SOILS
Soil is a mixture of mineral and organic material at the surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for growing plants.
The five factors that control the formation of soils are:
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Climate
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Organisms
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Topography
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Parent Material
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Time
The Soils section of the contest will be broken up into several categories, including soil properties, soil biology, landforms and parent material, soil maps, and interpretations. A soil profile will be excavated and available for students to describe horizons, texture, structure, permeability, depth to water table, color, and other features.
Current Year Resources
For more information, please see the Soil Guide below.

Soils Resource Team
Peter Whitcomb US Department of Agriculture
Emily Whalen University of New Hampshire