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Soils > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Define: soil

A

A dynamic natural body composed of minerals, organic materials, and living forms

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2
Q

Define rock

A

Mixtures of minerals

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3
Q

Define igneous rock

A

Rocks cooled from molten materials

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4
Q

Define sedimentary rock

A

Formed from the deposition of sediments followed by high pressure and a cementing agent

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5
Q

Define metamorphic rock

A

Formed from either igneous or sedimentary rocks through the action of intensive heat and pressure

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6
Q

Define physical weathering

A

Destructive process caused by atmospheric agents that breakdown rocks without change to e physical identity

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7
Q

Define chemical weathering

A

Weathering caused by atmospheric agents that change the chemical composition of rocks and minerals

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8
Q

O horizon

A

Organic horizon that forms above the mineral soil

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9
Q

A horizon

A

Mineral soil horizon, high biological activity . Zone of rapid mineral weathering and leaching

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10
Q

E horizon

A

Horizon in which large amounts of clay and iron have been leached or removed by water
Zone of eluviation

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11
Q

B horizon

A

Horizon that receives material leached from E and A horizons

Zone of illuviation

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12
Q

Define elluviation

A

Removal, exit, maximum leaching

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13
Q

Define illuviation

A

Deposition of materials eluviated from upper horizons

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14
Q

C horizon

A

Horizon of unconsolidated material that may or may not be parent material of the soil

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15
Q

R horizon

A

Consolidated hard rock

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16
Q

What are the five soil forming factors

A

Parent material, climate, relief, biota, time

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17
Q

Define colluvial

A

Transported by gravity

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18
Q

Define alluvial

A

Transported by stream

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19
Q

Define marine

A

Transported by ocean

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20
Q

Define lacustrine

A

Transported by lake

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21
Q

Define glacial

A

Transported with glacier

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22
Q

Define eolian

A

Transported by wind

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23
Q

What are the four soil forming processes

A

Additions, losses, transformations, and translocation

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24
Q

Entisols

A

Simple soils, no diagnostic horizon

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25
Q

Inceptisols

A

Soils with minimum development, little or no subsoil clay accumulation

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26
Q

Mollisol

A

Thick, soft, dark mineral soil of grasslands

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27
Q

Alfisol

A

Subsoil accumulation of clay, not strongly leached. Under deciduous forest or savanna vegetation

28
Q

Spodosols

A

Subsoil accumulation of iron, organic matter, and aluminum, typically under coniferous forest vegetation

29
Q

Ultisols

A

Subsoil accumulation of clay, highly leached soil

30
Q

Oxisol

A

Extreme leaching, only iron and aluminum oxides and quartz are left

31
Q

Gelisol

A

Soils with dark organic surface layer and mineral layers underlaid by permafrost

32
Q

Aridisols

A

Soils of hot, dry,regions

33
Q

Vertisols

A

Clayey soils with a high shrink swell potential. Distinct wet and dry periods throughout the year

34
Q

Histosols

A

Dark organic soil, little mineral matter

35
Q

Andisol

A

Mineral soil formed on volcanic ash parent material

36
Q

Mollic

A

Has to be determined in lab. High base saturation

DSH

37
Q

Umbric

A

Less than 50% base saturation

DSH

38
Q

Melanic

A

Only found where volcanic eruptions occur. Black

DSH

39
Q

Histic

A

Swampy soils formed under very wet conditions, lots of organic material
DSH

40
Q

Ochric

A

Default. Fails to meet definition of other epipedons

DSH

41
Q

Argillic

A

Semi arid and wetter.
Bt horizon associated with this
DSSH

42
Q

Oxic

A

Tropics
Highly weathered, cation exchange is critical to plant nutrition.
DSSH

43
Q

Spodic

A

Cool humid
Illuvial organic carbon, needs to be leached from the A or E horisons
DSSH

44
Q

Albic

A

Basically and E horizon
Eluvial horizon free of clay, iron and aluminum oxides
DSSH

45
Q

Cambic

A

Fails to meet definition of other diagnostic horizons

DSSH

46
Q

Genetic horizon

A

Qualitative, descriptive, field descriptions

47
Q

Diagnostic horizon

A

Quantitatively defined, used for taxonomy

48
Q

Horizon a

A

Highly decomposed organic material

Associated with O horizon

49
Q

Horizon b

A

Buried

Does not require pedogenesis

50
Q

Horizon e

A

Intermediate decomposed organic material

51
Q

Horizon f

52
Q

Horizon g

A

Gley: blue grey color, reduced Fe

In water logged soils

53
Q

Horizon h

A

Illuvial accumulation of humus or organic matter

54
Q

Horizon k

A

Illuvial accumulation of lime CaCO3

55
Q

Horizon m

56
Q

Horizon p

57
Q

Horizon s

A

Illuvial accumulation of Fe and Al oxides

Associated with B

58
Q

Horizon t

A

Illuvial accumulation of clay

59
Q

Horizon w

A

Weak development

Associated with B

60
Q

Hydrolysis

A

Breaking down of a water molecule during the reaction producing either H+ or OH-

61
Q

Hydration

A

The addition of water

Water does not disassociate

62
Q

Carbonation

A

Acid base reaction, with carbonic acid or some acid being a source of protons

63
Q

Oxidation-reduction

A

Reactions involving the exchange of electrons or change in oxidation state of an element

64
Q

Dissolution

A

Reactions in which minerals dissolve in water

65
Q

Complexation or chelation

A

Breakdown of a mineral is accelerated by an organic molecule acting as a chelate

66
Q

Composition breakdown of soil

A

45% mineral, 25% water, 25% air, 5% organic matter

Soils (1 decks)

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