Not only will the general types of soils across the entire world be covered in this blog, but also the specific types of soils from different regions of North America.
First, identifying the different types of soils are important to this process of identifying different soils from across the many regions of North America.
Sandy Soil
Despite popular misconception, sand is, in fact, a type of soil that many forget about. Sure, I could describe it if I wanted to, but do I really need to? We all know what sand is. It’s the stuff you see in the desert or on the beach. So let’s skip to the interesting stuff.
Sandy soil looks and feels the way that it does because it has larger particles than most other soils. It lacks humus (the dark color typically in many soils that give them their soft textures and give nutrients to plants). They dry out much quicker, and are higher in acidity. They’re also lower in nutrients.
The only advantage of this soil would be the fact that it can warm up quickly in warmer weather. Due to the large particles mentioned earlier and the fact that sand is so dense, it is a poor conductor of energy. On hot days, the heat from the sun distributed unevenly, causing sand to be considerably hotter than other forms of soil. With common sense being summoned to the context of this conversation, I must mention that color plays a huge role in the temperature of sand. The lighter the sand is, the more the light from the sun reflects off of it, and therefore, the cooler it would be. The exact opposite happens for darker sand.
How to identify sand on objects or people:
This may seem obvious, but because sand is typically drier than other soils, it can be harder to recognize it. But since sand is grittier than other soils, you can typically feel it as soon as you touch it, even a single particle of it. It has a very distinct texture. It will also glisten in the sunlight because of how reflective it is. The color of the object or person matters as well; the higher the contrast, the easier it will be to visually detect sand. For example, sand on black clothes or completely white clothes, or sand on a dark skinned person. Even when sand is wet and in a muddy state, it will still have a slight gritty texture to it. If you cannot touch the wet sand, simply look for it. It will always be considerably lighter and runnier than other soils, but yet still quite thick because of the larger particles.
If somebody has sand on them mixed with a tanned or sunburned look or is even sweating or wet, it would be safe to assume that they have just returned from the beach. Depending on where you live, this could also mean they slipped or fell onto the ground; this conclusion should only be made if you live in or close to a desert.
If the person is wearing clothing that resembles what you’d wear to work in, the safest assumption would be that they are an outside worker and simply got some sandy soil on them. These conclusions could vary from person to person, as they could apply to gardeners, construction workers, landscapers, etc.
Clay Soil
Clay soil is sticky and tends to lump together. It is made up of smaller particles and is the heaviest soil type. Because of their ability to retain water, it’s often quite cool and harder to warm up during the spring and summer months. It’s rich in nutrients, but when it becomes dry, it cracks. This poses a threat to any plant life growing there because the cracking makes it harder for the roots to stem. Lucky for the plants, clay typically is very good at retaining its water and only dries out in events such as droughts.
How to identify clay on objects or people:
Again, any soil being found on somebody, depending on the clothing, is a clear indicator that they work outdoors, either as a hobby or for a job. But in some cases, with clay soil being found on somebody, it could indicate that they are a sculptor. Plenty of sculptors will harvest their own clay from nearby sources rather than buying it. Not only could this indicate their interests and hobbies, but it could also hint towards their personality and levels of ambition. Clearly not lazy if they’re willing to make their own clay. Even more resourceful.
Silty Soil
Lesser known than the other types of soils, silty soil is a happy medium between the clay and sandy type. It can be identified easily because of the crust it forms. When dry, this soil can feel soft and “floury”, but when wet, it can clump together, similar to clay. Silty soil is easier to work with than both sandy and clay soils because of how fertile it is. However, the water filtration can be poor because of how less compact it tends to be, and can become hard if not moist.
How to identify silty soil on objects or people:
This would be the same process as any other type of soil. But I also forgot to mention earlier that your best bet for figuring out what soil someone has been around would be to look at their shoes. Wet silty soil that has dried recently will be crusty, compacted and hard while dry silty soil will be soft and fall off easily. If it is purely wet, it will be muddy and thick.
Loamy Soil
This is my personal favorite. By far, this soil is the most fertile. It has a mix of coarse sand, tiny silk particles, and even bits of clay in there. But the variety makes it all the better for life to grow. This soil resists drying out in the summer and being too wet in the winter. It’s drought resistant, packed with nutrients, and overall perfect for most plants. The only disadvantage is that it could cohabitate with stones, but those can easily be removed.
How to identify loamy soil on objects or people:
Most of the time, loamy soil on a person will indicate a gardener or someone who works with plants, since it’s commonly used for that purpose. Loamy soil is coarse and dark, easier to identify than other soils.
Soils from Different Regions
Now that we know the different types of soils, we can identify each of them from different regions of North America.
| Soils | Where It's Found | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Alfisols | Found in hot and humid climates. Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. | Well-developed, contrasting soil horizons (layers). |
| Andisols | Found in volcanic regions or regions bordering the pacific ocean, such as the west coast (california, hawaii, vancouver island, alaska, oregon, washington) | Usually light and fluffy, easily tilled. Holds water like a sponge. |
| Aridisols | Found in western United States, typically in the deserts. California, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Utah. | Light color, low humus content. Dry. |
| Entisols | Found in steep, rocky settings. Also found near river valleys. Nebraska, California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Florida. | Sandy and shallow, lacks layers. |
| Gelisols | Found in frozen and arctic regions. Alaska and Canada. | Black or dark brown, shallow layers. Fragile and easily eroded. |
| Histosols | Found in boreal, arctic and subarctic regions. Sometimes swamplands. Canada and Florida. | dark surface underlain by an ashy, gray layer, which is subsequently underlain by a reddish, rusty, coffee-colored, or black |
| Inceptisols | Appears in cool to very warm climates. Largest areas are southern New England states and the Appalachian region. Very abundant; majority of the United States. Minnesota and Oregon as well. | Weak layers. Abundant gray colors. |
| Mollisols | Found primarily in the great plains of the United States, primarily midwest. Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Indiana. | Dark colored surface with a soft texture. Thick. |
| Oxisols | Found in tropical and subtropical climates. Rare in the United States, but appear in Hawaii. | Red or yellowish color due to a high concentration of iron and aluminum oxide. Thick but easily weathered. |
| Spodosols | Usually occurs in forests and in cool, moist climates. Prevalent in the Great Lake region and in most of Michigan. | Gray to light gray in color. |
| Ultisols | Located in humid or tropical regions. Including the southeastern United States. | Strong yellowish and reddish colors. Called a “red clay” soil. |
| Vertisols | Found in western Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Sometimes the lower Mississippi River Valley and Alabama. | Deep, wide cracks. Rich in clay and are typically a red-brown color. In wet environments, they can be darker, appearing as black or dark gray. |
Unfortunately, I could not fit images in here for whatever reason but Google is always free to use. Also, sources that I have used for this info will be linked in the resources page until I post a different blog, and the pattern will continue.
Happy Learning.
-OP
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