A4 Describe soil profiles and relate them to soil orders.

Question 1

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“Agricultural” soils which developed under grassland vegetation - usually fertile with adequate amounts of organic matter in the topsoil - found in the Brown, Dark Brown, Black and Dark Gray soil zones

Ah, Bm, Ck Ae, Bm, Ck

Answer 1

Chernozemic

Question 2

• develop in low-lying depressional, wet areas
• have dull gray colours and reddish coloured mottles (splotches)
• found in several soil zones

Ah, Bg, Cg Ap, Bg, Cg

Answer 2

Gleysolic

Question 3

these are the “gray wooded” soils which form under forest vegetation

• have an LFH litter layer and eluviated (leached) surface mineral horizon (Ae)
• usually less productive for field crops than Chernozemic soils
• found mostly in gray soil zone

Answer 3

Luvisolic

Question 4

Clues

Ae Ap

LFH Bt

Ck

Answer 4

Luvisolic

Question 5

developed on parent materials containing high levels of sodium (Na) salts - often found together with Chernozemic soils - the B horizon has a columnar structure that is hard when dry and sticky when wet

• called “hardpan soils” and often require special management techniques such as deep plowing or surface drainage

?

Answer 5

Solonetzic

Question 6

• develop from the accumulation of partly decomposed organic materials mainly water
• loving grasses, woody plants and moss
• occur in poorly drained, depressional areas

Of, Om

Answer 6

Organic

Question 7

Found in depressional areas with high water tables.

Answer 7

Gleysolic soils

Question 8

1. ����� a mineral horizon characterized by an accumulation of organic matter
2. ����� a light grey mineral horizon leached of iron, clay or organic matter
3. ����� a mineral horizon enriched with clay

Answer 8

1. h - enriched with organic matter - usually exhibits a dark colour (brown to black or dark gray) - used with A or B horizons
2. e - eluviated or leached of clay, iron or organic matter - platy structure and a grayish white colour when dry - used with A (Ae)
3. t enriched with clay - used with B horizon (Bt)

Question 9

4. ����� a mineral horizon containing soluble salts
5. ����� a mineral horizon with dull grey colours and or/reddish orange mottles
6. ����� a mineral horizon altered by chemical processes to give a moderate change in colour or structure or both

Answer 9

4. n - enriched in sodium - may exhibit columnar structure; extremely hard consistence when dry - used with B horizon (Bn)

5.

6.

Question 10

7. ����� a mineral horizon enriched in Na and exhibiting a hard consistency when dry
8. ����� a horizon disturbed by cultivation

Answer 10

p

Question 11

A soil profile is a

It extends down into the parent material to a maximum depth of two metres. Soils in Canada are classified according to properties that can be observed and measured in a soil profile.

Answer 11

vertical slice of the soil through all its horizons.

Question 12

Master soil horizons are the primary layers that are designated A, B or C in mineral soil material. Organic soil horizons are designated ??? or 0.

Answer 12

LFH