Soil Orders

Alfisols - moderately leached and high native fertility, clays accumulated on subsurface horizon, found under forests in temperate humid and sub-humid climates (10.1% of ice-free land, supports 17% of population)

Andisols - formed from volcanic ash, has antic properties, making it able to hold water at a high capacity and make phosphorous unavailable to plants (1% of ice-free land)

Aridisols - found in arid regions, contains calcium carbonate, dry through most of the year, some subsurface horizons (12% of ice-free land)

Entisols - of recent origin, very diverse, any soil that doesn't fit other categories (18% of ice-free land)

Gelisols - have permafrost within 2 meters of the surface; found near high-latidude polar regions and at high altitudes in localized areas (9.1% of ice-free land, supports 0.4% of population)

Histosols - organic soils; 20% - 30% organic matter by weight; 40 centimeters thick; mostly found in wetlands where lack of drainage slows decomposition of organic matter (1.2% of ice-free land)

Inseptisols - minimal horizon development, found in wide range of climates, often on steep slopes, young geomorphic surfaces, and on resistant parent materials (15% of ice-free land, supports 20% of population)

Mollisols - dark and thick surface horizon, found in grasslands, productive agriculturally (7% of ice-free land area)

Oxisols - weathered soils found in inter-tropical regions, often have aluminum and iron oxide minerals but few weathered minerals (7.5% of ice-free land)

Spodosols - acid forest soils, have subsurface accumulation of metal-humas complexes with Aluminum and Iron; found under coniferous forests in moist and cool climates (4% of ice-free land)

Ultisols - acid forest soils, strongly leached, mostly in humid temperate and tropical parts of the world (8.1% of ice-free land, supports 18% of population)

Vertisols - clay-rich, shrinks and cracks when dry, expands with moisture (2.4% of ice-free land)

More information about soil orders of the world

The state of Georgia has mostly ultisols, but it also has spodosols, entisols, inceptisols, and alfisols.

Soils of the Southeast

Micaceous schists are metamorphic rocks of medium grade flaked with mica. Schists are foliated, or layered, along approximately parallel lines through geologic metamorphosis, and they are made up of at least 50% platy and elongated minerals. A micaceous schist is so named because of the large amount of mica present in the rock.

More information about Micaceous Schists

Urban Community Gardens

Community gardens are simply gardens cared for by a group of people, typically within a community. In urban areas, these gardens have become more popular in recent years. By allowing participation of many members of community, community gardening can be a bonding experience. These gardens can produce anything from flowers to vegetables. Some of these gardens are primarily for aesthetic purposes, while others provide food for the community. People who grow produce in these gardens hope to reduce pollution caused by transporting food grown elsewhere. They also add much-needed green space to over-crowded urban areas. Many of these gardens provide healthy food to low-income urban families who otherwise could not afford healthy food options. The gardens can reduce waste by turning organic garbage into compost. A USDA finding shows that 15 percent of food is now grown is urban areas. Community gardens can be found throughout the world, including the United States. Some examples include the Tremont Community Garden in the Bronx, pictured above, and the 61st Street Community Garden in Chicago, pictured below.

Plant Identification

This is an example of holly, from the family Aquifoliaceae and genus Ilex, which has very prickly leaves. Most are deciduous and have male and female flowers on separate bushes. These flowers are light green and inconspicuous. They are found in temperate and subtropical climates. They are known for their red berries, which are toxic to humans but are eaten by other animals. The leaves are often associated with Christmas.

This plant, from the Colocasia genus, is known colloquially as elephant ears. They are native to Polynesia and Southeast Asia, but now they are cultivated throughout the world. They have large heart-shaped leaves that come in a variety of colors, including green, black, purple, and yellow. The common name comes from the leaves' resemblance to the ears of elephants. They grow from tubers, and most are perennials.

This plant is of the phlox genus, which has 67 different species. Members of this genus are found mostly in North America in various climates, and their flowers are often fragrant and varied in color. They prefer loamy soil and full sunlight, and they are perennials. This particular plant has purple blooms. 

This is a Mexican petunia. It is a very invasive plant, which can cause problems for other plants. They are also able to survive in various climates and in inhospitable habitats. Mexican petunias can survive in dry or wet soil; their hardiness is what makes them so invasive, sometimes to the detriment of the surrounding plants. They are known to attract butterflies. The flowers are not actually petunias, though they look alike. The stems can grow three to four feet tall.