Endangered dirt...yes dirt.

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
17,033
1
81
linkage

Soil doesn't have an elevated place in the English lexicon. Things are as common as dirt, as plentiful as dirt and as cheap as dirt.

However, if a scientist at the University of California at Berkeley has his way, we may soon start to hear about soil that is as rare, endangered and beloved as dirt. Ronald Amundson and his co-workers analyzed the distribution of soil in the United States and came up with some astounding statistics about the perilous status of the seemingly ubiquitous earths of North America.

In a recent paper, the scientists argued that of the 13,129 soil series in the United States -- a series is roughly the dirt equivalent of a species in the plant and animal realm -- 4,540 are rare or "rare-unique." On top of this, 508 are endangered, that is, threatened with elimination by agricultural or building practices. And 31 species are "effectively" extinct, meaning that they are 90 to 100 per cent obliterated.

The researchers recommend that at least some of the endangered North American dirt be preserved with the same zealousness devoted to saving the African rhino or the Siberian tiger. "Maybe some groups of soil are worthy of consideration of what we want to leave to the future," Prof. Amundson says.

:Q
 

ReiAyanami

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2002
4,466
0
0
issoopreciouss!!

just last week, saudi arabia was trying to hoard all its sand fearing it would somehow run out...
 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
17,033
1
81
Originally posted by: ReiAyanami
issoopreciouss!!

just last week, saudi arabia was trying to hoard all its sand fearing it would somehow run out...

Apparently there are different types of sand, and most of theirs is not suited for use in construction.
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
/me runs off to lobby for the creation of the - Dirt Understanding and Maintenance Bureau

I bet they'd start college groups too, like-
Students and Teachers United for the Protection and Identification of Dirt

:D

CkG

 

Genesys

Golden Member
Nov 10, 2003
1,536
0
0
Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY
/me runs off to lobby for the creation of the - Dirt Understanding and Maintenance Bureau

I bet they'd start college groups too, like-
Students and Teachers United for the Protection and Identification of Dirt

:D

CkG


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. can i be Leiutenant person in charge of D.U.M.B.?
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
Originally posted by: charrison
Originally posted by: ReiAyanami
issoopreciouss!!

just last week, saudi arabia was trying to hoard all its sand fearing it would somehow run out...

Apparently there are different types of sand, and most of theirs is not suited for use in construction.

And you get different types of sand within construction.