soil- +
(Latin: bottom; under surface; earth, dirt)
Alluvial soil is rich and fertile earth and can be found in aquatic communities (living in or on water and is a substantial part of the life span and is generally restricted to fresh water or inland waters).
Desert soil is a soil variety typically found in arid climates, usually with little leaching and minimal humus content.
Desert soil is referred to as an "aridisol" in the nomenclature of the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.
2. All loose, unconsolidated, weathered, or otherwise altered surface material lying on the ground above bedrock: Specifically, soil is a natural accumulation of organic matter and inorganic rock material that is capable of supporting the growth of vegetation.
3. A particular kind of earth: Soil can also be sandy soil.
4. The ground when producing vegetation or as cultivated for its crops: Sam used fertile soil for his garden.
5. The biologically active, porous medium that has developed in the uppermost layer of the earth's crust: Soil is one of the principal substrata of life on the planet Earth, serving as a reservoir of water and nutrients as a medium for the filtration and breakdown of injurious wastes, and as a participant in the cycling of carbon and other elements through the global ecosystem.
Soil has evolved through weathering processes driven by biological, climatic, geologic, and topographic influences.
6. A country, land, or region: The criminal act was committed on American soil.
7. The ground or earth: Jeff, the farmer, was tilling their soil when it started to rain.
8. Any place or condition providing the opportunity for growth or development: Some people believe that poverty provides the soil for crime and social instability.