Loam

Loam soils can be classified into more specific subtypes. Some examples are sandy loam, silt loam, clay loam, and silty clay loam. Different soil phases have some variation in characteristics like stoniness and erosion that are too minor to affect native vegetative growth but can be significant for crop cultivation. ==Use in farming==

Loam is considered ideal for gardening and agricultural uses because it retains nutrients well and retains water while still allowing excess water to drain away. A soil dominated by one or two of the three particle size groups can behave like loam if it has a strong granular structure, promoted by a high content of organic matter. However, a soil that meets the textural (geological) definition of loam can lose its characteristic desirable qualities when it is compacted, depleted of organic matter, or has clay dispersed throughout its fine-earth fraction. For example, pea can be cultivated in sandy loam and clay loam soils, but not more compacted sandy soils. ==Use in house construction==

Loam is traditionally widely used for the construction of houses, for example in loam post and beam construction. Other techniques are e.g. rammed earth or adobe (unfired loam bricks). Loam is well known for its capability to control air humidity. In countries with a high temperature like Morocco, thick walls built with loam help to keep the houses cool. File:Michelau Fachwerkdetail.JPG|Loam with timber framing (Michelau in Oberfranken, Germany, 2007) File:000410 Lehmhütte in der Nähe von Baligród.JPG|House with loam ground floor (Baligród, Poland, 2012) File:Biesenthal eldest house from 1707 (1).jpg|Loam-timber-framed 1707 house, under restoration (Biesenthal, Germany, 2006) File:Djenné Moschee.jpg|Great Mosque of Djenné (Mali, 2004) ==See also==