intro and soil characteristics

Question 1

what is soil science

Answer 1

• Managing a natural resource to keep nutrients in a plant accessible place. Helps to feed the world and sustain itself

Question 2

which plant growth requirements come from soil?

Answer 2

support, water, nutrients

Question 3

ecosystem defininton

Answer 3

community plus the environment in which it reacts

Question 4

managed ecosystem compared to natural

Answer 4

managed soils enhance usable product, modify energy flow, nutrient cycling. can change the entire ecosystem, diversity, growing season, water use etc

Question 5

definition of soil

Answer 5

natural mineral/organic material ~ 10cm thick, capable of supporting plant growth, part of an environment, productive resource

Question 6

soil composition

Answer 6

50/50 pore space to solids. pore space composed of equal water and air, solids mainly mineral, but some organic matter in as well

Question 7

soil colour

Answer 7

tells OM content, redox potential, mineralogy of soil

Question 8

how to measure soil colour

Answer 8

based off of sight, munsell colour chart (print) gives hue (overall) chrome (purity of colour) and value (darkness of colour) values

Question 9

mottles

Answer 9

areas in reduced (yellow/red)/oxidized (blue/grey) soil. abundance and distribution used when determining soil drainage

Question 10

horizon characteristics

Answer 10

name, thickness/depth, colour, texture, structure, consistency, boundary type, pH

Question 11

diff horizon depths

Answer 11

A- 0-30cm, B- 30-65cm, C- >65cm

Question 12

soil texture and values for silt, sand and clay

Answer 12

based on relative proportion of mineral particles of diff size
sand - 2-0.05mm, silt- 0.05-0.002mm, clay - <0.002mm

Question 13

soil structure

Answer 13

particle arrangement into recognizable structures

Question 14

consistency

Answer 14

how sticky or plastic a wet soil is and how firm a dry soil os

Question 15

soil pH purpose

Answer 15

reflects mineralogy of soil - may be high due to presence of carbonates, management can effect pH

Question 16

A horizion

Answer 16

at/near surface - elevated, may have accumulated organic matter

Question 17

B horizion

Answer 17

accumulating horizon.

Question 18

C horizon

Answer 18

parent material - dumped out by glaciers

Question 19

Ah horizion

Answer 19

dark, enriched w organic matter

Question 20

Ap horizon

Answer 20

like aH, but been cultivated to a point of bringing up some B horizon

Question 21

Ae horizon

Answer 21

something has been elevated out

Question 22

Bf horizon

Answer 22

enriched w Fe and Al

Question 23

Bt horizon

Answer 23

enriched with clay - DOESNT MEAN CLAY TEXTURED

Question 24

Bm

Answer 24

minimally developed

Question 25

Bn

Answer 25

enriched with Na ions - common in dry areas, W Canada too dry it accumulates

Question 26

g on any horizon

Answer 26

glued - reduced conditions, poorly drained soil

Question 27

k on any horizon

Answer 27

calcium salts contained

Question 28

s on any horizon

Answer 28

soluble salts

Question 29

ss on any horizon

Answer 29

slicken sides - wedge shaped

Question 30

v on any horizon

Answer 30

vertical cracks

Question 31

y on any horizon

Answer 31

affected by cryoturbation - frozen mixing. water in the soil expands and mixes when it freezes

Question 32

z on any horizon

Answer 32

permafrost

Question 33

organic soil horizons

Answer 33

~30% OM, common in mashed bc of wet anaerobic conditions. slows decomposition bc no oxygen

Question 34

LFH organic

Answer 34

forest humus layer, various stages of decomposition

Question 35

Of organic

Answer 35

fibrous material

Question 36

Om organic

Answer 36

mesic material, mid decomposition

Question 37

Oh organic

Answer 37

humid material, advanced decomposition, black decomposed organic matter.