Chapter 15 Vocab #2 Adam Farid

Question 0

gravel

Answer 0

particles larger than 2mm in diameter, not considered soil particles

Question 1

Soil Texture

Answer 1

refers to the relative proportions of different-sized inorganic mineral particles of sand, silt, and clay

Question 2

sand

Answer 2

soil particles 0.05 to 2mm

seen under human eye

Question 3

silt

Answer 3

soil particles 0.002 to 0.05 mm

size of flour particles, barely seen under human eye

Question 4

clay

Answer 4

soil particles less than 0.002mm

only seen under an electron telescope

Question 5

ions

Answer 5

charged forms that soil particles are represented in

Question 6

loam

Answer 6

an ideal agricultural soil

Question 7

Soil Acidity

Answer 7

measured with pH scale, affects plants because nutrients amounts differ with different soil pH’s

Question 8

Soil Taxonomy

Answer 8

method of classification of the major soil groups into orders which get classified into series

there are over 19,000 series in the U.S.

Question 9

spodosols

Answer 9

soil where there is a colder climate, ample precipitation, good drainage

usually under coniferous forest

not good farmland

Question 10

alfisols

Answer 10

grown by temperate deciduous forests, A horizon is rich in accumulated humus

E horizon is light colored, b horizon is brown and rich in clay, c horizon is weathered

Question 11

mollisol

Answer 11

found in temperate, semiarid grasslands, a fertile soil

a horizon is thick and dark and rich in humus, b horizon is thick and rich in calcium carbonate in deeper parts

Question 12

aridisols

Answer 12

found in arid regions of all continents

has a salty a horizon, salt penetrates into b horizon during infrequent rains, c horizon has the parent material

Question 13

ozisols

Answer 13

found in tropical and sub-tropical areas with ample precipitation

a horizon is highly weathered, thick b horizon is highly leached, acidic, and nutrient poor

Question 14

sustainable soil use

Answer 14

using soil wisely without reducing fertility of soil so it can be productive in the future too

Question 15

soil erosion

Answer 15

by water, wind, ice, and other agents, moves soil from one place to another

causes lots of loss in soil fertility

Question 16

What does soil erosion have an impact on in other natural resources?

Answer 16

can get into bodies of water and effect fish and water quality, can really pollute water

can result in result in loss of electricity production of hydroelectric plants

Question 17

how does plant cover help?

Answer 17

can prevent soil erosion, provides a cushion of impact from rainfall, helps in many natural ecosystems

Question 18

How long does it take for 1 inch of soil that was washed away to be replaced?

Answer 18

It takes hundreds of years for natural-soil forming processes to replace.

Question 19

The American Dust Bowl

Answer 19

where there was no roots to hold soil together in the midwest causing winds to blow large amounts of soil around, occurred during the Great Depression

when it rained, areas were too eroded to support agriculture

Question 20

salinization

Answer 20

slow accumulation of salt in soil, result of improper irrigation methods usually

Question 21

desertification

Answer 21

when at one time fertile agriculture land, rangeland, or tropical dry forest is degraded to a non-productive desert