landsoil

Landsoil is the term used to describe the solid, terrestrial soil medium that supports vegetation, microorganisms, and biogeochemical cycles on continents and islands. It comprises mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air, and develops through pedogenesis under the influence of climate, living organisms, parent material, topography, and time.

The mineral fraction provides structure and a base for nutrients; organic matter improves fertility and water-holding capacity. Soils are organized into horizons, commonly designated O, A, E, B, and C, with textures classified by the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay. Soil properties such as pH, cation exchange capacity, bulk density, and porosity determine water availability and nutrient dynamics.

Landsoil performs essential ecological and agricultural roles: it stores and regulates water, supplies nutrients to plants, harbors diverse organisms, and sequesters carbon. It also filters pollutants and supports biodiversity. The composition and behavior of landsoil are shaped by the five soil-forming factors: climate, organisms (including roots and soil fauna), relief (topography), parent material, and time.

Scientists classify land soils using standardized systems such as the World Reference Base for Soil Resources and USDA soil taxonomy. These schemes group soils into orders and suborders based on properties like horizon development, mineralogy, and salinity. Common soil types include mollisols, alfisols, spodosols, aridisols, and oxisols, reflecting different formation environments.

Landsoil faces threats from erosion, compaction, salinization, contamination, and nutrient depletion. Sustainable management—conservation tillage, cover crops, organic matter amendments, appropriate drainage, and vegetation on slopes—helps maintain soil structure, fertility, and ecosystem services.