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food, population & environment > Soil > Flashcards

Soil Flashcards

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1
Q

Most of our food and fiber is obtained from…

A

cropland.

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1
Q

agriculture

A

practice of raising crops and livestock for human use and consumption

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2
Q

cropland

A

land use to raise crops for human use

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3
Q

rangeland

A

land use for grazing livestock

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4
Q

soil

A

complex mixture of inorganic material, decaying organic material, air, water, nutrients and living organisms

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5
Q

Soil is derived from _____ and shaped by microorganisms.

A

rock

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6
Q

It takes _____ years to develop 1 inch of topsoil

A

200-1000

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7
Q

Topsoil is formed from…

A

parent material.

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8
Q

parent material

A

base geologic material in particular location

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9
Q

Examples of parent material include…

A

(1) hardened lava or volcanic ash
(2) sediment deposited by glaciers or flowing water
(3) wind-blown dunes
(4) bedrock

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10
Q

Parent material is broken down into smaller particle by…

A

weathering.

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11
Q

humus

A

partially-decomposed organic matter
productive for plant life

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12
Q

Weathering and accumulation of organic matter influenced by…

A

(1) climate
(2) organisms
(3) topography
(4) parent material
(5) time

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13
Q

soil profile

A

entire cross-section of soil

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14
Q

leaching

A

process in which minerals dissolved/suspended in water are transported downward

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15
Q

Ordering of soil layers is…

A

O Horizon: Organic
A Horizon: Topsoil
E Horizon: Eluviated (leaching layer)
B Horizon: Subsoil
C Horizon: Weathered parent material
R Horizon: Rock (parent material)

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16
Q

o horizon

A

contain organic matter deposited by organisms

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17
Q

a horizon (topsoil)

A

mixture of inorganic mineral components with humus from above (o horizon)

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18
Q

What is the most nutritive part of soil for plants?

A

topsoil (a horizon)

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19
Q

e horizon (eluviated)

A

most heavily leeched, losing minerals like iron, aluminum, and silicate clay

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20
Q

b horizon (subsoil)

A

contains minerals leeched from above (e horizon)

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21
Q

c horizon (weathered parent material)

A

partially weathered parent material

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22
Q

r horizon (bedrock)

A

parent material

23
Q

Soil’s color indicates its…

A

fertility.

24
Q

Soil texture determined by the…

A

size of its particles.

25
Q

loam

A

soil with an even mixture of each particle

26
Q

Examples of particles in soil include…

A

(1) clay
(2) sand
(3) silt

27
Q

Clay soils have few pore spaces and are sticky, making it difficult for…

A

air and water to pass through.

28
Q

Sandy soils allow water to…

A

pass through too quickly, requiring frequent irrigation.

29
Q

Loam soils with medium-sized pores are…

A

considered best for agriculture.

30
Q

waterlogging

A

occurrence in which irrigation oversaturates soil to point where water drowns plant roots, depriving them of gases and suffocating them

31
Q

irrigation

A

artificial provision of water beyond what is received by precipitation

32
Q

salinization

A

buildup of salts in surface soil layers

33
Q

The only solution for waterlogging and salinization is…

A

flushing land with less saline water or plant salt-tolerant plants (i.e. barley).

34
Q

inorganic fertilizers

A

mined or synthetically manufactured

35
Q

organic fertilizers

A

made of remains/wastes from organisms, (i.e. manure, compost, crop residue)

36
Q

precision agriculture

A

practice of monitoring soil nutrient levels and only apply fertilizer when it is needed

37
Q

land degradation

A

deterioration of land that diminishes its productivity and biodiversity and impairs the functioning of its ecosystems

38
Q

Land degradation results in…

A

(1) increased soil erosion
(2) nutrient depletion
(3) water scarcity
(4) pollution

39
Q

soil degradation

A

deterioration in quality and productivity of soil

40
Q

Soil degradation caused by…

A

(1) forest removal
(2) cropland agriculture
(3) overgrazing of livestock

41
Q

Erosion caused by…

A

(1) Overcultivating fields
(2) Overgrazing rangeland
(3) Clearing forests on steep slopes

42
Q

sheet erosion

A

uniform layers of soil peeled off across a field

43
Q

rill erosion

A

fast flowing water cuts small channels in soil

44
Q

gully erosion

A

extreme form of rill erosion in which small channels merge and become deeper to form gullies/ditches

45
Q

What are the three types of soil erosion caused by water?

A

(1) sheet
(2) rill
(3) gully

46
Q

desertification

A

a land degradation where more than 10% of productivity is lost

47
Q

What are the biggest causes of desertification?

A

(1) Wind
(2) Water

48
Q

Soil Conservation Act (1935)

A

Established agency that worked with farmers to combat erosion following Dust Bowl

49
Q

crop rotation

A

process of alternating type of crop grown from one season to next

50
Q

contour plowing

A

plow sideways across a hillside

51
Q

terracing

A

creation of level platforms on very steep terrain slowing water erosion

52
Q

intercropping

A

planting alternating bands of different crops

53
Q

shelterbelts

A

row of trees/shrubs that serve as windbreaks

54
Q

conservation tillage

A

reduces amount of plowing leaving soil surfaces bare and exposed to wind

55
Q

no-till farming

A

eliminates tilling altogether

56
Q
A

food, population & environment (7 decks)

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