SOIL TYPES IN INDONESIA

1. Soil Definition

Picture 1.1
Soil Profil Example

    Soil is a natural heterogeneous objects, consist of solid, liquid, and gas. It has dynamic natural and behavior.
    As the planting medium, soil has function as follows :
    a. Growing media for plants.
    b. Providing variety nutrient plants.
    c. Providing water for plants.
    d. Providing air for roots breathing.




2. Soil Components

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Soil Components

    Soil consist of mineral substance, organic substance and ground water. Mineral substance derives from rock weathering, while organic substance derives from decomposition of non living organism. With regards to that situation, there are destructive and constructive processes within soil. The destructive process is decomposition of mineral substance and organic substance. The constructive process is reconstruction process of mineral substance and organic substance into new compound.
    Comparison of soil components depends on the soil types, soil horizon, weather, climatic condition as well as human interference. Soil components needed by plants are 45% mineral substance, 5% organic substance, 25% water, and 25% air.

3. Soil Process

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Soil Derives From Weathered Rock

    Soil derives from physical, chemical or biological weathering to rock. Rock weathering is the initial process of soil formulation. The process produces piles of material called regolith. The regolith is the main substance in soil formulation, therefore regolith is entitled as parent material for soil formulation. Parent material has several weathering process, which formulates soil. There are several factors formulating soil, such as : parent material, climate, organism, landscape, and time.
    a. Parent Material

        The main component of soil derives from rocks. The main components of soil are distinguished into igneous rock, sedimentary rock, and metamorphic rock

    b. Climate

        Climate is the most domain factor during soil production. Temperature and precipitation are the most  common components of climate that affect soil formulation. Rocks heating and cooling are the most common processes that cause rock weathering.

    c. Organism

        Organism, especially vegetation is the dominant soil substance. Soil organic substance influences the nature of soil. Vegetation as land cover reduces erosion potency.

    d. Landscape

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Landscape/ Topography Influences
Soil Formulation

        Landscape influences soil formulation through several methods, such as it influences amount of infiltrate precipitation into soil or is restrained by soil. It also influences the depth of groundwater, erosion intensity, and water movement as well as soluble material. 

    e. Time

        Time influences soil formulation in a way of parent material weathering, rock destruction by climate and organism requires long process which enables substance material to formulate soil.