• It is the upper layer of earth in which plants grow.
• It is formed by the weathering of rocks and consists of a mixture of
organic remains, clay and mineral particles.
Soil
Hey Aditya, you
know what is soil??
No Riya.. But, today
we will learn about
it in our class.

Do you know that there
are different kinds of
soil?
Yes.. Come..
Lets read about
it.
Oh really??

Characteristics of different types of soils and applications
Black soil
• Black cotton soil
• Dark grey to black in color
• High clay content and highly moist retentive
• Rich in iron, lime, calcium, magnesium, carbonates and alumina
• Cotton, Sugarcane, Rice, Groundnut, Wheat, Oilseeds, Millet

Sandy soil or Desert soil
Originated by mechanical disintegration and weathering of rocks
 Contains soluble salts
 Porous and coarse
 Rich in nitrates and phosphates while poor in nitrogen and humus
 Friable, sandy and low moist content
 Drought resistant crops such as barley and millets

Loamy soil
 Consists of sand, silt and clay
 The texture is gritty and retains water very easily, the drainage is well
 It is considered to be the perfect soil.

Clay soil
Made of higher proportions of small particles like clay
 These clay particles are tightly packed with very less space between particles
 Water can be trapped in the tiny gaps between them
 Heavy and hold more water
 Suitable for potato, pea and green leafy vegetables

Red Soil
Sandy and less clay
 Rich in iron and poor in phosphorus, nitrogen and lime
 Porous and friable
 Groundnut, millet, tobacco, potato, rice, wheat, sugarcane

Laterite soil
 Brown to yellowish
 soil Latin word meaning brick
 Form under high temperature and rainfall
 Becomes hard when exposed to air
 Used as building materials
 Tea, coffee, rubber and coconut

Mountain soil
 Formed by deposition of organic matter from forest
 Found in hill slopes
 Rich in humus and poor in potash and lime
 Tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits

What do you think of when you hear,
“forest”?

What do you think of when you hear,
“forest”?
A place
with trees
A place
where we
go to see
nature

Defining a Forest
•A forest is land
-that is a little bigger than 1 acre in size
-where the trees cover at least 10% of it
-and the trees can grow to be at least 16 feet tall

What else is in a forest other than trees?
Shrubs
Wildlife
Decomposers
People
Soil

Now that we know what makes up a forest and
what they do for us, let’s explore the different
forest types …

1. Natural Forests
2. Plantations
3. Urban Forests
Types of Forests

• These types of forests are usually conservation areas for
wildlife, ecosystem services and wildlife
• Sometimes trees in natural forests are harvested but young
trees will grow from seeds left on the ground and take their
place
• Natural forests provide green areas for many people to enjoy
• Have you ever visited a natural forest?
Natural Forests

An Example of a Natural Forest

• These are forest that are specifically planted to make products
people use
• Examples of products include paper, wood, fuel, oranges etc.
• Plantations are usually planted in rows for easy access and are
privately owned
• Plantations are usually less diverse than natural forests
Plantations

An Example of a Plantation

• These forests are planted or left standing in developed
areas such as in neighborhoods or cities
• Human benefits are the primary purpose of urban forests
• Benefits include providing cool shade, beauty, and
taking up water after it rains
Urban Forests

An Example of an Urban Forest

• Despite differences in the environmental conditions in a forest,
what lives in a forest, and how it is used, all forests provide
services that you and I benefit from everyday.
• Forests provide shade, clean air for us to breath, clean water for
us to drink, return nutrients to the soil, and provide habitat for
other plants and wildlife
• Can you think of any good things forests do?
Benefits Forests Provide