ENVIROTHON SOILS STATION

ENVIROTHONSOILS STATION

INTENT AND PURPOSE(you might want to sit up

close for these)

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SOIL FORMATION

LANDFORM – gullies, hills, mtns, CLIMATE – freezing, thawingORGANICS – life cycles PARENT MATERIAL – mineral sourcesTIME – long time, eons, mega yrs.

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Biologial Diversity is Essential

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Diversity in different Ecosystems

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Where are the most fertile soils?

National Geographic, September 2008 5

ARABLE PART of the EARTH

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PARTICLE SIZE

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Soil Color

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Determining Soil Texture by

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STRUCTURE

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Web Soil Survey

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Soil Survey ProgramWeb Soil Survey

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Soil Survey ProgramWeb Soil Survey

– Requires only a computer with (fast) internet connection to use

– No signups/passwords/email addresses required

– Maps made without specialized software, instantly

– Robust analysis capabilities without specialized software

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94% of the country has been mapped 96% of private land has been mappedUtah has about 3 million acres of private land left to be surveyed

Soil Survey ProgramWeb Soil Survey-Data Availability

Status

Non-project

Published

Project - Mapping Complete

Project - In Progress

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Soil Survey ProgramWeb Soil Survey

Low Tech.--------------------Most People----------------------High Tech.

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Soil Survey ProgramWeb Soil Survey

EASY TO USE . . . just 3 steps:1) Define

2) View/Explore

3) Check Out

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

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Area of Interest

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EXAMPLE SOIL MAP

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Building Materials Map

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Building Materials Ratings

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Eight Capability Classes

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WHY ALL THE

FUSS?

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Factors that affect erosion– Slope– Texture– Cover– Climate (rain and runoff)– Temperatures– Wind

Types of Erosion – Splash Zone– Rill erosion– Gully erosion– Wind erosion– Sheet erosion– Streambank erosion

Sustainable Agriculture and Erosion

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Erosion Control– Contour Planting: plant crops

around the curve of a hill rather than up and down the hill.

– Terraces: wide ridges that go around a hill to prevent water from rushing down the hill too fast.

– Forest and Grass Areas: keep steep hillsides in trees or grass rather than clear for cropland.

– Grassed Waterways: plant grass and don’t plow low areas in a field where water usually runs.

Sustainable Agriculture and Erosion Control

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Erosion Control– Windbreak: rows of trees planted

to slow down the wind and prevent soils from blowing

– Cover Crop: a crop planted between harvests reduces soil erosion and replenishes the soil with nutrients and organic matter

– Conservation Tillage– Crop Rotation: rotate the type of

crop planted so that the nutrients are not depleted

http://www.dubuqueswcd.org/page5.html

Sustainable Agriculture and Erosion Control

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QUESTIONS

Ray.grow@ut.usda.gov801 524-4253

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