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(B) Soil Science > Introduction to Soils > Flashcards

Introduction to Soils Flashcards

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1
Q

What is Soil?

A

A natural body covering the earth’s surface in which plants are grown. Formed naturally by the effects of climate, living organisms, parent material, topography and time.

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2
Q

What are the functions of Soil?

A
  1. Medium for plant growth
  2. Stores and Filters water
  3. Habitat for soil organisms who recycle organic waste
  4. Engineering medium for construction
  5. Recycling of raw materials.
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3
Q

Soil forming factors include? (6 answers)

A
  1. Time
  2. Organisms
  3. Topography
  4. Climate
  5. Parent Material
  6. Man
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4
Q

What is Parent Material?

A

The original (mineral or organi) material from which the soil has developed.

  • classified primarily by how they were deposited.
  1. Igneous
  2. Sedimentary
  3. Metamorphic
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5
Q

what are Igneous rocks?

A

Igneous rocks form when molten rock cools.

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6
Q

What are Sedimentary rocks?

A

rocks that form when sediment laid down by water is “cemented together” over time.

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7
Q

What are Metamorphic rocks?

A

Rocks that result from the transformation of existing rock when subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change.

  • ex. Marble is formed by Metamorphised Limestone.
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8
Q

Parent Material

Name the two groupings:

A

Sedentary or Transported

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9
Q

Sedentary parent material is called:

A

Residuum

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10
Q

What is Residuum?

A

Sedentary Parent Material that develops when underlying rock weathers in place.

  • Long and intense weathering
  • Wide Distribution
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11
Q

Define Colluvium:

A

Transported Parent Material that detaches and moves down slop via gravity. Material is coarse and stony.

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12
Q

Define Alluvium and names the types:

A

Transported Parent Material via Rivers or Streams.

There are 3 types: floodplains, alluvial fans, deltas

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13
Q

Define Glacial Soil:

A

Transported Parent Material that consists of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock put in its place by glacial fomation and melting.

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14
Q

Define Aeolian Soil:

A

Transported Parent Material formed in silt sized particles deposited by wind.

Also called Loess. (pronunced “Luss”)

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15
Q

Define Marine soil :

A

Transported Parent Material that is formed in residue of ancient sea beds,

(Now Dry Land)

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16
Q

Define Lacustrine Soils:

A

Transported Parent Material formed in residues of ancient lakes.

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17
Q

Define CLIMATE as a soil forming factor:

A
  • It determines the weathering of Parent Material.
  • Temperature and Precipitation influence the rates of the Chemical and Physical process.
  • Influences the breakdown of natural vegetation
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18
Q

What are the 3 Weathering factors in relation to the climate’s effect on Soil Formation?

A
  1. Physical / Mechanical weathering
  2. Chemical weathering
  3. Biological weathering
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19
Q

Define how the climate provides Physical /Mechanical weathering and Give examples:

A

Disintegration

  • Change in temperature
  • Action of H2O
    • fragment transport
    • freezing
    • alternating wet/dry
    • glaciers
  • Action of wind
  • Atmospheric electrical phoenomena ( Lightning)
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20
Q

Define how the climate provides Chemical weathering and give examples:

A

Decomposition

  • Hydration (in contact with H2O)
  • Hydrolosis ​

(the chemical reaction of anything with H2O)

  • Dissolution (Dissolution usually occurs as minerals are dissolved through time. ex. headstones)
  • Carbonation ​
  • (Carbon dioxide when dissolved in water it forms carbonic acid)*
  • Oxidation (rusting) /Reduction (The process of removal of oxygen)
21
Q

Define Biological weathering and give examples:

A

Disintegration + Decomposition

  • Man & Animals
  • Higher plants & their roots
  • Microorganisms
    *
22
Q

For a piece of material to be considered “Soil” it must be no bigger than:

A

2mm in size

23
Q

Soils are comprised of:

A
  • 45-50% Mineral Solids
  • 0-5% Organic Solids
  • 45 - 50% Liquids (H20) and Gases (ex. O2, CO2)
24
Q

Lithification

A

The processes by which loose sediment is hardened to rock

25
Q

How does Topography effect the soil as a soil forming factor?

A

Slope directly relates to how quickly water moves across the surface. If there is a low spot, the soil will be more saturated. High areas drier. South facing slope vs. North facing slope effects how much vegetation is in the soil which realtes to the amount of organic material.

26
Q

Define Living Organisms as a Soil Forming Factor:

A

All living things that are in the soil.

Play a key role in nutrient recycling, structural stability and profile mixing.

27
Q

Explain how Time has an effect of the formation of soils.

A

Soils that have been weathering longer than others will create a different soil profile than younger soils.

28
Q

If soil has more time to form, how does this effect the horizons?

A

More time = More change. and the horizons will differ greatly from those “newer” soils

29
Q

Describe how Man has an effect on the way soil is formed.

A

O horizon is often stripped and sold as top soil.

Building, mining, formation of new lakes or ponds have a significant effect on soils.

30
Q

What is the O Horizon?

A
  • 0-2” deep
  • Organic Matter
31
Q

What is the A Horizon?

A
  • 2-10” deep
  • “Top Soil”
  • composed of dark, decomposed organic materials called humus.
  • Most biological activity occurs here
32
Q

What is the E Horizon?

A
  • Elluviation
  • “thin” in depth
  • white in color - clay was washed down, sand remains
  • clearest indication of a forested site
  • No O.M.
33
Q

What is the B Layer?

A
  • 1-2’ deep
  • Illuviation
  • Clay Layer
  • Red, Orange, Yellow or Grey in color
  • Low O.M.
34
Q

What is the C Layer?

A
  • Parent Material
  • 3-5’ deep
  • Unconsolidated material
35
Q

What is the R Layer?

A

Bedrock

36
Q

In a Transitional Horizon? What layer is predominant?

Ex. AB

A

The first letter of the two is the prodominant material in that layer.

37
Q

Define Plow Layer:

A
  • Influenced by cultivation
  • Top 6”
38
Q

Define Solum:

A
  • True Soil
  • ex. O,A,E,B (Everything but parent material and bedrock)
39
Q

Define Regolith:

A
  • All of the unconsolidated materials above bedrock
  • O,A,E,B,C
40
Q

Define Hard Pan:

A
  • Compacted layer that forms just below where cultivation reaches.
41
Q

What is considered the ‘Top Soil’?

A

Top 6” of Soil

42
Q

What is considered the ‘Sub Soil’?

A

B Horizon

43
Q

. Climate determines the Weathering of a parent material. give examples of the different ways it can weather it:

A

Physical: Action of H2O freezing and thawing, H2O fragment & transportation, H20 + wind, sand + wind, changes in temperature

Chemical: Carbonic Acid, Hydrolysis, Dissolution, Oxidation, Reduction,

Biological: Man and Animals, Plant Decomposition

44
Q

Residuum

A

Sedentary parent material is called:

45
Q

Define Hydration:

A
  • Hydration - comes in contact with H2O
    • it is a chemical effect that weathers parent material
46
Q

define dissolution

A
  • minerals disolving over time
    • example: headstones
47
Q

define carbonation

A
  • a chemical weathering effect on parent material
    • Carbon dioxide when dissolved in water it forms carbonic acid (acid rain)
48
Q

Define Oxidation and Reduction

A
  • Chemical weathering processes of parent material
  • Oxidation (rusting)
  • Reduction (The process of removal or diluation of oxygen)

(B) Soil Science (6 decks)

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