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ENVB 210 The biophysical environment > Midterm > Flashcards

Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

T\F

Soil is a complex ecosystem

A

T

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2
Q

Soil is the interface of what 5 spheres?

A
  1. Hydrosphere
  2. Atmosphere
  3. Lithosphere
  4. Chemosphere
  5. Biosphere
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3
Q

How do we call the study of interaction among organisms and their environment as an integrated system?

A

Ecology

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4
Q

What are the boundaries of the soil scale?

A

Micro-scale to Landscape-scale

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5
Q

Name 6 things that soil interactions create or affect ecosystems functions.

A
  1. support ECOSYSTEMS
  2. select for SPECIFIC LAND-USE
  3. influence FRESH-WATER health
  4. support ENDEMIC plant species
  5. impact DIVERSITY and tree distribution
  6. benefit HUMAN health
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6
Q

Give a simple definition of soil.

A

Soil: weathering parent material that is capable of supporting life

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7
Q

Name 6 functions of the soil
‘‘The uncosolidate material at the Earth’s surface consisting of minerals (sand, silt and clay) and organic matter and that serves as a

A
  1. Habitat for organisms (bio)
  2. Medium for plant growth (bio)
  3. Recycler of nutrients (chemo)
  4. Reservoir for water (hydro)
  5. Modulators of Earth’s atmosphere (atmo)
  6. Building material (litho)
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8
Q

Give the component and proportions of soil.

A

Air (25%)
Water (25%)
Mineral particles (45%, sand silt and clay)
Organic matter (5%: organisms, roots and humus(80%)

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9
Q

T\F

Soil is 50% pores, 50% minerals

A

T

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10
Q

What is a loam?

A

A relatively equal mix of sand, silt and clay

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11
Q

Why is pore space important in the soil?

A

Pore space in necessary to retain moisture and oxygen in the soil and for root growth.

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12
Q

Is saturated soil good or bad?

A

Bad. Flooding (100% saturation) leads to loss of air-filled pores (anoxia).

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13
Q

What is humus made from?

A

Plants and animal decay.

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14
Q

Where does soil come from?

A 
Soil-forming factors
CLORPT(h)
Climate
Organisms
Relief 
Parent material
Time
H other process=human land-ise
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15
Q

What are the 10 identifiable types of soil in Canada?

A
  1. Brunisolic
  2. Chernozemic
  3. Cryosolic
  4. Greysolic
  5. Luvisolic
  6. Organic
  7. Podzolic
  8. Regosolic
  9. Solonetzic
  10. Vertisolic
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16
Q

T\F

Soils are an infinite resource

A

F
It takes too long to form
(1000 years to form 1 cm)

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17
Q

What is the rate of soil formation?

A

1 cm each 1000 years

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18
Q

Name 4 things that cause soil degradation

A
  1. Deforestation
  2. Industrialization
  3. Erosion
  4. Agriculture
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19
Q

How do we call the layer of unconsolidated materials overlaying in the hard, un-weathered, bedrock?

A

Regolith

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20
Q

T\F

Soil is forming from upper limit to lower limit

A

F

Soil is forming from the parent material, which is the lower limit

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21
Q

Name 3\8 things that we can infer looking at soil formation

A
  1. Topography
  2. Waterflow
  3. Water storage
  4. Mineral deposits
  5. Erosion\sedimentation
  6. Vegetation
  7. Habitats
  8. Risk
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22
Q

Name the 4 major geological events in Quebec

A
  1. Greenville Province
  2. St-Lawrence platform
  3. Monteregian Hills
  4. Glaciation
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23
Q

How was the Greenville Province formed?

A

By tectonic activity

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24
Q

Give an example of a mount formed by Greenville Province event?

A

Mont Tremblant

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25
Q

If the bedrock of a hill is formed of metamorphic rocks (sediments and volcanic, like granite, gneiss and schist), it was more likely to be formed by which one of the 4 Majors geological event in QC?

A
  1. Greenville province: tectonic activity -> metamorphic rocks (sediment + volcanic, as granite, gneiss and schist).
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26
Q

What the name of the ocean that formed the St Lawrence Platform?

A

Lapetus

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27
Q

Explain in 3 steps how the St Lawrence platform was formed.

A
  1. Lapetus: Rift formed in the mountains of the Greenville province that slowly widened into an ocean
  2. Marine sediments: Earth’s crust subsided gradually, and marine sediments accumulated along the continental shelf
  3. St Lawrence Platform: Over the years, it resulted in limestone beds
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28
Q

What is defined by ‘’ material left behind from geological events’’?

