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Topsoil
 
 
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Topsoil is the upper, outermost layer of soil, usually the top 2 to 8 inches. It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganism
Microorganism

A microorganism or microbe is an organism that is microscopic . The study of microorganisms is called microbiology, a subject that began with Anton van Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microorganisms in 1675, using a microscope of his own design....
s and is where most of the Earth
Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System in diameter, mass and density. It is also referred to as the World and Wiktionary:Terra.Note that by International Astronomical Union convention, the term "Terra" is used for naming extensive land masses, rather...
's biological
Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
 soil activity occurs. Plant
Plant

Plants are Life organisms belonging to the Kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae....
s generally concentrate their root
Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant body that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial root or aerating ....
s in and obtain most of their nutrient
Nutrient

A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment....
s from this layer. The actual depth of the topsoil layer can be measured as the depth from the surface to the first densely packed soil layer known as subsoil
Subsoil

Subsoil 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....
.

Top soil is known as the A horizon, therefore, it is the very top layer.






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Topsoil is the upper, outermost layer of soil, usually the top 2 to 8 inches. It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganism
Microorganism

A microorganism or microbe is an organism that is microscopic . The study of microorganisms is called microbiology, a subject that began with Anton van Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microorganisms in 1675, using a microscope of his own design....
s and is where most of the Earth
Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System in diameter, mass and density. It is also referred to as the World and Wiktionary:Terra.Note that by International Astronomical Union convention, the term "Terra" is used for naming extensive land masses, rather...
's biological
Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
 soil activity occurs. Plant
Plant

Plants are Life organisms belonging to the Kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae....
s generally concentrate their root
Root

In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant body that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial root or aerating ....
s in and obtain most of their nutrient
Nutrient

A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment....
s from this layer. The actual depth of the topsoil layer can be measured as the depth from the surface to the first densely packed soil layer known as subsoil
Subsoil

Subsoil 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....
.

Top soil is known as the A horizon, therefore, it is the very top layer. Topsoils is used in gardens and fields all around the world.. A variety of soil mixtures are sold commercial
Commerce

Commerce is a division of trade or production, costs, and pricing which deals with the Trade of goods and service from production, costs, and pricing to final consumer....
ly as topsoil, usually for use in improving garden
Garden

A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials....
s and lawn
Lawn

A lawn is an area of recreational or amenity land planted with Poaceae, and sometimes clover and other plants, which are maintained at a low, even height....
s, or for ideal growing conditions in container garden
Container garden

Container gardening is the practice of growing plants exclusively in containers or "pots", instead of planting them in the ground. In some cases, this method of growing is used for ornamental purposes....
s, by using potting soil
Potting soil

Potting soil is a mixture used to grow plants, herbs and vegetables in a contained garden environment. The first recorded use of the term is from an 1861 issue of the American Agriculturist....
, for example.

A major environmental concern known as topsoil erosion
Erosion

For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion 'For use of in dermatopathology, see Erosion Erosion is the removal of solids in the natural environment....
 occurs when the topsoil layer is blown or washed away. Without topsoil, little plant life is possible. It takes approximately 100 years for one inch of topsoil to be deposited, if there is the correct ratio of organic material, inorganic material, and moisture. This can be improved by using the terra preta
Terra preta

Terra preta refers to expanses of very dark, fertile anthropogenic soils found in the Amazon Basin. It owes its name to its very high charcoal content....
 system. However, there are 25 billion tons of topsoil lost each year.

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