LAB 11 (FINAL LAB) Flashcards
what are horizons?
various soil layers
what is a soil profile?
the set of soil horizons
what are soil orders?
the American system of soil classification
what are the grain size classes of sediment?
clay, silt, sand, gravel
what is soil texture?
the percentages of the various grain sizes present in the soil
what is permeability?
the speed with which water moves through the soil
what is the wilting point?
when the only water left in the soil is the unextractable hygroscopic water held closely to soil particles
what soils have very high permeabilities?
sandy soils
compared to other textures, what do loamy soils have?
intermediate permeabilities
a modest amount of hygroscopic water
hold the largest amount of capillary water in storage
what about sandy soils?
very high permeabilities
low storage capacity
what are biomes?
distinctive groupings of plants and animals
what are formations?
the subdivision of biomes at a more detailed level
what are tropical rain forests?
(also called equatorial rain forests)
occur in low latitude regions
are hot and wet all year
what are boreal forests?
needleleaf trees
long and cold winters
what are prairie formations?
tall grasses
