Definitions Flashcards
topsoil
organically enriched, majority of plant roots found here
subsoil
where most water is stored, roots can’t really grow here, it’s hard to modify subsoil
disintegration caused by temperature, water, wind, ice, and organisms.
physical weathering
> 0.08 mm diameter, earthworms and small organisms can move through, water can move through
macropores
< 0.08 mm diameter, hold water so tightly plants can’t access it
micropores
the hydrogen don’t attach to the water evenly, they make a v-shape instead and this causes the positive charges to cling towards the side weighed down with the two hydrogens therefore causing this property of water
polarity
one of the hydrogens makes a low-energy bond to an oxygen particle from another molecule of water. this causes water to have a higher boiling point, specific heat, and viscosity
hydrogen bonding
the attraction of water molecules for each other
cohesion
the attraction of water molecules for solid surfaces, causes some water molecules to be held rigidly at the surface of soil solids
adhesion
results from the greater attraction of water molecules for each other than for the air above, causes an inward force at the surface
surface tension
force caused by adhesion, reduced the energy state of water near particle surfaces
Matric
force caused by cohesion, reduces energy state of water in the soil solution
osmotic
force pulling the water downward
gravimetric
process by which water enters the soil pore spaces and becomes soil water, takes place at the soil surface
infiltration
process by which water moves downwards into the soil profile, rate is related to the soil’s hydraulic conductivity
percolation
when water addition stops the largest pores will drain downward rapidly, when this flow becomes negligible the soil is holding the maximal amount of water useful to plants
field capacity
all soil pores are filled with water, matric potential is close to zero, the soil will remain here only so long as water continues to infiltrate
maximum retentive capacity
the rate of plant water removal fails to keep up with the plant needs so the plant wilts
wilting coefficient
soil moisture is lowered below the wilting point, the water molecules that remain are very tightly held, most are absorbed by colloidal soil surfaces the water is held so rigidly that most of it can only move in the vapor phase
hygroscopic coefficient
an area of land drained by a single system of streams and bounded by ridges that separate it from adjacent watersheds
watershed
how water is returned to the atmosphere
Evaporation
after plant use it is vaporized from the stomata on the surfaces of the plant leaves
transporation
precipitation is intercepted by plant foliage and returned to the atmosphere by evaporation without ever touching soil
interception`
the physical condition of the soil in relation to plant grown
tilth