Structure - Soil Health Nexus

What is Soil Structure?

Photo Credit: Steve Culman

The arrangement of soil particles and is affected by aggregates, aggregate stability, organic matter levels, calcium levels versus sodium and magnesium, air to water ratio and temperature.

Do you have an excellent resource that isn’t listed here? Submit it for consideration.

Regional Educator ResourcesOther Educator Resources

Title	Source	Resource type and date	Short Summary
Soil Health 101	Soil Health NEXUS	Extension Webpage Jan 2017	The soil structure is made up of the soil profile, bulk density, and aggregates
Soil Structure and Macropores	Soilquality.org – NRCS & others	Webpage Sep 2011	Soil structure is the combination or arrangement of primary soil particles into aggregates.
Soil Health Nexus Demonstration How-To: Slump Test	Soil Health Nexus	How-to video May 2019	Techniques to measure soil structure and aggregation. The more aggregate stability you have, the more stable your soil. Prevents erosion.
Soil Physical Properties Fact Sheet	North Dakota State University	Extension Factsheet Not Dated	Soil physical properties affect the behavior of soil and the functional processes required to meet environmental and human needs
Soil Quality Indicators: Soil Structure & Macropores	USDA	NRCS Factsheet Jun 2008	Soil structure is the combination or arrangement of primary soil particles into aggregates.
Soil Particles, Water, and Air	SARE	Governmental / Extension Webpage Not Dated	Soil particles are the building blocks of the soil skeleton. But the spaces (pores) between the particles and between aggregates are just as important as the sizes of the particles themselves.
Soil Quality Demonstrations and Procedures	USDA-ARS	Lesson Plans Jan 2011	Soil Clod and Scum Tests
Soil Health Assessments: Grass Soil Pit and Row Crop Soil Pit	Soil Health Nexus	How-to Videos May 2019	Using soil pits can show many properties of soil. In the video above, Gene Campbell with the NRCS assesses a grass soil pit. In the video below, Travis Harper with University of Missouri Extension assesses a row crop soil pit.
Soil Health Assessment: Soil Core Test	Soil Health Nexus	How-to Video May 2019	Todd Lorenz with University of Missouri Extension shows how to use a core sampler instead of a soil pit.
Soil Structure	Purdue Soil Health Education website	Video Sep 2017	Short basic educational video showing granular, platy block, prismatic structure.
Soil Formation	Purdue Soil Health Education website	Video April 2017	Dr. John Graveel uses soil profiles to discuss soil formation with emphasis on parent material.
Soil Profiles	Purdue Soil Health Education website	Video Sep 2017	Dr. John Graveel, Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University discusses differences in soil profiles.
Soil Structure Photo	Purdue Soil Health Education website	Image Not Dated	Photo of soil structure

Title	Source	Resource type and date	Short Summary
Building Healthy Soils	University of Tennessee	Extension Factsheet Sep 2012	Soil texture is the relative percentage of sand, silt and clay found in soil; structure refers to the way these particles are grouped, or aggregated, together.
Soil Quality Information	Penn State	Extension Webpage Aug 2012	Healthy soils yield healthy crops, But what is healthy soil and how do we achieve it?

Title

Source

Resource type and date

Short Summary

Building Healthy Soils

University of Tennessee

Extension Factsheet

Sep 2012

Soil texture is the relative percentage of sand, silt and clay found in soil; structure refers to the way these particles are grouped, or aggregated, together.

Soil Quality Information

Penn State

Extension Webpage

Aug 2012

Healthy soils yield healthy crops, But what is healthy soil and how do we achieve it?

This page reviewed by Liz Schultheis, Rick Koelsch, Anna Cates, Walt Sell, and Joe Rorick.

Last reviewed 10/1/19