Lab 5 - Restoration

Question 1

What is a soil profile?

Answer 1

It is a vertical section of the soil exhibiting the results of weathering, creating distinct layers

Question 2

What is the O or LFH horizon?

Answer 2

It is the organic horizon that can be broken down into litter fall, fungi/fermentation, and humus

Question 3

What is the A horizon?

Answer 3

It is like top soil as it has lots of organic matter and nutrients, meaning it is often leached

Question 4

What is the B horizon?

Answer 4

It is mineral soils

Question 5

What is the C horizon?

Answer 5

It has larger chunks of parent material mixed in with the soil

Question 6

What is the D or R horizon?

Answer 6

It the parent material/bedrock

Question 7

What is soil texture?

Answer 7

It is based on the proportion of sand, silt, and clay in a soil

Question 8

What is a Munsell soil chart?

Answer 8

It is used to systematically assign a colour code and name to a given soil horizon. Colour can often provide condition information.

ex. red soils indicate high iron levels

Question 9

What is bulk density?

Answer 9

It is a measure of soil quality determined by calculating the mass of oven dry soil divided by the volume of the soil. It is influenced by the quantity and size of pore space - loose porous soil has lower bulk density than compacted soil (typically increases with depth)

Question 10

What is pH?

Answer 10

It measures the acidity (power of hydrogen) in soils and affects nutrient availability, microorganism activity, and disease

Question 11

What does nitrogen do for plants?

Answer 11

It is a component of chlorophyll, thus giving them a rich green colour. It also stimulates the use of phosphorous and potassium. Uses cadmium reduction method

Question 12

What does phosphorous do for plants?

Answer 12

It is necessary for hardy growth of the plant and activity of cells. It encourages root development and naturally increases resistance to diseases. Uses ascorbic acid reduction method

Question 13

What does potassium do for plants?

Answer 13

It is not fully known, but it has been known to play a vital role in physiological and biochemical functions. It can enhance disease resistance, activate enzyme systems, prevent wilting, enhance fruit size, and aid in amino acid production. Uses tetraphenylboron method

Question 14

What does coniferous mean?

Answer 14

Non-flowering evergreen trees that bear seed cones, have needle leaves and are softwoods

Question 15

What does deciduous mean?

Answer 15

Flowering broad-leaved trees that shed them for winter (or in dry season) and are hardwoods

Question 16

What is direct/active restoration?

Answer 16

It is known as managed succession that uses proactive techniques to accelerate the processes of natural succession towards the desired forest community

Question 17

What is ecological integrity?

Answer 17

It is the quality of naturally occurring or actively managed ecosystems specifically regarding the degree to which they can practice self-renewal and regeneration and maintain a healthy level ecosystem functioning of all processes

Question 18

What is a horizon?

Answer 18

It is a distinctive visible layer in the soil indicating a separate layer in the profile

Question 19

What does indigenous mean?

Answer 19

It refers to species that originate in a specific region (more specific than just native).

ex. red pine native to Canada, but not indigenous to Waterloo

Question 20

What is a plant community?

Answer 20

It is an assemblage of plants commonly found growing together due to symbiosis or overlapping of needs

Question 21

What is a root collar?

Answer 21

It is the junction between the plant’s roots and stem

Question 22

What are root hairs?

Answer 22

They are the outgrowths of epidermal cells that facilitate water uptake and absorption of dissolved nutrients from soil