![]() C horizon is devoid of any organic matter and is made of broken-up bedrocks, making it hard. It is called the parent rock because all the upper layers developed from this layer. 5) C Horizon – (Parent Rock)Īlso known as regolith or saprolite, it lies just below the subsoil. Farmers often mix topsoil and subsoil while plowing their fields. This layer holds enough water due to its clayey nature. The subsoil is the region of deposition of certain minerals and salts of certain metals such as iron oxides, aluminum oxides, and calcium carbonate in large proportion. This layer has less organic content but is rich in minerals that are leached down from the topsoil. However, it is comparatively more rigid and compact than the topsoil. It is lighter in color than the topsoil due to lower humus content. Mostly found below the topsoil is another layer called the subsoil or horizon B. E horizon is absent in most soils but is more common in forested areas. Leaching of clay, minerals, and organic matter leaves this layer with a high concentration of sand, slit particles, quartz, and other resistant materials. This layer consists of nutrients leached from O and A horizons and is thus called the eluviations layer. ![]() In this layer, minerals and clay particles may dissolve in the fresh water and get carried to lower layers as water percolates down the soil. Here, the plants stretch their roots deep down, allowing it to hold the topsoil together. The humus makes the topsoil highly porous, allowing it to hold air and moisture necessary for seed germination. Insects, earthworms, centipedes, bacteria, fungi, and other animals are found inside this layer. ![]() The topsoil is the region of intense biological activity and has the most nutrients. The A horizon or topsoil is thus also called the humus layer. 2) A Horizon – (Topsoil)įound below the O horizon, it has a dark brown color as it contains the maximum organic matter of the soil. The O horizon is thin in some soil, thick in some others, or absent in the rest. Due to high organic content, this layer is typically black brown or dark brown. This layer is the uppermost layer of the soil rich in organic matter, such as the remains of plants and dead animals. Immature soils lack some of these layers. These layers or horizons are represented by alphabets O, A, E, C, B, and R. There are six different layers or horizons that make up a mature soil profile.
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