LET'S TALK ABOUT... SOILS!

I've been trying to get a deep understanding on magnificence of all of the spheres colliding perfectly to form soil, where within one teaspoon there can contain 50 BILLION MICROBES. 

This island nation has a large spectrum of soil types that formed after many years of weathering and erosion processes. Sri Lankan soil can be broken up into hundreds of soil series that are all unique based on the site specific mineral composition, organic matter, and climate. I will take you through a few different major soil types in Sri Lanka based on the map below.

http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esdb_archive/eudasm/asia/images/maps/download/lk2003_so.jpg

Red-yellow podsolic soils, or newly formed soils near make up 21% of the land area. It is the "beige" and "mocha" color in the map. Podzolization occurs where seasonal variation is high, and adequate moisture is suppled to soils. The O horizon is fairly thin, with thick A horizon deeper, which is deficient in carbon and nitrogen.

http://www.ssssl.org/WZ.htm

Dry zones, or the pink regions, consist mainly of reddish brown latoslic soils or immature brown loans. These soils are found in 50% of land here. Latosiolic soils go through the process of laterization, where the soils receive high precipitation and high temperatures. As a result, it has a high content of iron and aluminum oxide. Usually, these soils are classified as oxisols.

http://www.ssssl.org/WZ.htm

Alluvial soil lines valleys, river basins, and some coastal areas, and is shown in yellow above. Organic materials are collected on the top layer, but these soils are juvenile and develop no specific soil profiles. 

http://www.ssssl.org/DZ.htm

To get deeper knowledge on soil types while watching a sweet video, check out this website:
SSSSL's Soil Page

The overlay of an area's major soil groups with data on monthly precipitation, expected dry or wet periods, and the terrain helps define usable agricultural land. 

http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esdb_archive/eudasm/asia/images/maps/download/lk2007_cl.jpg



Specific soil characteristics are good for growing certain types of crops. Just by looking at the soil, you can make conclusions on the hydrology, geology, climate, and biogeography of locations, and determine whether or not a crop can grow there.
This can be extremely helpful with agriculture. The actual agricultural production within Sri Lanka coincides with the agro-ecological regions and soil types. Red-yellow podsolic soils are great for growing crops like rubber, coffee, cinnamon, and tobacco. Notice how rubber and tea grow in specific soil conditions. Since the agro-industry dictates much of the economic, social, and environmental statuses of Sri Lanka, soils are important to support many systems. Preventing soil erosion and acidification has been a challenge in Sri Lanka.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/jhtml/jframe.html#http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/sri-lanka/images/map-sri-lanka-land-1976.jpg|||Sri%20Lanka%20Map%20-%20Land%20Use%201976

Works Cited
http://www4.schoolnet.lk/edusoft/agriculture/grade-12_13/more.php?main=main4
http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esdb_archive/eudasm/asia/images/maps/download/lk2003_so.jpg
http://www.ssssl.org/WZ.htm

http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esdb_archive/eudasm/asia/images/maps/download/lk2007_cl.jpg

http://clasfaculty.ucdenver.edu/callen/1202/Soils/Soils.html