WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Loess soils are among the most fertile in the world, principally because the abundance of silt particles ensures a good supply of plant-available water, good soil aeration, extensive penetration by plant roots, and easy cultivation and seedbed production.

Detailed explanation-2: -Loess can be described as a rich, dust-like soil. Loess deposits may become very thick, more than a hundred meters in areas of Northwestern China and tens of meters in parts of the Midwestern United States.

Detailed explanation-3: -The loess soil has several defining characteristics. It is well drained and rich in nutrients, making it ideal for agriculture, such as growing cotton. It also prefers a vertical orientation and erodes heavily when it is not cut at 90 degree angles.

Detailed explanation-4: -The extreme thickness of the loess layers and the intricately carved terrain of the Loess Hills make them a rare geologic feature. Shaanxi, China, is the only other location where loess layers are as deep and extensive.

Detailed explanation-5: -Most loess is concentrated in mid-latitude regions (Figure 5), and its texture and mineralogy make it one of the most favorable parent materials for agricultural soils. Indeed, loess-derived soils produce crops that support literally millions of people in Asia, South America, North America, and Europe.