Soil Flashcards
What is a natural resource?
Anything we obtain from the environment to meet our needs and wants.
List some examples of energy resources.
- Oil
- Gas
- Coal
- Wood
- Wind
- Sunlight
- Waves
What are the three types of resources?
- Perpetual Resources
- Renewable Resources
- Non-renewable Resources
Define perpetual resources.
Resources that last forever and whose quantity is not affected by human consumption.
Give examples of perpetual resources.
- Solar energy
- Wind energy
- Geothermal energy
- Tidal energy
- Hydropower
What are renewable resources?
Natural resources that can be replenished fairly rapidly through natural processes.
List examples of renewable resources.
- Forests
- Grasslands
- Wild animals
- Fresh water
- Fresh air
- Fertile soil
Define non-renewable resources.
Natural resources that cannot be replaced by natural means at a rate that keeps up with consumption.
What are examples of non-renewable resources?
- Fossil fuels
- Minerals
- Nuclear energy
What is coal?
A carbon-rich deposit formed from dead plant material through a process called coalification.
What are the three types of fossil fuels?
- Coal
- Oil
- Natural Gas
What is the process of making coal?
- Organic materials are buried in swamp environments
- Burial results in the formation of peat
- Greater burial results in the formation of lignite
- Burial and metamorphism results in the formation of anthracite
What is oil also known as?
Petroleum
What is natural gas?
A naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas, primarily methane, formed from dead animals and plants.
What are the advantages of fossil fuels?
- Abundant
- Easy to find
- Very efficient
- Easy to transport
What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels?
- Causes air pollution
- Cannot be renewed in a short period of time
What is carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)?
The process of capturing carbon dioxide formed during power generation and industrial processes and storing it to prevent atmospheric emission.
What is nuclear energy derived from?
Uranium, a nonrenewable resource that must be mined.
What is biomass?
Any material made by plants and animals that can be converted into energy.
What are the major soil components?
- Inorganic Minerals
- Soil Water
- Soil Air
- Organic Matter
What is soil texture?
A basic property which strongly influences the ability of soil to retain and transmit air and water.
What are the layers of soil in a typical soil profile?
- O Horizon
- A Horizon
- E Horizon
- B Horizon
- C Horizon
- R Horizon
What does the O horizon consist of?
Organic materials such as plant litter and decomposed or humus layer.
What is leaching?
The process where excess water removes water-soluble nutrients out of the soil.
What is the definition of edaphology?
The study of how soil influences organisms, especially plants.
What are the five major factors that interact to create different types of soil?
- Climate
- Organisms
- Topography
- Parent Material
- Time
Fill in the blank: Soil is composed of _____% mineral, _____% air, _____% water, and _____% organic matter.
45% mineral, 25% air, 25% water, 5% organic matter.
What is the primary source of livelihood in the Philippines?
Fertile land and agriculture.
What type of soil is known as gardeners’ best friend?
Loam soil.
What is the primary source of livelihood in the Philippines?
Fertile land
List the major crops of the Philippines.
- Rice
- Corn
- Sugarcane
- Coconut
- Abaca
- Tobacco
- Bananas
- Pineapples
What is loam soil?
A combination of silt, clay, sand, and a little humus
What are the characteristics of loam soil?
- Very good for gardening
- Provides good drainage
- Retains water easily
- Moldable but not sticky
Define soil degradation.
The physical, chemical and biological decline in soil quality
What are some major land degradation issues?
- Reduction of forest vegetation
- Soil erosion
- Decline of biodiversity
- Reduced water yield
- Increased flooding incidences
What are the impacts of biodiversity degradation?
- Increased incidence of pests and diseases
- Loss of natural predators
- Presence of invasive species
What is afforestation?
The process of expanding the area covered by forests
What is contour ploughing?
Ploughing along the land’s contours to slow down water runoff
What are windbreaks?
Rows of trees or shrubs planted to reduce wind erosion
What is conservation tillage?
Minimizing soil disturbance during planting and cultivation
What are cover crops?
Crops planted to prevent soil erosion when the primary crop is not growing
What is crop rotation?
Rotating different crops to improve soil fertility and reduce erosion
What is strip cropping?
Alternating strips of closely sown crops with strips of row crops
True or False: Overgrazing can lead to soil erosion.
True
What is water?
A chemical substance composed of hydrogen and oxygen, essential to all known forms of life
What percentage of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans?
71 percent
What is the percentage of freshwater in the total global water supply?
2.5%
List the categories of seas.
- Bay
- Strait
- Gulf
Define an estuary.
An area of water where freshwater and saltwater combine
What is an aquifer?
A body of rock and/or sediment that holds groundwater
What is the effect of groundwater pumping?
Land subsidence (sinkhole)
What is a water footprint?
A measure of the volume of freshwater used or polluted to support lifestyles
Define virtual water.
Freshwater that is not directly consumed but is used to produce goods
What are the two important toxic gases that contribute to acid rain?
- Sulfur dioxide
- Nitrogen oxide
What is the chemical equation for acid rain formation?
Sulfur dioxide + Nitrogen oxide = Acid Rain
