Global View
Soils are a great example of how Earth works as a system. They can only be formed by the integrated systems of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Soils, by definition, are the natural basis for the development of plant life and, subsequently, animal life. Physical, chemical, and biological processes have produced a wide variety of soils on Earth, from special soils that form in arctic climates, to delicate soils in desert climates that remain unchanged for tens of thousands of years. Within Indiana, soils that developed on glacial sediment sustain massive agricultural development and produce high yields of crops. Hundreds of different types of soil are found in Indiana.
While we have discussed examples of unsustainable soil use, we are making great strides in becoming better at using our soils in a sustainable way. Through “Green” Development and improved framing techniques. Green developers take into consideration soil and water resources to reduce the impact of building. These new developments, like Tyron Farms (Michigan City, Indiana) are fast becoming desirable places to live. Farmers are now using new technology to map out the soils on their farmland to determine which soils are most productive. The technology involves an inboard navigation system in the cab of their tractor linked to special maps of their property. Using this technology, the farmer can tailor that amount of fertilizer, pesticide, and seed applied to the type of soil present.
Earth is a System. We can be positively affected or negatively affected by our environment. In the case studies, we saw that soils can retain particularly harmful pollutants decades after the pollutant is introduced. These pollutants can then negatively affect human populations. However, conserving our soil resources allows us and future generations to benefit from soils and plant life as nature’s way of cleaning up the environment: soils can help breakdown pollutants and retain nutrients needed to sustain plant life and, eventually, us.
This map shows the location of the prime farmland in central Indiana in
green color. The prime farmland parallels the location of the soils that
provide the most nutrients to crops. Suburbanization in Indianapolis and
other cities (shown in yellow/green dots) has eliminated 1000s of acres
of prime farmland. ( Indiana Geological Survey). Please complete this section by taking the assessment.
