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Enviro Science > Soil > Flashcards

Soil Flashcards

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1
Q

What does soil include?

A

Broken rocks, minerals, living organisms and decaying organic matter

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2
Q

Humus=

A

Decaying organic matter

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3
Q

3 UK soil types

A

Brown earth, podzol and gley

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4
Q

What are soil layers called ?

A

Horizon’s (O,A,B,C)

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5
Q

Stage 1 formation: weathering

A

Breaks apart parent rock to form regolith, clay particles join together

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6
Q

Stage 2 formation: humification

A

Organisms eg algae/ lichens colonise which add organic matter when they die (Humus)

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7
Q

Stage 3 formation: translocation

A

Movement in any form in any direction, has greatest effect with very high/ low rainfall

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8
Q

Leaching

A

Washing down of soluble minerals

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9
Q

Eluviation

A

Washing down of small suspended insoluble minerals to lower horizons

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10
Q

Illuviation

A

Where minerals are moved to horizon C

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11
Q

3 types of soil

A

Brown earth
Podzol
Gley

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12
Q

Soil properties
(5)

A

Aeration
Temperature
Texture/ structure
Water availability
pH

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13
Q

O horizon

A

Surface litter, partly decomposed organic matter

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14
Q

A horizon

A

Topsoil with humus, living organisms and inorganic minerals

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15
Q

B horizon

A

Subsoil with clay, iron, aluminium compounds accumulated from leaching

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16
Q

C horizon

A

Weathered parent material and partially broken down inorganic mineralz

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17
Q

Bedrock

A

Parent material - the crust limestone bedrock, alkaline/ neutral granite bedrock: acidic

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18
Q

Factors that affect soil formation

A

Time
Human activity
Vegetation/ animals

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19
Q

Rate of soil formation and rate of natural soil erosion makes…

A

Soils natural equilibrium

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20
Q

2 main processes leading to soil deterioration

A

Erosion (e.g wind and water)
Degradation (e.g leaching and pollution)

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21
Q

Major causes of soil degradation

A

Water and wind erosion,
Chemical and physical degradation

22
Q

Underlying causes of soil degradation

A

Overgrazing
Deforestation
Agricultural activity
Overuse of vegetation
Industrial activity

23
Q

Human causes leading to soil degradation

A

Overgrazing
Over cropping
Deforestation
Urbanisation
Unsustainable agriculture inc. cultivation methods

24
Q

Soil erosion: water

A

Leaves deflect heavy rain, roots hold soil together and humus absorbs large quantities of water BUT unprotected surface soil washed away during heavy rain (sheet wash) or channels develop on hillside (gullying)

25
Q

Sheet wash

A

Heavy rain washing away unprotected surface soil

26
Q

Gullying

A

Heavy rainfall can develop channels on hillsides

27
Q

Soil erosion: wind

A

Unprotected soils at higher risk of wind erosion, more if they are dry as top layer consistently removed through saltation, creep and suspension

28
Q

The three major types of soil erosion

A

Wind
Water
Human interaction

29
Q

Rain splash erosion

A

Rain hits soil, becomes water saturated and displaces soil which creates gully’s and washes it away through surface runoff, bare and dry ground most effected

30
Q

How can vegetation reduce wind erosion?

A

Protects soil from winds by creating a blanket of friction

31
Q

Creep

A

Movement of particles rolling along the ground

32
Q

Saltation

A

Sediment being taken into the air quickly and dropped quickly

33
Q

Sorting

A

Worms and invertebrates blurring horizon lines

34
Q

Human activities that increase soil erosion rates

A

Vegetation removal
Ploughing vulnerable soils
Overgrazing
Reduced soil biota
Cultivating steep slopes
Soil compaction

35
Q

Farming methods that reduce soil loss

A

Strip cropping
Windbreaks
Terracing
Contour cropping
No till planting
Cover crops

36
Q

Strip cropping

A

Groundwater plants e.g grasses planted in strips between field/ crops
Stops of groundwater soak up rain and slow runoff

37
Q

Windbreaks

A

Rows of trees planted between fields
Trees slow down wind and reduce wind erosion

38
Q

Terracing

A

Steps built on slopes to prevent runoff downhill and carrying away soil

39
Q

Contour cropping

A

Crops planted in curving rows to follow contour of hills
Slows runoff and reduces erosion

40
Q

No till planting

A

Seeds planted in ground without tilling (plowing) soil first
Dead plants/ humus from previous crop remain to hold soil in place with roots

41
Q

Cover crops

A

Plants cover soil to hold in place year round, even in seasons when crops don’t grow

42
Q

The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)

A

A= RKLSC*P

43
Q

A

A

Average annual soil loss

44
Q

R

A

Rainfall erosivity

45
Q

K

A

Kind of soil

46
Q

L

A

Length of slope

47
Q

S

A

Slope gradient

48
Q

C

A

Crop management

49
Q

P

A

Prevention of soil loss

50
Q

Limitations of USLE

A
  • averages must be taken
  • time consuming
  • expensive
  • mostly based on winter (e.g K)
  • no account of previous land uses
  • most measurements made in North America

Enviro Science (11 decks)

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