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Leaving Cert Geography - > Geoecology - Soil > Flashcards

Geoecology - Soil Flashcards

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1
Q

What is soil

A

The layer of natural material on the earths surface that is capable of supporting plant growth

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2
Q

How much of earth surface is made up of soil

A

25%

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3
Q

How much of the earths soil can support the growth of food

A

10%

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4
Q

What is the study of soil called

A

Pedology

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5
Q

What are the 5 component of soil

A 
Mineral matter (45%)
Air (25%)
Water (25%)
(Living organisms 
Humus) = organic matter (5%)
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6
Q

What is mineral matter made up of

A

Small pieces of rock broken down by weathering and Erosion

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7
Q

What two components of air are essential for plants and microorganism living in soil

A

Oxygen

Nitrogen

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8
Q

What does water have to benefit plants

A

Nutrients

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9
Q

Examples of living organisms in soil

A

Earthworms, slugs, Woodlice

Microorganisms eg bacteria and fungi

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10
Q

Function of organisms in soil

A

Break down dead plants to create humus

Help mix humus into soil particles by loving and loosening soil particles enabling water to get through

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11
Q

What is humus

A

Decaying organic matter eg plants, animals, leaves, grass

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12
Q

Function of humus

A

Provides nutrients to soil

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13
Q

What plays role in creating soil

A

CLIMATE
vegetation
Time

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14
Q

What is a soil profile

A

A section of soil extending from the surface to the bedrock

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15
Q

What are the different layers called in a soil profile

A

Horizon

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16
Q

What are the horizons

A 
O horizon (organic matter, plant litter, animals, humus)
A horizon (topsoil, humus, organisms)
B horizon (subsoil, where rainwater percolates)
C horizon (large clumps or partially weathered roock)
R horizon (bedrock, undisturbed parent rock)
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17
Q

Which horizon do organism live

A

A

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18
Q

6 characteristics of soil

A 
Colour
Texture
Structure
Humus content
Ph value
Water content
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19
Q

What might affect colour of soil

A

Rock it developed from

Processes that have occurred eg Leaching

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20
Q

What gives soils their darker colour

A

Humus

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21
Q

Why might soils be grey

A

Washed out by rain, lacking nutrients

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22
Q

Soil structure refers to soil …

A

Peds

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23
Q

Good soil structure allows movement of …

A

Water and air

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24
Q

3 Ped types

A

Crumb
Blocky
Platy

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25
Q

Describe crumb soil

A

Small rounded grains
Near surface
Excellent for water movement

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26
Q

Example of crumb soil

A

Loam soil

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27
Q

Describe blocky soil

A

Cube shaped particles that fit tightly together

Few pores

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28
Q

Example of blocky soil

A

Sandy soils

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29
Q

Describe platy soils

A

Thin flat plates that overlap
Compact
Hold up water movemeg

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30
Q

Example of platy soils

A

Clays

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31
Q

Texture of soil is determined by amount of

A

Sand
Silt
Clay

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32
Q

Texture of clay soils

A

Wet and waterlogged in winter
Dry and cracked in summer
(Sticky and smooth)

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33
Q

Texture of silt soils

A

Powdery

Stick together when wet but won’t hold shape when dry

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34
Q

Do clay soils get waterlogged

A

Yes

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35
Q

Do silty soils get waterlogged

A

No

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36
Q

Sandy soil texture

A

Gritty

Don’t stick together when wet

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37
Q

Do Sandy soils get waterlogged

A

No free draining

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38
Q

Loam soil texture

A

Contains equal amounts of sand, silt and clay so feels crumbly and moist

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39
Q

How does humus affect soil

A

Adds nutrients
Binds soil tighter
increases ability to hold water
Give colour

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40
Q

What is ph of soil affected by

A

Rock it formed from eg alkaline soils from alkaline rock like limestone

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41
Q

Desired ph for most plants

A

6.5

Slightly acidic

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42
Q

An extremely acidic soil

A

Peat, little living things

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43
Q

Neutral soils are ideal for

A

Bacteria

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44
Q

Why is water important to a plant

A

Enables plant to absorb nutrient through water
Ena ale survival of microorganisms responsible for humus formation
Reduces soil erosion by wind

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45
Q

8 processes affecting soil characteristics

A 
Weathering
Humification
Leaching
Podzolisation
Gleying
Laterisation
Salinisation
Calcification
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46
Q

Types of weathering creating smaller pieces for mineral matter of soil

A 
Freeze thaw 
Exfoliation
Carbonation
Hydrolysis
Oxidation
47
Q

Does physical weathering change mineral make up

A

No

Chemical does

48
Q

Soil formed from carbonation

A

Dark brown alkaline soil rich in calcium

49
Q

Hydrolysis forms what soil

A

Feldspar in rock changes to clay

50
Q

Oxidation causes what soil

A

Reddish brown

51
Q

What is humification

A

Method by which dead organic matter is converted into hummus by the action of fungi and bacteria

52
Q

Humification occurs best in

A

Humid hot conditions

53
Q

What is leaching

A

Removal of nutrients from soil by water.

