Sediments and Soils

Earth is made up of many things, rocks, water, plants, and gas's.. These examples provide habitats for many types of living organisms on earth. Many people forget the complexity of earths characteristics and its functions. Simple as it may seem, soil is the most complex part of weathering that takes place on earth. Minerals, gas's, and liquids formulate soil. The different types of minerals, gas, and liquids are given soil, different characteristics. According to the USGA, three groups of soil exist and within the groups 12 types of soil taxonomy is found on earth. Each type originates on different parts of the world, climates, and are the main component for numerous types of vegetation.

Andisols

"Andisols is one of the twelve types of soils according to the U.S Soil Taxonomy" Andisol (2011). Andisols soil are known for its main component volcanic ash material. This type of soil is mostly found in highly volcanic areas such as the Andes mountains, Japan, Alaska, and New Zealand among other parts of the world. Because of its volcanic property, it consists of high amounts of mineral nutrients (Andisols, 2011). Andisols can hold large amounts of phosphorus, making it the soil unavailable for plant life( University of Idaho, 2011). "Andisols exhibit a highly variable chemical and mineralogical composition, reflecting that of their volcanic-ash precursors. These precursors include lava, pyroclastic (e.g., ash) flows and assemblages, and mudflows containing volcanic debris and volcanic alluvium or loess" (Andisol, 2011). According to the University of Missouri,

"Andisols also exhibit some other interesting soil properties. They are often high in organic matter content due to the formation of stable complexes between organic matter and the poorly crystalline minerals present in Andisols. Andisols have a low load bearing capacity, thus, proper engineering of structures built on these soils is critical. Andisols create several problems in the Pacific Northwest...