It is equal to an employee's rate of basic pay for his or her position (see definition of rate of basic pay) (exclusive of any premiums or differentials paid at less than the basic rate) except for an employee who is authorized annual premium pay for scheduled standby duty or AUO.
All soil is full of life, and good soils are teeming with it. Plants and animals help keep the soil fertile. Plant roots tunnel through the soil and break it up, and decaying plants form humus. Burrowing animals mix the soil; the excrete of animals contribute nutrients and improve soil structure.
Why are soils important? Soils are a vital natural resource as they carry out a wide range of essential functions, such as growing food and timber, controlling the quality and quantity of water flow, supporting valuable habitats and species, and storing carbon. Although we may not realise it, soils affect many parts of our everyday lives.