Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Principles of Soils
Soils Introduction
| Term | Definition | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minerals and organic matter | a mixture of _____ capable of supporting plant life | |||
| weathered rock | natural product formed from _____ by the action of climate and living organisms | |||
| Soil | vital for life | |||
| Life | vital to soil | |||
| water and nutrients | plants obtain _____ from soil | |||
| Animals | _____depend on plants for their lives | |||
| soil microbes | plant and animal residues are deposited back into the soil to feed _____ | |||
| organic matter | soil microorganisms decompose these residues to provide organic matter | |||
| soils importance | dynamic resource suppporting plant life with biological, chemical and physical properties; may change in response to management | essential function for plants: anchorage, regulating distribution rainfall/irrigation, stores/moderates release of nutrients, supplies oxygen to the roots | ||
| Soil components | Mineral fraction from decomposed rock; affects aeration, erosion, water movement, nutrient avalability, | organic fraction from decomposed remains of organisms | ||
| mineral fractions | sand-0.06-2mm | silt-0.002-0.06mm | Clay-<0.002mm | |
| organic fractions | typical soils 1-6% organic matter | desert soils <1% organic matter | wetland area 90% organic matter | |
| organic matter | phosphorus; nitrogen; sulfur | |||
| soils essential nutrients | mineral degradation | organic matter decomposition | ||
| organic matter | phosphorus; nitrogen; sulfur | |||
| feldspar | calcium; potassium; Magnesium; | |||
| Amphibole | calcium; Magnesium; iron | |||
| 3 Phase system supporting plant growth | solid material; aka: air/water | spore in the pore space | water/oxygen in the pore space | |
| Dust Bowl | result of misuse of soil in the 1930s | |||
| NRCS | formes as a result of dust bowl | |||
| 5 controlling factors of soil formation | Parent Material Climate Topography Organism Time | |||
| Parent material (PM) | Mineral material inherited from rocks; most transplanted | |||
| PM properties | affects soil texture | affects mineral/nutrient composition | ||
| PM Categories | Residual; hard rock deposits | transported; depostis from wind, water, ice movement | Cumulous (organic materials) | |
| Residual PM | materials remain at site | often shallow with topsoil on bedrock | 3 main types: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic rocks | |
| igneous rocks | formed by solidifying of magma | |||
| sedimentary rocks | deposited material cemented together | |||
| metamorphic rocks | formed by heat/pressure | |||
| grain size = | texture of soil | |||
| Transported PM | Ice (glacial | Wind deposits (Eolian) | Water deposits (alluvial/alluvium | Gravity transport (collucial/colluvium |
| Glacial (Ice) | small hils @ glacier margin; small basins of wet soils under central part of glacier | |||
| Eolian (Wind) | dune sand-water allows vegetation/stabilization | loess-silt/clay carried away from river basins; soil thickest near source | volcanic ash - lowest density/highly erodible | |
| Alluvial/Alluvium (water) | Floodplain - soils often stratified (layers) | Alluvial fans - deposit @ base of slopes | Deltas - form where streams enter lake/sea; high fertility | Terraces - old flood plains above present river basin; great for crop produciton |
| Colluvial/Colluvium (gravity) | large particles moved by gravity; most formed by gradual movement downhill | |||
| Cumulous PM | low wet areas - marshes, swamps, bogs | anaerobic soils - hish organic matter slow decomposition | peat soils | |
| Climate | biggest control on soil formation; temp/precip. | |||
| Organisms | Vegetation type (grassland/forested); microorganisms, insects, animals | |||
| Topography | slope and aspect (precipitation/sunlight received | |||
| Time | soils better developed | older soils located on nonerodible, stable soils | ||
| O Horizon | 100% organic matter; thin-not present | |||
| A Horizon | organic matter/sand, silt, clay; high biological activity | |||
| E horizon | leaching removed matterials; may or may not be there depending on leaching conditions; | |||
| B Horizon | subsoils | |||
| C Horizon | partly altered parent material | |||
| R Horizon | consolidated bedrock | |||
| Topsoil | O and A Horizon | |||
| Eluviation Zone | soluble materials/organic matter removed by leaching | |||
| Illuviation zone | soluble materials/clays accumulate here after leaching | |||
| Entisol | beginning/no horizon; AKA: Sandhills | |||
| Mollisol | Soft/grassland; AKA: midwestern US |
Created by:
horktera
Popular Agriculture sets