What is soil?

A dynamically and continuously changing, mixture of inorganic, living and dead organic materials, that sustains physical, chemical and biological functions while providing resources to the living nature.

Genesis of soils

1.) physical weathering of rock ® temperature® water

2.) chemical weathering nutrients

3.) biological processes biological weathering

Functions of soil

• biomass

• archeology

• modulation

• biotope

• source

• medium

Soil characteristics

- physical composition solid

poregas

liquid

- pore content clayey sand 35%

peat 80%

garden soil 60%

- permeability

- organic material

3 phase 2 phase

soil particles

liquid

gas soil particles

liquid/gaspore

- water types pore water

capillary water clay 1-2m

sand 20-30cm

sorbed water

- temperature – neutral zone

- albedo plow – 0.17

plain surface – 0.3

snow – 0.7

- mineral content

Soil degradation

1.) erosion (water/wind)

natural causes:

anthropogenic:

remedy:

heavy rain, steep slopes, impermeable soil

strong wind, dry soil, lack of vegetation

land abuse, deforestation

terracing, vegetation, alteration of soil structure, shelter belts

2.) acidification

natural causes:

anthropogenic:

remedy:

lack of calcium

breakdown of vegetation (CO2)

fertilizers (H+), acid rain

no unnecessary fertilizer, lime addition

3.) salinization

natural causes:

anthropogenic:

remedy:

bad drainage

irrigation, raising groundwater level

salt content control in irrigation water, groundwater level control, chemical methods (ion change)

4.) mechanical degradation (compaction)

natural causes:

anthropogenic:

remedy:

bad structure, lack of organisms in the soil

agricultural vehicles, bad water management

agro-techniques

5.) bad water household

natural causes:

remedy:

climate (regional or microclimate)

soil structure

irrigation, channel inland inundation, catchment area control

Pollution

source

deposition (air/water)

background

agriculture

industry/mining

traffic

landfills

reduction

gas/dust emission

food chain

seepage in groundwater

physical/chemical/biological breakdown

immobilization

Actions to take

1. previous land use

2. test holes

3. determination of pollutants

4. extent of pollution

5. prevent further spread

6. enclose or deck, if necessary

7. elimination

consider: bedding (layering)

groundwater

questions: where (density)

depth

disturbed/undisturbed sample

change in gw level

direction of gw flow

pollutant type of danger landuse

heavy metals, organic pollutants

ingestion garden, recreation area, playground

cadmium, lead bioaccumulation garden

sulfates, copper, nickel, zinc, methane

plant poison agricultural land

sulfates, chlorides, phenol, oil

corrosion inbuilt areas

methane, sulphur, inflammable material

danger of fire and explosion

inbuilt areas

PAC, asbestos, radioactive material

contact inbuilt areas

phenol, cyanide, sulphate

water pollution groundwater, surface water

Extentborehole

Isolation

1. Isolating wall 2. Depression

3. Water intrusion

wellwall

well

Elimination

EX SITU

soil exchange, deposition

soil washing (chemicals)

chemical extraction

immobilization

dehalogenization

oxidation - reduction

gas suction

IN SITU

pore gas suction

thermal treatment

soil washing (chemicals)

pneumatic decompaction

immobilization

vitrification

biodegradation

bioventillation