Rainwater washes soluble substances through soil. It builds up in a layer in the soil

54
Q

Where is leaching most common

A

Slopes

Areas with heavy rainfall eg mountains -relief rain

55
Q

What is poszolisation

A

An extreme type of leaching that occurs when rainwater is acidic

56
Q

How does rainwater build up acidity for podzolisation

A

As coniferous forests die and decompose, they add acidity to the rainwater

57
Q

What mineral does acidic rainwater not dissolve

A

Quartz

58
Q

Colour of top layer of podzol

A

Ash Grey

59
Q

What is gleying

A

When soils become waterlogged and lacks oxygen

60
Q

Is there much living things in gley soils

A

Can’t grow in wet conditions

Little oxygen

61
Q

Colour of gley soils and why

A

Slightly blue/grey due to lack of oxygen

62
Q

What is laterisation

A

Severe chemical weathering
All minerals are dissolved out of the soil except iron and aluminium oxides
Giving red colour

63
Q

What is salinisation

A

The accumulation of mineral salts close to the surface of soil

64
Q

Where does salinisation occur

A

Hot desert regions
Precipitation is low and evaporation is high
Groundwater is high in salt and as it evaporates salt is left

65
Q

What is calcification

A

Calcium carbonate is concentrated near the surface of soil (horizon A)

66
Q

Zonal soil in Ireland

A

Brown earth soil

67
Q

Intrazonal soils in Ireland

A

Gley

Peaty

68
Q

Describe soil profile of brown earth soils

A

No distinct horizons as living things have mixed the soil up

69
Q

Factors influencing BES in Ireland

A 
Climate
Relief
Living organisms and vegetation 
Parent material 
Time
70
Q

How does Irish climate influence brown earth soil

A

Temp; 15°c in July and 6°c in January. Good for keeping microorganisms alive year round

Rain; 1500mm year round

Long growing season

71
Q

How does relief affect BES in Ireland

A

Temp; higher ground is colder than lowlands because temps decrease by 1° for every 100m climb, less animal activity and less humification

South facing slopes warmer than north.

72
Q

Living organism and vegetation on BES

A

Deciduous forest (oak, ash, chestnut, bitch) provide plant litter for humification

Fungi and bacteria

Badgers, rabbits, foxes and hedgehogs churn soil

73
Q

Parent material of most brown earth soils

A

Boulder clay deposited in last ice age

74
Q

Parent material of acidic BES

A

Granite, schist or sandstone

75
Q

Parent material of shallow BES (rendzina soil)

A

Limestone

76
Q

Parent material of podzolised BES

A

In lowlands where glaciers deposited their load

77
Q

How long ago did Irish BES soil

A

10,000 years ago in last ice age

78
Q

Irish BES colour

A

Brown
Presence of humus makes darker
Leaching washes out nutrients making lighter

79
Q

Ph of BES

A

Slightly alkaline due to temp and parent material

Livy g things strive in thus pH

80
Q

Is BES rich in humus

A

Yes

Trees loose their leaves each autumn adding to amount of litter available for humification

81
Q

Structure of Irish BES

A

Crumb

82
Q

Use of Irish BES

A

Tillage

Pasture

83
Q

Texture of Irish Bes

A

Loam

84
Q

Water content of BES

A

Depends on local conditions
Not too wet not too dry
Water content encourages plant growth

85
Q

Is leaching common in Irish BES

A

It’s moderate
It washes nutrients into soil
Badly drained areas cause gley soils as BES is leached

86
Q

natural causes of soil erosion

A

Rain

Wind

87
Q

How does rain cause soil erosion

A

Force and impact of rain breaks soil grains
Soil becomes saturated
Water starts to float on top
Rainwater carries away soil

88
Q

How does wind cause soil erosion

A

Blowing dry and exposed soil away

89
Q

3 types of wind movement

A

Saltation - medium particles carried short distances
Suspension - fine particles carried long distances
Surface creep - large particles move along surface

90
Q

Human causes of soil erosion

A

Farming (over grazing, over cropping)
Deforestation
Tourism in mountain areas
Quad biking

91
Q

Characteristic and composition of brown earth soil essay 3 aspects

A

Texture and structure
Humus content and colour
pH

92
Q

What is desertification

A

The reas of desert into new lands, Turing productive land into wasteland

93
Q

What is overgrazing

A

Overgrazing occurs when farmers let their animals feed on all the vegetation in the area, removing the protective layer of vegetation and leaving soil exposed

94
Q

What is overcropping

A

When land is used for vegetation over and over and is not left to recover

95
Q

What is monoculture

A

The same crop is planted in the same field year after year

96
Q

What is a fallow year

A

A year to recover fro, growing

97
Q

What is deforestation

A

The large scale clearing of forests and using the land for non forest purposes

98
Q

Where is the Sahel

A

4000km east to west Africa including niger, Mali, Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia

99
Q

Sabel population change pattern

A

Doubles every 20 years

100
Q

Desert conditions advancing into Sahel at rate of

A

5-10km a year

101
Q

In Chad how many people are food insecure

A

3.5 million

102
Q

Example of crop monocultured in Africa

A

Cotton

103
Q

Ways humans positively interact with soil imnsahel

A

The great green wall —- agroforestry

Low tech/low cost soil conservation:
Stone bunds
Zai holes

104
Q

How wide was great green wall

A

15km

105
Q

Why did great green wall fail

A

Little effort to involve local farmers in planting or maintaining

Exotic species planted

Not enough funding

106
Q

What is agroforestry

A

Growing trees but also using the land to grow crops and/or rear animals

107
Q

Why did agroforestry succeed

A

Native species used

Trees producing food were used

Trees increased soil fertility and reduce soil erosion

More funding (from global climate summit)

108
Q

What are stone bunds

A

Bunds are a method of soil conservation where small stones are placed across the land to trap rainfall and encourage it to seep into the soil

109
Q

What are zai holes

A

Holes that catch rainfall to stop if running off

110
Q

Soil is too alkaline, how do I make it acidic

A

Crushed lime

111
Q

An example of how weathering effects ph of soil

A

Carbonation
Making it more alkaline
Eg rendzina soils

112
Q

Sandstone produces soil of what a)colour and b)ph

A

Pale

Acidic

113
Q

Limestone as a parent material produces soil of what a)colour and b)ph

A

Dark

Alkaline (calcium carbonate)

Leaving Cert Geography - (23 decks)

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