Soil organism
* Many soil organisms are beneficial but others are devastating to crops and animals.
* Most soil organisms are responsible for decomposition and nutrient cycling.
* Most soil organisms play decisive roles
  - rely on organic matter for food
* Some soil organisms are pests.
* are hugely diverse and play a range of critical roles in most soil processes
  - key to forming good soil structure or tilth
  - like people
  - related to each other based on the soil food web
* attack the dead microbial bodies through decomposition.
* include protozoans.
* interact with climate and vegetation.
* obtain energy from organic materials by reducing carbon atoms.
* prey on crop pests and are food for above-ground animals.

Soil quality
* depends on a range of soil properties and processes.
* determines the type of fertilizer best suited for each region.
* is affected by multiple factors
  - also the fundamental first step to environmental quality
  - one of the most critical factors in conserving water
  - the foundation of agricultural productivity and land health
* key component of healthy ecosystems.
* represents the life of the soil.

### soil:

Acid soil
* Most acid soils are saturated with aluminium rather than hydrogen ions
  - exist, however, because of soil develop-ment and management
* can limit plant growth and vigor, especially for legumes.
* contains much hydrogen or aluminum ions.
* lead to problems such as calcium deficiency, blossom end rot and magnesium deficiency.
* makes blue blooms.
* occur in the tropics and subtropics as well as in moderate climates
  - most frequently in central Alberta and in the Peace River region
* occur naturally and as a result of the long-term use of nitrogen fertilizers
  - in Victoria through processes of weathering and leaching
* produce blue flowers, whereas alkaline soils produce pink blossoms.
* promote club root disease of cabbage Table.
* reduce microbial activity and hence reduce the breakdown of thatch.
* tends to make phosphorus unavailable to plants - affecting their bloom and root growth.
* turn a solution yellow-orange, neutral turn it green and alkaline, dark green.

Acidic soil
* are high in acids.
* can also intensify phosphorus deficiency symptoms
  - release elements at toxic levels
* increase disease risk as do cool spring temperatures.
* is important, high in humus rather than clay soil
  - required to grow blueberries, along with adequate water and cool temperatures
  - very important to all blueberries
* reduce the amount of nutrients available to the trees.

Agricultural soil
* Some agricultural soils are deficient in trace elements.
* associated with rangelands and grasslands often have similar vertical sequences.

Aldino soil
* are moderately well drained.
* have angular pebbles of quartzite and flakes of mica in the lower part of the solum.

### soil:

Alkaline soil
* are a problem in several areas of Louisiana including New Orleans.
* can lead to toxic concentrations.
* cause insecticides to deteriorate faster than neutral or slightly acid soils.
* contain a high proportion of chalk.
* foster a fungal disease called potato scab.
* have a relatively low concentration of hydrogen ions.
* interferes with the jasmine's ability to access iron or manganese from the soil.
* is found in arid and semiarid regions
  - more conducive to plants which accumulate selenium
* limit clubroot infection.
* makes pink blooms.
* needs powdered sulfur added or aluminum sulfate.
* tend to lock up nutrients.

Atlow soil
* are on hills and mountain crests, shoulders, summits and side slopes
  - mountain and hill summits, crests, shoulders and side slopes
* have thin lime coatings on undersides of rock fragments in the argillic horizon.

Aubbeenaubbee soil
* are on moraines and till plains.
* have a higher sand content in the upper part of the solum.