Chapter 43 - Soil

On the landmasses, soils and vegetation lie at the interface between the lithosphere and the atmosphere, at the plane of interaction between rocks and their minerals, on the one hand, and the air with its moisture and heat, on the other. Soil is very important to plant life as it contains mineral nutrients and stories water. Decaying vegetation adds to the nutrients of the soil through decaying matter which is converted into reusable nutrients.  This cycle sees the vegetation as both consumer of nutrients and producer of nutrients, and in both cases totally dependent upon the soul for the nutrients. The decay and return of nutrients to the soil is perfectly illustrated by a compost, which creates very nutrient dense soil through the decay of vegetation. This picture is of our co-op’s garden, and in specific this is what is left of our compost that was past its prime (this summer we will make a new one!).