A

Deposition

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29
Q

Define ‘‘parent material’’

A

Unconsolidated material or organic material from which true soil develops

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30
Q

Name mounts that are part of the Monteregian Hills. By what phenomenon were they formed?

A

Mont Royal, Mont St Hilaire, Mont Rigaud and Rougemont were formed by igneous intrusions and slow cooling of magma.

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31
Q

T\F

Igneous intrusions are less resistant to erosion

A

F

Igneous intrusions are more resistant to erosion

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32
Q

Name a rock formed by ingenous intrusions? Is it resistant?

A

Granite, very resistant.

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33
Q

Which is more likely to be eroded; limestone or granite?

A

Limestone, found in St Lawrence platform. Granite, like in Mont Rigaud, is very resistant.

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34
Q

T\F

There was one glacier period.

A

F

There was 3-4 glacier periods

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35
Q

What impact the glaciers event did to the the relief of QC?

A

They levelled the Grenvillan and Monteregian relief.

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36
Q

What did glacial deposits following retreat left behind?

A

Glacial till

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37
Q

The richest farmlands in the St. Lawrence River valley are a legacy of what kind of sediments?

A

Glacial till, left by the glacial retreat.

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38
Q

Name the important steps in the glaciation event.

A
  1. Glacial till: deglaciation let deposits following retreat
  2. Retreat leaded to lake formation (after the Champlain Sea)
  3. Isostatic rebound: formation of lakes and lowlands
39
Q

T\F

Glacier melt into the Champlain Sea

A

F

After the glaciers left, the land which was depressed allowed the Atlantic Ocean to move in forming the Champlain Sea.

40
Q

T\F

Lapetus ocean was forming after the Glaciers event retreat

A

F

Champlain Sea was formed.

41
Q

What refers to the effect that occurs when massive thickness of ice sheet loads the earth’s crust to such an extent that it causes the crust to sink?

A

Isotatic rebound

42
Q

Name a region resulting from the isostatic rebound

A

Hudson bay

43
Q

Named the 3 resulting soils from the Glaciers and Champlain Sea

A
  1. Glacial Till
  2. Marine sediments
  3. Alluvial sand deposits
44
Q

Stony, little organic matter, poorly drained and good for pasture is characteristic of what soil resulting form the Glaciers and Champlain Sea?

A

Glacial till

45
Q

What formed sand deposits after the Glaciers and Champlain Sea?

A

By the waves of the Champlain Sea

46
Q

What soil is ideal for fruit tree, root vegetables and certain pine species?

A

Sand deposits

47
Q

Clay belt is the result of what kind of deposits?

A

Marine deposits

48
Q

How was clay deposits from the marine beds carried away?

A

By running river water

49
Q

T\F geological events have an incidence on organisms that will arise

50
Q

What does it mean to say that ‘‘soil are more important than the sum of their parts’’?

A

Soils are complex ecosystems that adapt and affect everything around them. They are finite resources that interact with the outside environment. Soils are vital parts of global ecosystem cycles.

51
Q

Name 4 ecosystem service that soils provide.

A
  1. Supporting services
  2. Regulating services
  3. Provisioning services
  4. Cultural services
52
Q

What are the 4 soil forming process? Give an example.

A
  1. Gains: marine deposits
  2. Losses: erosion of Mont Royal
  3. Translocations : landslides
  4. Transformations: glaciations
53
Q

What are the 4 functions of soil organisms?

A
  1. Nutrient recyclers
  2. Regulate dynamics of soil matter and greenhouse gas emissions
  3. Modifies soils physical structure and water regimes
  4. Enhance nutrient deficiency
54
Q

Discuss peatlands and their effect on the carbon cycle explain why peatlands are so important to carbon storage (see soils and climate ch.ange)

A

Peatlands are being drained which cause an increase of carbon emissions in the atmosphere (peatlands store carbon)

55
Q

What effect will changes in temperature and rainfall have on stored organic matter ? Do you think higher temperature and rainfall will increase or decrease stored organic matter?

A

Changes in temperature will increase rainfall, which decreases organic matter and releases more carbon.

56
Q

What is the connection between agriculture, population, food security, and soil health?

A

The health of soil influences all aspects of life including socio-economic issues. Healthy soil impacts healthy crops and vegetation which feed the population.

57
Q

Who do you think should be responsible for reducing and/or reversing soil degradation (consider that some of this land is privately held)?

