What Is Soil? Soil is a mixture of weathered rock, minerals and other living and non-living things. In between the small pieces that make up soil are spaces that contain air and water. An important part of soil is humus. Humus contains the remains of dead plants and animals and is often darker in color than other parts of soil. Humus adds nutrients to the soil which are essential to plants and other living things.
Think Deeply When gardening, people often add extra ‘topsoil’ to gardens. How does this help plants grow?
AB Activity 8.5
Many plants need soil to survive. Plant roots grow down into the soil and take in the nutrients, minerals and water the plants need to live and grow. As plants are the main source of food for people and other animals, soil is important to all life on Earth. Many animals, such as ants, worms and other burrowing animals also live in soil.
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