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Geography > SOIL > Flashcards

SOIL Flashcards

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1
Q

weathering

A

The processes by which rocks are chemically altered or physically broken into fragments as a result of exposure to atmospheric agents and the pressures & temperatures at or near the Earth’s surface, with little or no transportation of the loosened or altered materials.

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2
Q

mechanical or physical weathering

A

the breakdown or disintegration of rocks into smaller fragments by physical processes
with no chemical alteration

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3
Q

by-products of weathering

A

regolith and parent material

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4
Q

regolith

A

the partially weathered rock below the surface which overlays the bedrock
may in time become parent material, soil, or exposed at the surface

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5
Q

parent material

A

unconsolidated material, from organic and mineral sources, that is basis of soil development/ formation

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6
Q

soil

A

the fine material covering Earth’s surface composed of both mineral and organic matter; dirt

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7
Q

weathering provides the _________ for soil formation and development

A

raw materials (parent material)

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8
Q

soil profile

A

the array of soil layers; their sequence from top (surface) to bottom (bedrock)

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9
Q

soil horizon

A

a distinct layer of soil within the soil profile

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10
Q

soil properties

A 
color
texture (clay, sand, silt)
structure
consistence (cohesion)
porosity
moisture
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11
Q

soil formation

A

an on-going process of renewable resource, but not an inexhaustible resource

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12
Q

minerals

A

elements or compounds with a crystalline structure; the building blocks of rocks; found in all soils

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13
Q

organic matter

A

that part originally from living matter, decaying matter of plants, animals, and their waste products

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14
Q

water

A

fills the spaces in the soil or forms a thin film around particles

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15
Q

air

A

also fills pour spaces

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16
Q

parent material

A

the type of rock and minerals the soil was formed

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17
Q

residual soil

A

made from underlying rock

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18
Q

transported soil

A

made from material not found in underlying rock

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19
Q

climate

A

if temp and prec (moisture) differ, will yield diff soils, even from same parent material

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20
Q

biological agents

A

decomposers, microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, type of hummus or organic matter

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21
Q

topography

A

flat vs steep slopes; windward vs leeward slopes; sun exposure

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22
Q

time

A

for a given place, more time means more complete development & increased thickness of soil

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23
Q

Soils develop layers or horizons, often quite distinct, by 4 processes

A

addition, transformation, depletion, translocation

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24
Q

addition

A

grains of soil made by adding material to the soil already in place; adding organic matter

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25
Q

transformation

A

weathering of rock, minerals, & soil particles already present; physically or chemically changing them

26
Q

depletion

A

particles are carried out of an area and downward thru soil by percolating water, to an area below

27
Q

translocation

A

deposition of particles in a lower area from an area above

28
Q

SO, Soils develop Soil Profiles or a particular sequence of soil layers or ________

A

horizons

29
Q

‘O’ horizon

A

organic horizon, consisting entirely of organic material; the top layer where it exists; by addition

30
Q

‘A’ horizon

A

upper most layer developed from parent material; colored dark by organic material from above; by transformation

31
Q

‘E’ horizon

A

lighter colored layer just below the ‘A’ horizon, created by depletion downward of certain soil particles

32
Q

‘B’ horizon

A

created by translocation of particles from the ‘A’ & ‘E’ horizons above; this layer takes the most time to develop

33
Q

‘C’ horizon

A

where the parent material is transformed by weathering into soil particles to become future soil; by transformation

34
Q

‘R’ horizon

A

where solid rock (bedrock) is first affected by weather; a mixture of large pieces of rock and future soil

35
Q

solum

A

the ‘A’, ‘E’, and ‘B’ horizons; those layers in which plant roots are most active
sol: used as a suffix in soil classification

36
Q

pedon

A

column of soil, extending from the ‘O’ horizon into the ‘C’ horizon
ped: naturally occurring “clump” of soil

37
Q

soil texture

A

size of the particles in the soil

an indication of the soils compactness & amount of pore space

38
Q

sand measurement

A

2 - .05 mm

39
Q

silt measurement

A

.05 - .002 mm

40
Q

clay measurement

A

< .002 mm

41
Q

loam

A

a term used to describe a soil, similar to a clay or sand, but based on the percent of sand, silt, & clay and NOT on particle size

42
Q

field capacity
sand=
clay=

A

ability of a soil to hold water against the downward pull of gravity
Sand=low field capacity
Clay=high field capacity

43
Q

soil structure

A

the type or arrangement of a soils’ peds; also plays a role in determing a soils field capacity

44
Q

platy

A

layered peds, like flakes, stacked horizontally

45
Q

prismatic

A

peds arranged in columns

46
Q

blocky or angular

A

straight sided, irregularly shaped peds

47
Q

Spheroidal or Granular

A

small, rounded shaped peds

48
Q

soil color

A

can be used to indicate the organic content and fertility of a soil, and/or type of minerals and elements that are in the soil
EX: dark brown to black soils == high organic content Red or orangish soils == high Fe and/or Al oxide content

49
Q

soil taxonomy

A

12 Orders
53 Suborders
230 Great Groups

50
Q

entisols

A

soils of recent origin

51
Q

inceptisols

A

show the beginnings of a weakly developed ‘B’ horizon

52
Q

vertisols

A

clay-rich soils which swell or shrink with moisture

53
Q

andisols

A

developed from volcanic ash

54
Q

histosols

A

water-saturated organic soils as found in swamps

55
Q

aridisols

A

dry soils found in most desert areas; salinization common

56
Q

mollisols

A

grassland soils of high agricultural value, such as under the Great Plains (US); thick ‘O’ horizon

57
Q

alfisols

A

moderately weathered deciduous forest soils; moist, highly mineral-rich soils

58
Q

spodosols

A

soils of coniferous (needle-leaf evergreen, pine) forests; highly acidic soils

59
Q

ultisols

A

warm, wet climate soils with a high clay content in the ‘B’ horizon, as found in the SE US

60
Q

oxisols

A

tropical areas with high rainfall; tropical rainforests; rich in FE & AL oxides; subject to laterization

61
Q

gelisols

A

cold & frozen soils subject to crytoturbation (frost churning); found in high latitudes & elevations

Geography (5 decks)

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