A

We think there should be an international coalition of political and scientific powers that gather to discuss and educate the public in an accessible manner.

58
Q

What does Ah mean?

A

Accumulation of organic matter -> black

59
Q

What does Ae mean?

A

Eluviation of organic matter, iron or clays -> pale

60
Q

What does Cg mean?

61
Q

What does Cs mean?

62
Q

What do L F H of the O horizon mean?

A

L: organic matter discernable (leaves)
F: partially decomposed
H: indiscernible structure, mixed with grains (humus)

63
Q

What soil is caracterized by a well developed A and B horizons and be found in confinerous forests?

64
Q

What soil is characterized by a clay rich B horizon and can be found in Northern prairies and central BC, mostly on sedimentary rocks?

65
Q

What soil is immature and found in boreal forest ?

66
Q

From which soil do Brunisol arises?

67
Q

Which soil have for keep features

  1. Young
  2. High nutrients
  3. Physical weathering
68
Q

What is the drainage of a Brunisol? It is reducing or oxidizing conditions?

A

Moderate to imperfect drainage, oxidizing conditions.

69
Q

What are the horizons of Brunisols?

A

Ah, Ae, small Bm (slightly altered B = modified), and C without alterations.

70
Q

From what kind of parent Brunisol and Podzol arise? Why is Podzol more developed?

A

A sandy parent, igneous rocks. More precipitations, waves.

71
Q

Where can you find Podzols?

A

On the old sand beaches (far west and east), under confierous beaches.

72
Q

What is the drainage of Podzols? What color?

A

Well to imperfectly drained soils, red color.

73
Q

What are the diagnostic features of Luvisols? Where can you find them?

A
  1. Textural contrast between A and B (Aeluviated clay, Btranslocated deposition of clay)
  2. low ph (parent material Ca + Mg)
  3. Good for agriculture
    All over Canada, under coniferous and boreal forests (clay belt)
74
Q

What kind of soils has features like :

  1. Low pH
  2. Formed from marine deposits
  3. Poor drainage (clay)
  4. High organic surfaces
75
Q

Name 3 characteristics of gleysols.

A
  1. Water saturated (poor drainage of clay)
  2. Wet conditions of vegetation
  3. B and C show gleying (mottling)
76
Q

Define colors of mottling

A 
Red = oxidized iron (add electrons), aerated 
Blue = reduced iron , saturated with water
77
Q

Which soil is describes with a high level of organic matter and A horizon at least 10 cm thick and can be found in the southern Prairies?

78
Q

Which soil is having a clay-rich B horizon, commonly with a salty C and found in the southern?

A

Solonetzic

79
Q

What soil is:

  1. very dark
  2. very fertile (high organic matter)
  3. Salty
  4. Calcium in B and C
80
Q

What soil is dominated by organic matter and where can it be found?

A

Organic order in wetlands areas (espicially around the Hudson Bay).

81
Q

What soil is poorly developed (mostly C horizon), and can be found in permafrost of northern Canada?

82
Q

What soil occupy north, is characterized of long and cold winter and have a low productivity&

83
Q

What the process were frost action cause pattern in the ground?

A

Cryoturbation

84
Q

What kind of soil can be to blame for landlslides?

A

Cryosol (freeze-thaw)

85
Q

What soils found in tropic a from orange color, high in clay, high in iron oxides and very weathered?

A

Utisol and Oxisol

86
Q

What soil is

  1. Water saturated
  2. Reducing conditions (Fe2+)
  3. Can have a part of perfmafrost
  4. Minim 50 cm of peat
  5. Low decomposition rates
A

Organic soils

87
Q

What are the Of, Om and Oh horizons of the Organic soil?

A

Of: Fibric materials
Om: intermediate decomposition (physical and chemical)
Oh: Advanced stage of decomposition , high bulk density, stable(humus)

88
Q

What is the main feature of Regosol, were can it be found?

A

Young (no B), poorly developed . Everywhere, but rare.

89
Q

Which soil is high in clay (swelling clays) and can be found in grasslands?

90
Q

Which soil is found in Western Canada and arid regions with high salt content?

91
Q

Is regosol oxidizing or reducing?

92
Q

What are the horizons of regosols?

A

LFH, A and C. NO B

93
Q

What soil have cracks and montmorillonite clay? Where can it be found?

A

Vertisols, arid regions (south, western)

94
Q

What can happen if cryosols warm?

A
  1. Landslides

2. Accelerating GES emissions.

ENVB 210 The biophysical environment (1 decks)

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