SHAWNEE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
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Soil Ecosystem

Ecology is the scientific study of the relationships between organisms and their environment. An ecosystem is all of the organisms in a given place in interaction with their nonliving environment.
​
The soil is a thriving ecosystem of plants and animals which play an important role in the soil. Both plants and animals change the composition and structure in many different ways.

Plants

Picture
Plant roots get energy to grow from sugars through the photosynthesis process that occurs in it's leaves. they move through the soil with great force wedging their way between soil particles. A root is strong enough to even fracture rock if it grows into a crack. Once in place, soil nutrients and water are absorbed, sometimes from great depths and moved closer to the surface.
Picture
The plant uses most of what it has collected by the roots to grow larger and produce seed such as wheat that we use to make bread. As the plant dies, the remaining nutrients are used by another plant during the following growing season.
For all the plant mass you see above ground, there is an equal or greater mass of roots growing beneath the surface.

Animals

The soil is teaming with animals. Some are seen like earthworms, ants, and burrowing animals. Others such as bacteria, fungi, and nematodes may require a microscope to see the individual members.
The earthworm is a good animal to examine closer. There may be as much as 200 to 1,000 pounds of earthworms per acre. They eat organic matter and soil particles as they tunnel through the soil. They digest the organic matter and pass nutrient-rich soil through their bodies. This recycles nutrients and makes soil rich. In addition, their tunnels allow air and water to penetrate the soil more rapidly.
Note: This page was developed from information found in a USDA, Soil Conservation Service (now, Natural Resources Conservation Service) publication, "Conserving Soil".
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Conservation Priorities
    • History
  • Contact Us
  • Equipment
    • No-Till Drill >
      • No-Till Drill for Rent
      • Drill Use Documents
      • Seed Photos and Information
    • Root Plow
  • Construction
    • Contractors
    • Ponds - Construction, Problems, Repair, Fish >
      • Basic Elements of a Pond Dam (Drawings and Text Version)
      • Pond Dams Build Right - Pictorial Version
      • Pond Management
      • Pond Maintenance
      • Excess Vegetation Management
      • Replacing A Pond Pipe
      • Sealing A Leaky Pond
    • Plugging Abandoned Water Wells 2
  • Partners
    • Other Agencies
  • Natural Resources
    • Conservation Balance
    • Natural Resources
    • Non Point Source Pollution >
      • Non Point Source Pollution
      • Plugging Abandoned Water Wells
      • Septic System Maintenance Links
      • Septic Tank Maintenance
    • Soil >
      • Soil Basics
      • Soil Ecosystem
      • Soil pH
      • Soil Testing
    • Cropland Planting Resources
    • No-Till and Water Infiltration
    • Cover Crops >
      • Cover - Forage Crops
      • Planting - Managing Cover Crops
    • Livestock Water
    • Top 9 BMPS for Nutrient Management
    • Maintain Soil Nutrients
    • Problem Weeds
    • Brush Management
    • Caucasian Bluestem
    • Air Quality
  • Urban and/or Small Acreage
    • Why Urban Conservation
    • Urban/Small Acreage Essentials
    • Country Living Considerations >
      • Country Living
      • Essential Check List
    • Backyard - Projects In Your Own Backyard
    • High Tunnels
    • Urban Hydrology
    • Erosion Control On Construction Sites
    • Preventing Urban Water Pollution
  • Education
    • Request A Presentation
    • What Is A Watershed
    • Outdoor Classrooms
    • Nature's Code of Ethics
    • Student Videos >
      • Student Videos
      • Student - More Info - Turbidity Test Expanded
      • Student - More Info - Properties of Water Expanded
      • Student - More Info - Soils
    • Get Outdoors With Conservation
    • Conservation Word Search Puzzles >
      • Agricultural Puzzle
      • NPS Puzzle
      • What We Can Do Puzzle
    • Photos >
      • Conservation Practice Photo Gallery
      • Livestock Agriculture Photos
      • Pond Photos
      • Prescribed Burning Photos
      • Rural Agriculture Photos
      • Urban Conservation Photos
    • Key Conservation Practices
    • Progress In Conservation
  • Financial Assistance
    • State Cost-Share
    • WRAPS
  • Events (Click Here for Winter Events)
    • District Annual Meeting
    • Envirothon
    • Topeka Water Festival
    • History & Environmental Fair
  • Awards
    • 2021 Grassland Award
    • 2022 Soil Conservation Awards
    • 2021 Outstanding Young Conservation Award
  • NEWSLETTERS