The topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil which is usually between 2 to 8 inches thick. The topsoil has the most concentrated amount of microorganisms as well as organic matter available in it. This is where almost all types of plants and tree roots get their nutrients from. It takes thousands of years to form the naturally produced topsoil, which is mainly made up from different types of decaying organic matter as well as broken down rock materials which happen with the passage of time, weather and climate. The quality of the topsoil can differ depending on its geographical location.
There are mainly three types of topsoil which are as follows:
- Sand
Sand is mainly made up of mineral particles and finely divided rocks. It is a very highly variable type of topsoil which depends on the type of local rock available in the area. There are commonly two types of sand. The first type is “silica” which is usually made out of quartz, while the second type of sand is “aragonite” which is formed from billions of years old life forms such as shellfish and coral and is mostly found near beaches. Sand is used for many purposes such as for agricultural use, brick building, mortar, glass, concrete, paint, roads, water filtration and much more. - Loam
Loam is another form of topsoil which is made up of evenly concentrated levels of silt, clay and sand. The proportion of silt, clay and sand can vary forming different types of loam such as clay loam, sandy loam, silty loam, sandy clay loam and silty clay loam. Each of these loam soils has different levels of characteristics, but general loam contains more moisture, nutrients and humus compared to sand.Loam is mostly found in large fertile lands and is great for farming. Another use of loam is that it is used in building walls for homes as it can control air humidity. Â This technique is also the oldest form of house construction. - Clay
The third and final type of topsoil is clay. Clay is formed and made out of decayed organic materials, usually dried plants with a mixture of powder rocks that form after millions of years as a result of the effect of weather conditions. Clay has been used over time for a lot of purposes. These may include clay pottery, clay furniture, bricks, cooking pots, dishware and much more. More importantly, as clay is impermeable to water, it is used in dams or even as barriers to landfills.
