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Subject:
the nature of soil
Category: Science Asked by: tab5731-ga List Price: $2.00 |
Posted:
25 Aug 2006 15:44 PDT
Expires: 24 Sep 2006 15:44 PDT Question ID: 759588 |
Is "soil," "by itself" considered biotic or abiotic? |
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Subject:
Re: the nature of soil
Answered By: tisme-ga on 25 Aug 2006 15:52 PDT |
Hello tab5731-ga, "Soil contains rocks, minerals, dead organisms, and air. Soil is biotic and abiotic because it contains dead and living organisms and other non-living factors." SOURCE: http://talonscience.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_talonscience_archive.html If you absolutely had to choose between the two, soil would be abiotic (non-living) because it is made up of minerals and disintegrated rock. While some definitions include the organic material mixed in as part of the soil, many do not: "The top layer of the Earth's surface, containing unconsolidated rock and mineral particles mixed with organic material." SOURCE: http://www.apsu.edu/wet/whatis.html So the answer to your question is that soil is considered abiotic. All the best, tisme-ga Search Strategy: "soil is biotic" define:soil |
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Subject:
Re: the nature of soil
From: erichj-ga on 01 Sep 2006 14:54 PDT |
The most productive and fertile soils are mostly biotic: This entire thread on 'Terra Preta' soils I feel has great possibilities to revolutionize sustainable agriculture into a major CO2 sequestration strategy. http://forums.hypography.com/earth-science/3451-terra-preta-9.html I thought, I first read about these soils in " Botany of Desire " or "Guns,Germs,&Steel" but I could not find reference to them. I finely found the reference in "1491", but I did not realize their potential . The Georgia Inst. of Technology page: http://www.energy.gatech.edu/presentations/dday.pdf There is an ecology going on in these man made charcoal soils that is not completely understood, and if replicated and applied at scale would have multiple benefits for farmers and environmentalist. Terra Preta is on the Agenda at this years world Soil Science Conference ! http://crops.confex.com/crops/wc2006/techprogram/P16274.HTM If pre Columbian Indians could produce these soils up to 6 feet deep over 20% of the Amazon basin it seems that our energy and agricultural industries could also product them at scale. Harnessing the work of this vast number of microbes and fungi changes the whole equation of EROEI for food and Bio fuels. I see this super community of wee beasties populated into their proper Soil horizon Carbon Condos as the only sustainable agricultural strategy if we no longer have cheap hydrocarbons for fertilizer. . |
Subject:
Re: the nature of soil
From: mgnairtvm-ga on 04 Sep 2006 03:27 PDT |
Soil is the complex body on the surface of a lithosphere subject to soil formation processes, comprised by mineral and organic matter, as well as living organisms. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Soil&go=Go |
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