The Difference Between Soil and Mud
The meaning and usage of words often change over time, but in some situations interchangeable words can have two (or more) different meanings.
Take, for example, “soil” and “dirt”. We are talking about children playing in mud , dirty garments and dirty laundry. While the words may seem to mean the same thing, they don’t, especially in the context of lawns, gardens, and agriculture.
Here’s what you need to know about the difference between soil and dirt and why it’s important (at least for gardeners).
The difference between earth and mud
You may not think much of the difference between soil and dirt, but in the world of horticulture, agriculture, and geology, there are distinct differences. The two most common quick explanations are that the soil is alive and the dirt is dead ; and that soil is what plants grow on, and dirt is what gets on your clothes when you garden.
This is a start, but the difference between soil and dirt is a little more subtle. Here is a more detailed description of each:
What is soil?
It may seem modest, but soil is a complex ecosystem of dead and living organisms (organic matter), minerals, water, and air.
Soil is sometimes referred to as the ” living skin of the Earth “, given that it covers a large portion of the planet’s surface and contains “billions and billions” of living organisms. In fact, according to the USDA , one shovel of garden soil contains more types of organisms than can be found above ground in the Amazon rainforest.
The main functions of the soil:
- Maintain flora and fauna
- Regulate the flow of water
- Filter and buffer contaminants
- Nutrient cycle
- Break up crop residue
- Ensure the physical stability upon which buildings and other infrastructure are built.
What is dirt?
Most of the mud consists of three components : clay, silt and sand. They come together in different ratios and may also include rocks or pebbles. Unlike soil, if you add a little water to a handful of dirt, it won’t compact very well .
The biggest difference between soil and mud is that mud lacks the microbes found in soil , such as fungi, bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and viruses, which plants need to grow and thrive.