Sublime

TERRA ROSSA A sedimentary soil, known as “red earth,” that is formed after carbonates have been leached out of limestone. The breakdown leaves behind iron deposits that oxidize and turn the soil a rustic red color. This soil type is found in…

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VOLCANIC Soil that is derived from one of two volcanic activities. 1) Vent-based volcanic soil is formed from rock material or molten globules that have been ejected at high velocity into the air and then have cooled before settling to the earth (such as tufa). 2) Lava-based volcanic soil is the product of…

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ALLUVIAL SOIL Fertile soil that has been transported down a slope, usually by a river or stream. At the bottom of the slope, alluvial soil usually forms a fan that contains gravel, sand, and silt. Alluvial soils are found, for example, in the Napa Valley, especially near the area of western Oakville at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains.

The sun’s energy, captured in photosynthesis and channeled from above ground to below ground as liquid carbon, fuels the microbes that solubilize minerals.

TUFA A highly friable calcareous soil created from exploding volcanic rock flung into the air. Common in…

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LOESS very fine, silt-based soil composed of wind-borne sediment that is typically angular and decalcified. The soil has good water retention and warming properties. Loess is a common soil…

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