Chapter 12- Soil

Question 1

A complex,plant-supporting system made up of disintegrated rock, remains of wastes of organisms, water, gases, nutrients, and microorganisms

Answer 1

Soil

Question 2

The base geological material in a particular location.

Answer 2

Parent material

Question 3

The continuous mass of solid rock that makes up earths crust.

Answer 3

Bed rock

Question 4

Describes the physical and chemical processes that break down rocks and minerals into smaller particles. Often the first process in soil formation

Answer 4

Weathering

Question 5

What are the six soil horizons and their names

Answer 5

1. O Horizon: litter later
2. A Horizon: topsoil
3. E Horizon: leaching layer
4. B Horizon: subsoil
5. C Horizon: weathered/parent material
6. R Horizon: parent material

Question 6

What is in the soil horizons

Answer 6

O: mostly organic matter
A: organic matter mixed with minerals
E: minerals and organic matter leach down to B
B: minerals and organic matter accumulate
C: weathered parent material only slightly altered or not at all by soil formation
R: parent material

Question 7

Which Horizon has the most plant nutrients available?

Answer 7

A horizon (topsoil)

Question 8

What happens to particle size in organic matter as you move down to the horizons?

Answer 8

As one moves downward through soil a profile, the particle size increases and concentrate of organic matter decreases.

Question 9

What happens to minerals in soil?

Answer 9

Minerals are transported downward as a result of leaching.

Question 10

What is leaching?

Answer 10

The process where solid particles suspended or dissolved in a liquid are transported to another location.

Question 11

A cross-section of all the soil horizons in a specific soil, from surface to bedrock.

Answer 11

Soil profile

Question 12

Particles less than 0.002 millimeters in diameter

Answer 12

Clay

Question 13

Particles ranging from 0.002 to 0.05 millimeters in diameter

Answer 13

Silt

Question 14

A mix between clay, for silt, and sand and is the best for agriculture.

Answer 14

Loam

Question 15

Particles with diameter of 0.05 or greater

Answer 15

Sand

Question 16

What are some factors that influence soil formation?

Answer 16

Climate, organisms, landforms, parent material, and time

Question 17

What are the two main types of weathering?

Answer 17

Physical and chemical wheathering

Question 18

The drop-off of eroded material at a new location.

Answer 18

Deposition

Question 19

The state/process of rotting/decay

Answer 19

Decomposition

Question 20

The organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms

Answer 20

Humus

Question 21

What color is best for soil

Answer 21

A darker color soil

Question 22

Is a soil more porous if it has larger particles or smaller particles?

Answer 22

Larger because of there would be more space in between the particles

Question 23

What does a medium clumpiness mean for soil?

Answer 23

Clumpy soil may have a great deal of humus, meaning that the soil is rich in nutrients and can hold water. It is great for agriculture

Question 24

What is pH and how may it affect plants?

Answer 24

PH is the acidity or alkalinity. Most plants need an average amount. Some need really high amounts but most die with high pH levels

Question 25

The deterioration of the soil characteristics needed for plant growth or other ecosystem services.

Answer 25

Soil degradation

Question 26

The process of eroding or being erased by wind, water, or their material agents

Answer 26

Erosion

Question 27

The planting of different crops in mixed arrangements

Answer 27

Intercropping

Question 28

When a farmer alternates crops grown in a field

Answer 28

Crop rotation

Question 29

The planting of crops after a harvest and before planting.

Answer 29

Cover crops

Question 30

Rows of trees or other plants that are planted along the edges of fields to slow the wind

Answer 30

Shelterbelts

Question 31

The turning over of soil before planting; A method opposite of this that reduces erosion

Answer 31

Tilling; no till farming

Question 32

A farming practice used on steep mountains and look like a staircase

Answer 32

Terracing

Question 33

Plowing sideways across the hillside, perpendicular to the hill’s slope

Answer 33

Contour farming

Question 34

A consequence of ranching

Answer 34

Overgrazing

Question 35

Excessive grazing which causes damage to grassland/What can this cause?

Answer 35

Overgrazing can cause massive erosion and plant loss.

Question 36

Which forestry practice causes the most erosion?

Answer 36

Clear cutting

Question 37

What is desertification and what are the 8 main things that cause it?

Answer 37

A loss of more than 10% productivity due to: 1.erosion 2. soil compaction 3. forest removal 4. overgrazing 5. drought 6. salt buildup 7. climate change 8. depletion of water sources

Question 38

What is/caused the Dust Bowl and when did it take place?

Answer 38

Farmers destroyed the fields due to too much ranching and agriculture, causing massive dust storms in the 1930s. The dust bowl is what this region is called.

Question 39

The providing of water other than precipitation to crops.

Answer 39

Irrigation

Question 40

The buildup of salt and upper soil horizons, caused by too much or carelessly timed irrigation waterlogging crops

Answer 40

Salinization

Question 41

What are three solutions to salinization?

Answer 41

1. Avoid planting crops that require a great deal of water and dry areas 2. Irrigate with water that is low in salt content 3. Supplying no more water than crops require and close to the roots.

Question 42

Irrigation that targets water directly at the root

Answer 42

Drip irrigation

Question 43

Chemicals that kill organisms that attack or compete with plants that we value

Answer 43

Pesticides

Question 44

Compounds used to kill pests

Answer 44

Chemical pesticides

Question 45

Battling pests by using organisms that eat or infect them; An example

Answer 45

Biological pest control; and example of this is a wasp laying eggs on a caterpillar that is hurting crops.

Question 46

A naturally occurring soil bacteria that produces a protein that kills many caterpillars and the larva of some flies and beatles

Answer 46

Bt

Question 47

Different techniques combined to achieve the most effective long-term test reduction

Answer 47

Integrated pest management or IPM

Question 48

The process by which male sex cells of a plant fertilizer female sex cells of a plant

Answer 48

Pollination

Question 49

A syndrome that caused entire hive of honeybees to die or disappear for unknown reasons

Answer 49

Colony collapse disorder

Question 50

What do N, P, and K stand for; why are the important to plants?

Answer 50

N- nitrogen P- phosphorus K- potassium The more of this there is the more nutrients there is in the soil