About Soils | Soil Science Society of America

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</nav> <script> jQuery('#block-acsnavmenusprimarynav2 #siteNav-top').bootNavBarClick(); </script> </div> </div> </header> <div class="region region-breadcrumb"> <div id="block-agronomy-breadcrumbs-2" class="settings-tray-editable block block-system block-system-breadcrumb-block wrapper" data-drupal-settingstray="editable"> <nav class="breadcrumb" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="system-breadcrumb"> <h2 id="system-breadcrumb" class="visually-hidden">Breadcrumb</h2> <ol> <li> <a title="Home" href="/">Home</a> </li> </ol> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="region region-highlighted"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> <main role="main"> <a id="main-content" tabindex="-1"></a> <div class="layout-content clearfix news-wrapper"> <div class="region region-content"> <div id="block-mainpagecontent--2" class="block block-system block-system-main-block wrapper"> <article role="article" class="node node--type-general-templates node--view-mode-full"> <div class="node__content"> <div class="field field--name-field-layouts field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--landing-page paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="field field--name-field-landing-hero field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden field__item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--landing-hero paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="row wrapper"> <div class="col-12"> <div class="landing-hero" style="background-image: url(/files/images/sssa/discover-soils/about-soils-hero-1600x600.jpg)"> <div class="landing-heroInner"> <h1 class="landing-title wrapper-inner t-t:u">About Soils</h1> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row wrapper"> <div class="col-12"> <div class="row wrapper-inner"> <div class="col-12 col-md-6 col-lg-7"> <div class="landing-content"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--landing-page-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="landing-repeat"> <h4 class="t-t:u">What is soil?</h4> <p><p>Soil is a mixture of minerals, dead and living organisms (organic materials), air, and water. These four ingredients react with one another in amazing ways, making soil one of our planet’s most dynamic and important natural resources.</p> <p>Soil is used by people in many ways. Because of this, it has many definitions. An engineer may view soils as a material upon which infrastructure is built, while a diplomat may refer to “soil” as a nation’s territory. From a soil scientist’s perspective, soil is:</p> <p><strong><em>The surface mineral and/or organic layer of the earth that has experienced some degree of physical, biological, and chemical weathering.</em></strong></p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col-12 col-md-6 col-lg-5"> <div class="landing-sidebar"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--sidebar paragraph--view-mode--default"> <a id="sidebarCta-1" title="Science News" class="content1-cta" href="/news/science-news" > Science News </a> <div class="sidebar-video"> </div> <aside class="layout-sidebar-second" role="complementary"> </aside> </div> </div> </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="row wrapper"> <div class="col-12"> <div class="wrapper-inner clearfix"> <h4 class="t-t:u">Learn more</h4> </div> </div> </div><div class="row wrapper"> <div class="col-12"> <div class="wrapper-inner clearfix"> <div class="landing-learnItem"> <a href="https://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics" title="Soil basics" class="imgLink"> 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