SOIL

Contents & notes: what this topic covers

Under SOIL, the JAMB Biology syllabus expects you to study:

• 6. SOIL a. Characteristics of different types of soil (sandy, loamy, clayey) i. soil structure ii. porosity, capillarity and humus content b. Components of the soil i. inorganic ii. organic iii. soil organisms iv. soil air v. soil water c. Soil fertility i. loss of soil fertility ii. renewal and maintenance of soil fertility

Study notes & guidance

Study SOIL using a recommended Biology textbook that follows the JAMB syllabus. Work through the contents listed above one by one, make brief notes in your own words, and then practise as many questions on this topic as you can — in Biology, understanding and steady practice matter far more than memorising. Use the objectives below as a checklist: if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Objectives — candidates should be able to

After studying SOIL, you should be able to:

1. Identify physical properties of different soil types based on simple measurement of particle size, porosity or water retention ability.
2. Determine the amounts of air, water, humus and capillarity in different soil types experimentally.
3. Relate soil characteristics, types and components to the healthy growth of plants
4. Relate such factors as loss of inorganic matter, compaction, leaching, erosion of the top soil and repeated cropping with one variety.
5. Apply the knowledge of the practice of contour ridging, terracing, mulching, poly-cropping, strip- cropping, use of organic and inorganic fertilizers, crop rotation, shifting cultivation, etc. to enhance soil conservation.

These objectives are from the official JAMB syllabus. Use them as a checklist — if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Source: official JAMB UTME Biology syllabus (IBASS, jamb.gov.ng). Reproduced for study use. Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.