[The Cooperative Soil Survey] Soils Tutorial: Glossary

Glossary

Definitions from the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Medium textured soil Very fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or silt.

Metamorphic rock Rock of any origin altered in mineralogical composition, chemical composition, or structure by heat, pressure, and movement. Nearly ail such rocks are crystalline.

Mineral soil Soil that is mainly mineral material and low in organic material. Its bulk density is more than that of organic soil.

Minimum tillage Only the tillage essential to crop production and prevention of soil damage.

Miscellaneous area An area that has little or no natural soil and supports little or no vegetation.

Moderately coarse textured soil Coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam.

Moderately fine textured soil Clay loam, sandy clay loam, and silty clay loam.

Morphology soil The physical makeup of the soil, including the texture, structure, porosity, consistence, color, and other physical, mineral, and biological properties of the various horizons, and the thickness and arrangement of those horizons in the soil profile.

Mottling soil Irregular spots of different colors that vary in number and size. Mottling generally indicates poor aeration and impeded drainage. Descriptive terms are as follows: abundance-few, common, and many, size-fine, medium, and coarse: and contrast-faint, distinct, and prominent. The size measurements are of the diameter along the greatest dimension. Fine indicates less than 5 millimeters (about 02 inch)', medium, from 5 to 15 millimeters (about 02 to 06 inch) and coarse, more than 15 millimeters (about 06 inch).

Muck Dark colored, finely divided, well decomposed organic soil material (See Sapric soil material).

Munsell notation A designation of color by degrees of three simple variables-hue, value, and chroma. For example, a notation of 10YR 6/4 is a color of 10YR hue, value of 6, and chroma of 4.

Medium textured soil	Very fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam, or silt.
Metamorphic rock	Rock of any origin altered in mineralogical composition, chemical composition, or structure by heat, pressure, and movement. Nearly ail such rocks are crystalline.
Mineral soil	Soil that is mainly mineral material and low in organic material. Its bulk density is more than that of organic soil.
Minimum tillage	Only the tillage essential to crop production and prevention of soil damage.
Miscellaneous area	An area that has little or no natural soil and supports little or no vegetation.
Moderately coarse textured soil	Coarse sandy loam, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam.
Moderately fine textured soil	Clay loam, sandy clay loam, and silty clay loam.
Morphology soil	The physical makeup of the soil, including the texture, structure, porosity, consistence, color, and other physical, mineral, and biological properties of the various horizons, and the thickness and arrangement of those horizons in the soil profile.
Mottling soil	Irregular spots of different colors that vary in number and size. Mottling generally indicates poor aeration and impeded drainage. Descriptive terms are as follows: abundance-few, common, and many, size-fine, medium, and coarse: and contrast-faint, distinct, and prominent. The size measurements are of the diameter along the greatest dimension. Fine indicates less than 5 millimeters (about 02 inch)', medium, from 5 to 15 millimeters (about 02 to 06 inch) and coarse, more than 15 millimeters (about 06 inch).
Muck	Dark colored, finely divided, well decomposed organic soil material (See Sapric soil material).
Munsell notation	A designation of color by degrees of three simple variables-hue, value, and chroma. For example, a notation of 10YR 6/4 is a color of 10YR hue, value of 6, and chroma of 4.