International Year of Soils September Monthly Theme: Soils Protect the Natural Environment.

Soils Sustain Life! Biomes are large geographic areas with similar climate that that have plant and animal community.  Soils provide the water and nutrients needed for plants to grow which in turn supports the animals that live there.  In North America there are seven major terrestrial biomes that differ greatly in the temperature and rainfall patterns: 1) Tropical Rainforest; 2) Temperate Rainforest; 3) Deciduous Forest; 4) Coniferous Forest; 5) Grassland; 6) Desert; and 7) Tundra. Soils and biomes are closely linked. Because climate and vegetation are two major factors of soil formation, specific soil types are also commonly associated with each biome. One focus of the IYS for September is to teach students about the soils that are found in each biome.   For example, dry, rocky soils are often found in desert biomes while deep, moist soils are found in tropical rainforest biomes.  As students learn about the biomes in the US they will also learn about the soils commonly found in each biome and how their major properties differ.