Soil and Natural Vegetation Flashcards
What is soil composed of?
Mineral and organic materials, air and water
The tundra is the northernmost ____ region
vegetation
What vegetation will you not find in the tundra?
Trees
What vegetation will you find in the tundra?
Bushes, grass, moss…
What is leaching? Where does it occur?
Removal of minerals from the soil by water as it moves downward. Occurs in wet climates.
What is the transition zone?
Where the characteristics of one region gradually change into another
What is permafrost?
Ground that doesn’t completely thaw in the summer
What is humus?
The dark upper layer of soil made up of partially decayed plant material.
What is calcification? Where does it occur?
Process where water carrying minerals moves upward through soil and evaporates at the surface. This leaves the minerals behind - the surface soil is ‘calcified’. Dry climates
What is boreal and taiga forest?
Coniferous forest, stretching E to W across Canada
What are coniferous trees?
Trees with cones and often needle-like leaves - evergreen
What are deciduous trees?
Trees that shed their leaves annually in fall
What is mixed forest? What is it the transition zone between?
Vegetation region containing both coniferous and deciduous trees. Transition zone between deciduous and boreal forest.
What is short grass prairie?
Little precipitation, grass is short.
What is long grass prairie?
High precipitation, grass is longer
