How Does Soil Vary from Place to Place?
ES1206  Exploring Soils

Different types of soil are found all over the United States. Explore these photos of soil profiles to see similarities and differences in soils.

  !   Move your cursor over each star to see a landscape from the state. Click the star to show an image of a soil profile from the state.

United States map, Carla McAuliffe, TERC
Images from the USDA-NRCS

3. List several similarities and differences across these soils.

Rainfall amounts vary across the country. For instance, Arizona is much drier than Georgia. Consider how different amounts of rain might affect the depth of an area's topsoil.

4. What relationship do you think might exist between average annual precipitation and topsoil depth?

 


	

 	

		
			
	

	
	

		 
		 	 Step:
		 		
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 1 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 2 
						
		           
			     
				   3
					
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 4 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 5 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 6 
						
		           
			     
				    
				    
						
	                 	
						 7