Rocks & Soil

Question 1

Argillaceous parent material

Answer 1

Sedimentary rocks such as slates, marls or mudstones that redner a large amount of clay grade texture

Question 2

Calcification

Answer 2

process that produces calcification of calcium carbonates in B horizon soils e.g. lime

Question 3

Catena

Answer 3

Gradation of soil profile characteristics from the top of the slope to the valley floor, a topographic sequence of soils

Question 4

Fire regimes

Answer 4

Influences soil profile characteristics from the top of the slope to the vallye floor, a topographic sequence of soils

Question 5

Glesiation

Answer 5

Where water table is high, soil is saturated, lack of oxygen underwater

Question 6

Laterisation

Answer 6

Leaching process in humid and warm climates such as tropical rainforests, results in develoment of sesquioxide rich indurated horizon

Question 7

Leaching

Answer 7

Occurs with water movement down profile, causes loss of fines and nutrients to lower levels

Question 8

Palaesol

Answer 8

Fossil soil from past conditions

Question 9

Pedogenic processes

Answer 9

Change through transformation of rock material and other deposits into soils

Question 10

Podsolization

Answer 10

Leaching is so strong it moves iron, aluminium and humic acids down the soil profile, leaving a bleached horizon

Question 11

Polygenesis

Answer 11

Soil has resulted from one or more processes, owing to a change in conditions over time

Question 12

Salinization

Answer 12

Upward movement of water carrying salts, evaporates at surface to leave salts behind, saline soils

Question 13

Siliceous parent material

Answer 13

from rocks such as granite, rhyolite or quartz sandstone that tends to weather to sandy textures that are fairly acidic

Question 14

Soil horizon

Answer 14

Layers we find in soils

Question 15

Soil profile

Answer 15

Vertical exposure of soil showing soil horizons

Question 16

Soil reaction

Answer 16

Physiochemistry property related to acidity/alkalinity, measured by pH or the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration

Question 17

Soil structure

Answer 17

Organisation of mineral particles into shaped clusters

Question 18

Solum

Answer 18

Consists of the surface and subsoil layers that have undergone the same soil forming conditions

Question 19

Soil texture

Answer 19

Size class distribution of mineral particles

Question 20

Waterlogged

Answer 20

Such as below water table - saturated so with no leaching or water movement to make soil anaerobic

Question 21

Weathering

Answer 21

breakdown of rock in situ to form rock fragments/regolith

Question 22

Erodability

Answer 22

Capacity of soil to erode

Question 23

Erosivity

Answer 23

Capacity of external agent to cause erosion

Question 24

Field capacity

Answer 24

Level of soil water content where capillary water is available to plants

Question 25

Gully erosion

Answer 25

Channel depper than a rill that results from channelized soil erosion, expands mainly headward or upslope

Question 26

Infiltration capacity

Answer 26

Rate at which water is able to infiltrate into the soil, controlled by porosity and permeability

Question 27

Piosphere

Answer 27

Zone around watering point in which vegetation is changed by concentration of grazing

Question 28

Sheet erosion

Answer 28

Soil surface removal by overland flow of water

Question 29

Soil salinization

Answer 29

Upward movement of water, evaporation and salts left behind

Question 30

Splash eorsion

Answer 30

Disaggregation of soil peds by the gravity force of rain falling on the soil surface

Question 31

Tunnel erosion

Answer 31

Water moving downslope above the soil surface

Question 32

Rill

Answer 32

Small intermittent channles of overland flow