals, from the top, mulch layer and biohumus layer. Atmospheric moisture (fogs, dews, drizzle), atmospheric water (rain, melted snow, spring waters), and atmospheric gases dissolved in them freely penetrate into the upper mulching soil layer. (Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, nitrogen oxides. Carbon. Carbon oxides). All atmospheric gases are easily absorbed by atmospheric moisture and atmospheric water. And together (water and gases dissolved in it) penetrate into all underlying soil layers. The mulching layer of the soil prevents drying, weathering, soil. Prevents soil erosion processes. Allows the surface, urinary, root system of plants to develop freely in, on, a large area of ​​soft, loose soil. Receiving from the soil abundant, digestible, natural bionutrition, moisture and atmospheric gases dissolved in it.

Microorganisms living in the upper, mulching soil layer, gradually, over many years, destroy the remains of wet plant animal organic matter, to its primary biogas and biomineral state. Biogases escape or are absorbed by the root system of plants. Biominerals remain in the soil, and gradually, over a number of years, are absorbed by plants as bioavailable, biomineral plant nutrition. Various trace elements enter this biomineral layer from space, the atmosphere, and with ground moisture. Ground moisture is collected by plants with the help of the main, tap, water, roots. The length of aquatic, plant roots is equal to the height of the plants themselves and more. For example, in potatoes, depending on its variety, the length of the water, main root, reaches 4 meters in length. The mass of the root part of plants is 1.6 - 1.7 times more than the above-ground mass. Therefore, plants do not need fertilizers. Plants grow for many years to come, without fertilizing the soil. Due to the remains of their predecessors and space-atmospheric mineral supply.

Fourth soil layer. Humus.

Humus is created by various microorganisms, from dead plant and animal organic matter, with LIMITED ACCESS to the underlying, compacted, soil layers, atmospheric moisture and water with atmospheric gases dissolved in them.

The process of formation of humus in the soil is called biosynthesis with the formation of plant humus, humus. In the process of humus biosynthesis, energy-saturated HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS, combustible biogases are formed; carbon dioxide and methane gas series.

Humus, for plants, plays the role of a source of hydrocarbon energy. The accumulation of humus in the underlying soil layers provides plants with warmth. Hydrocarbon compounds of humic acids, warms plants in the cold. Carbon dioxide and methane are absorbed by the root system of plants, soil-forming, nitrogen-fixing microflora and microfauna, creeping and low-growing plants. By creating bionitrogen accumulations in the soil.

The fifth layer of fertile soil. Subsoil, clay. This is a layer of clay located at a depth of 20 cm and deeper. The clay layer of the subsoil ensures the regulation of moisture exchange and gas exchange of the soil layers and underlying soils.

FOUR necessary, indisputable, conditions of Blagovest

Creating boundlessly fertile soil.

1. END HUMAN INTERVENTION IN SOIL LIFE

2. Soil-forming microbiocenosis in all soil layers.

3. Availabilityplant and animal remains.

4. Even layer of clay subsoil.

These four factors ensure the creation, maintenance and restoration of the natural fertility of the soil, the circulation of organic matter and water in nature.

The rate of restoration of the natural fertility of the soil, and its preservation, depends on: Activity, quantity, diversity, biochemical, biophysical and physical interaction, three, inviolable conditions of the fertile soil.

1. Quantities, qualities and diversity of late plant and animal organic matter. 2. Quantity and quality of soil-forming microbiocenosis.

3. The presence and quality of the clay, subsoil layer. The subsoil, clayey layer must be even, compacted, without plow heels and shovel humps.

It depends only on the farmer, the owner of the land plot: the creation of an infinitely fertile soil consisting of dead plant and animal organic matter, various microorganisms, microanimals, microplants and microinsects and an even, subsoil, clayey layer of the subsoil.

Only the farmer depends on the creation of the natural fertility of the soil and the restoration of its normal functioning. The farmer who personally created and cultivated fertile soil, with natural organic fertility and clay subsoil, will grow a plentiful, healthy, high-quality crop.

The soil- this is the upper fertile layer of the lithosphere, which has a number of properties inherent in living and inanimate nature.

The formation and existence of this natural body cannot be imagined without living beings. The surface layers of the rock are only the initial substrate from which various types of soils are formed under the influence of plants, microorganisms and animals.

The founder of soil science, the Russian scientist V.V. Dokuchaev, showed that

the soil- this is an independent natural body formed on the surface of rocks under the influence of living organisms, climate, water, relief, and also man.

