JUNIOR GEOLOGIST Discovering Rocks Minerals and Gems JOE GREEK TSL Britannica Educational Publishing IN ASSOCIATION WITH ROSEN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
THE SOIL BENEATH YOUR FEET You may not think much about the dirt beneath your feet but it is necessary for most life on Earth Soil provides a place for plants to grow Plants obtain food and water from the soil Animals need plants for food and for the oxygen we need to breathe Soil is also home to many creatures Some are large and others are so small you need a microscope to see them Soil gives us much of what we need to live Most plants including the food we eat grow in the soil 4
These creatures are all part of an ecosystem that keeps soil plants and animals healthy Soil looks and feels different depending on where you are There are more than 70,000 types of soil in the United States alone It takes hundreds of years to make soil Sadly it can be damaged very quickly Not only do some soils look different some are better for growing plants than others Think about the soil you might find in a desert and the soil you might find on a farm How are they different Compare and Contrast 5
