What exactly is dirt?

Discussion in 'Earth Science' started by Why?, Sep 5, 2007.

  1. Why? Registered Senior Member

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    We all know that you make mud pies out of dirt, but what is dirt made of exactly?
     
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  3. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    It's just broken up rock (minerals) mixed with all types of organic material including living organisms.
     
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  5. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    Mud pies - dehydrated.
     
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  7. Why? Registered Senior Member

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    So, if it's just broken up rocks, as there are all sorts of rocks and dead organic materials, there must be all sorts of dirts? Any classifications of the various dirts?
     
  8. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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  9. Pandaemoni Valued Senior Member

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  10. Why? Registered Senior Member

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    Are earthworms able to eat all these sort of dirts, or are there different earthworms who like different dirts?
     
  11. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Earthworms don't exactly eat the dirt. They do swallow and expel the mineral part but it's the organic material that they are after.
     
  12. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Q: What's the difference between soil and dirt?
    A: Location, Location. Location

    Q: What is the difference between a Soil Scientist and a Dirt Doctor?
    A: About $85,000.

    What did the pebble say to the big rock. "Some day do you think I'll ever be a little boulder?"




    A Dirt Poem: by Jessica Veenstra

    Pedogenesis:
    genesis of peds
    aggregate agglomeration
    dispersed individuals
    begin
    to cohere
    become sticky
    form structure
    shape
    and excessively moderately hard rupture resistance
    with time
    and a little weathering
    the particles become one
    sharing space, energy,
    love, & laughter
    (plus reallly good food!)
     
  13. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    are there worms in clay? I've never seen one.
     
  14. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Sure, as long as there's some organic material present.
     
  15. granpa Registered Senior Member

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    much of the organic part is lignin.
     
  16. Odin'Izm Procrastinator Registered Senior Member

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    1,851
    No, to reach clay the worm has to go through very wet soil, and sometimes pure water. Clay creates a water proof surface underground, and water pools on it's surface, if a worm tries to burrow into the clay it will drown. Clay is also very hard for worms to move through, it's a rather dense and ductile substance.
     
  17. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    so clay and sand are not considered dirt?
     
  18. Oniw17 ascetic, sage, diogenes, bum? Valued Senior Member

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    I don't think so(maybe).
     
  19. Odin'Izm Procrastinator Registered Senior Member

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    I don't think dirt is even a proper classification, for me dirt is anything under my feet which is more or less loose. Dirt can have bits of clay and bits of sand, it really doesn’t matter. Soil is the proper word for it; there are many different layers of soil.

    In conversation there is a different between dirt and clay and sand, you wouldn’t say dirt if you are standing on a beach, and you wouldn’t say dirt if you were in a clay pit.

    Why do you care so much about dirt? clay is much more fun.
     
  20. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    That's not totally accurate. For absolutely PURE clay, to a degree - but there are many very heavy clay-based soils all around the world and earthworms are very active in them. And clay isn't waterproof. It's true that it's far less permeable than sand but water certainly can and does penetrate it.
     
  21. Odin'Izm Procrastinator Registered Senior Member

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    Clay is what we're talking about not soil, and no worms don't thrive in it at all, while clay is'nt perfectly water proof it certainly retains it very well, so the effect is the same. Worms don't thrive in clay.
     
  22. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Then you are speaking ONLY of pure clay which would contain NO organic matter at all. That's rarely found on the surface anywhere as it's normally a subsoil feature.
     
  23. Grantywanty Registered Senior Member

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    If you look under pines, for example, you find on the surface dead needles, maybe some mushroom. Clear away the 'top' and you find organic material that is more digested. There is no distinct boundary. There is a gradual spectrum from recently fallen organic thingies to soil that can serve as a nutrient base for root based plants. Dirt is many things. You could say we are mobile predirt. One layer above the fallen leaves or needles.
     

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