This natural formation has been created for thousands of years. The process of soil formation begins with a settlement on bare rocks, stones of microorganisms. Feeding on carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water vapor from the atmosphere, using the mineral salts of the rock, microorganisms release organic acids as a result of their vital activity. These substances gradually change the chemical composition of rocks, make them less durable and eventually loosen the surface layer. Then lichens settle on such a rock. Unpretentious to water and nutrients, they continue the process of destruction, while enriching the rock with organic matter. As a result of the activity of microorganisms and lichens, the rock gradually turns into a substrate suitable for colonization by plants and animals. The final transformation of the original rock into soil occurs due to the vital activity of these organisms.

Plants, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and water and minerals from the soil, create organic compounds. When dying, plants enrich the soil with these compounds. Animals feed on plants and their remains. Their waste products are excrement, and after death, their corpses also fall into the soil. The entire mass of dead organic matter accumulated as a result of the vital activity of plants and animals serves as a food base and habitat for microorganisms and fungi. They destruct organic substances, mineralize them. As a result of the activity of microorganisms, complex organic substances are formed that make up the humus of the soil.

soil humus is a mixture of stable organic compounds formed during the decomposition of plant and animal residues and their metabolic products with the participation of microorganisms.

The breakdown of primary minerals and the formation of clay secondary minerals occur in the soil. Thus, the circulation of substances takes place in the soil.

moisture capacity is the ability of the soil to hold water.

Soil with a lot of sand does not retain water well and has a low water capacity. Clay soil, on the other hand, retains a lot of water and has a high water capacity. In the case of heavy rainfall, water fills all the pores in such soil, preventing the passage of air deep into. Loose, cloddy soils retain moisture better than dense ones.

moisture permeability is the ability of the soil to pass water.

The soil is permeated with the smallest pores - capillaries. Through the capillaries, water can move not only down, but also in all directions, including from bottom to top. The higher the capillarity of the soil, the higher its moisture permeability, the faster water penetrates into the soil and rises from the deeper layers upwards. Water "sticks" to the walls of the capillaries and, as it were, creeps up. The thinner the capillaries, the higher the water rises through them. When the capillaries come to the surface, the water evaporates. Sandy soils are highly permeable, while clay soils are low. If a crust (with many capillaries) has formed on the surface of the soil after rain or watering, the water evaporates very quickly. When loosening the soil, the capillaries are destroyed, which reduces the evaporation of water. No wonder loosening the soil is called dry irrigation.

Soils can have a different structure, i.e., consist of lumps of various shapes and sizes, into which soil particles are glued. In the best soils, such as chernozems, the structure is finely cloddy or granular. According to the chemical composition of the soil can be rich or poor in nutrients. An indicator of soil fertility is the amount of humus, since it contains all the main plant nutrients. So, for example, chernozem soils contain up to 30% of humus. Soils can be acidic, neutral or alkaline. Neutral soils are the most favorable for plants. To reduce acidity, they are limed, and gypsum is added to the soil to reduce alkalinity.

Mechanical composition of soils. According to the mechanical composition of the soil are divided into clay, sandy, loamy and sandy loamy.

Clay soils have a high moisture capacity and are best provided with batteries.

sandy soils low moisture capacity, well moisture permeable, but poor in humus.

loamy- the most favorable in terms of their physical properties for agriculture, with an average moisture capacity and moisture permeability, well provided with humus.

sandy loam- structureless soils, poor in humus, well water and breathable. To use such soils, it is necessary to improve their composition, to apply fertilizers.

Soil types. In our country, the following types of soils are most common: tundra, podzolic, sod-podzolic, chernozem, chestnut, gray earth, red earth and yellow earth.

tundra soils are located in the Far North in the permafrost zone. They are waterlogged and extremely poor in humus.

Podzolic soils common in the taiga under conifers, and sod-podzolic- under coniferous-deciduous forests. Broad-leaved forests grow on gray forest soils. All these soils contain enough humus and are well structured.

In the forest-steppe and steppe zones are located black earth soils. They were formed under the steppe and herbaceous vegetation, rich in humus. The humus gives the soil a black color. They have a strong structure and have high fertility.

chestnut soils located further south, they form in drier conditions. They are characterized by a lack of moisture.

Serozem soils characteristic of deserts and semi-deserts. They are rich in nutrients, but poor in nitrogen, and there is not enough water here.

Krasnozems and zheltozems are formed in the subtropics in a humid and warm climate. They are well structured, quite water-intensive, but have a lower humus content, so fertilizers are applied to these soils to increase fertility.

To improve soil fertility, it is necessary to regulate not only the content of nutrients in them, but also the presence of moisture and aeration. The arable layer of the soil should always be loose to ensure air access to the roots of plants.

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§ 23. The relief of the globe4. Water shell of the earth