Geography test Flashcards
February 8
what are the 4 main parts of soil?
- minerals
- bacteria and organic materials
- air
4.moisture
3 points for minerals
- minerals in soil come from rock
- minerals become part pf soil when rock is weathered down into smaller particles of sand, silt, and clay
- many minerals are nutrients for plants
3 points for bacteria and organic materials
- when plants and animals die, they decompose by bacteria in soil
- when bacteria breaks down organic matter, nutrients are released
- decayed organic materials from humus which provides nutrients and moisture for plants
3 points for air
- plants need air around their roots
- high humus levels helps produce air in soil because the loose, decaying materials allow for air pockets
- air spaces are also created by worms, insects and small animals
moisture
water dissolves nutrients in the soil and is then taken up by plants through their roots.
what is loam
a well balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay plus humus.
what is leaching
occurs in wet climates, there is a downward movement of water through the soil, as the water moves down, it removes minerals from the soil, this removes the nutrients that plants need to grow, you can identify a leached soil by its poor, thin topsoil layer
what is calcification
occurs in dry climates, process where water in topsoil evaporates leaving behind the minerals, this results in a thick topsoil layer. this is called calcification because the main mineral deposited is calcium.
what are the 7 natural vegetation regions of canada
- tundra
- forests
- grassland
- mixed forest
- deciduous forest
- cordilleran vegetation
- west coast forest
3 points for tundra
- located above the tree line where trees do not grow
- small shrubs, mosses, lichens
-lack of vegetation limits wildlife variety
3 points for the Boreal and Taiga forest
- south of tundra
-largest vegetation region
-many paper and lumbering companies occupy this area by harvesting it
3 points for mixed forest
- south of Boreal forest (east)
- contains coniferous and deciduous trees
- soils for mixed forest regions are suitable for farming
3 points for the deciduous forest
- only found in south-western Ontario
-most has been cleared for farming and urban development - has the most fertile soils in eastern Canada
3 points for the grasslands
-located in southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan , and Alberta
- too dry for trees to grow
-consists of 3 subregions
short-grass prairie:driest area
long-grass prairie:richest soil in Canada.Precipitation=taller trees
parkland:in between short and long grass prairies
3 points for cordilleran vegetation
-vegetation varies greatly
-east side= grasses grow in dry, hot valleys
-west side= forests of coniferous trees grow where precipitation is heavier
