subsoil

subsoil
/sub"soyl'/, n.
the bed or stratum of earth or earthy material immediately under the surface soil. Also called undersoil.
[1790-1800; SUB- + SOIL1]

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Layer (stratum) of earth immediately below the surface soil, consisting predominantly of minerals and leached materials such as iron and aluminum compounds.

Humus remains and clay accumulate in subsoil, but the teeming macroscopic and microscopic organisms that make the topsoil rich with organic matter spend little time in the subsoil layer. Below the subsoil is a layer of partially disintegrated rock, and underlying bedrock. Stripping topsoil while clearing land for crop growth or commercial development exposes the subsoil and increases the rate of erosion of soil minerals.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Subsoil — (also called substrata) is the layer of soil under the topsoil on the surface of the ground. The subsoil may include substances such as clay and has only been partially broken down by air, sunlight, water etc., to produce true soil. Below the… …   Wikipedia

  • Subsoil — Sub soil , n. The bed, or stratum, of earth which lies immediately beneath the surface soil. [1913 Webster] {Subsoil plow}, a plow having a share and standard but no moldboard. It follows in the furrow made by an ordinary plow, and loosens the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Subsoil — Sub soil , v. t. To turn up the subsoil of. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • subsoil — [sub′soil΄] n. the layer of soil beneath the topsoil vt. to stir or turn up the subsoil of subsoiler n …   English World dictionary

  • subsoil — (n.) 1799, from SUB (Cf. sub ) + SOIL (Cf. soil) (n.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • subsoil — ► NOUN ▪ the soil lying immediately under the surface soil …   English terms dictionary

  • subsoil — [[t]sʌ̱bsɔɪl[/t]] N UNCOUNT: also a N The subsoil is a layer of earth that is just below the surface soil but above hard rock. ...the chalk subsoil on the site …   English dictionary

  • subsoil — /ˈsʌbsɔɪl / (say subsoyl) noun 1. the bed or stratum of earth or earthy material immediately under the surface soil; undersoil; substratum. –verb (t) 2. to plough (land) so as to break up part of the subsoil. –verb (i) 3. to subsoil land. {sub +… …  

  • subsoil — I. noun Date: 1796 the stratum of weathered material that underlies the surface soil II. transitive verb Date: 1840 to turn, break, or stir the subsoil of • subsoiler noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • subsoil — noun the soil lying immediately under the surface soil. verb [usu. as noun subsoiling] plough (land) so as to cut into the subsoil. Derivatives subsoiler noun …   English new terms dictionary

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