soil and pasture Flashcards
What are the three major components of soil
Sand, silt, clay
What is the properties of clay
clay is the most fertile, the higher the clay content in soil, the more fertile it is, also more prone to waterlogging
How is soil texture being determined
By the percentage of component of each of the three components of soil.
How does soil texture determines the feel and physical properties of soil
- storage of air and water
- the movement and availability of water and nutrients
- organic matter level
- ease of root growth
- workability and resistance to erosion
What are the percentage of clay in soil and the corresponding name
<10% clay: sands 10-20% clay: sandy loam 20-35% clay: clay loam >35% clay: clays >60% clay: heavy clays
what are the three main layers in the soil profile and their explanations
Top soil(A horizon): most important, the layer being cultivated, contain most of the nutrients available to plants. Sub soil(B horizons): Receive materials leached from A horizon. Depth and water holding capacity of the B horizon greatly affect value of soil. Parent material(C horizon): If soil is shallow and parent material is rock, plant roots can not penetrate, restricting growth.
What are the colours of the soils and their corresponding explanation
Organic matter:
dark brown soil indicates organic matter, well drainage good structure, high nutrients level. black indicate high sodium level and water drainage.
Mineral matter:
red orange: iron oxide good drainage, aerobic low leaching.
green/ grey/ blue: water logged.
dull yellow: seasonal water logging, anaerobic condition, high level of lime.
what is the cause of water repellency and how it can be solved
hydrophobic organic matter produced by decomposition of plants, causing patchy germination increasing the risk of erosion. Can be solved by adding clay into the soil.
What are the consequences of water logging?
It cause oxygen deficiency in roots, accumulating toxins, decrease root growth and survival.
Causes of soil acidity and how to solve
Inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizers, leaching of nitrates, removal of plants cause aluminium in soil to become soluble and retard root growth, decrease nutrients availability and lower microbial activity in rhizobia.
Application of lime to lower soil acidity.
Causes of soil salinity and how to solve
- Salt are brought by wind from sea by wind and rainfall, accumulated in clay-sub soils. Widespread clearing, use of shallow rooted vegetation increase recharge to ground water.
- Increase water use by planting deep rooted perennials, protect remain vegetation, plant trees on recharge zones, use salt tolerance perennials.
What does CEC stand for in a soil?
- Cation exchange capability
- Complex engineered cohesion
- Chemical excretion of carbon
- Cation exchange capacity
- Clean energy capability
- Cation exchange capacity
What is the explanation of CEC
the ability of soil to hold onto nutrients, varies with pH, the higher the percentage of clay in soil the higher the CEC, acts as buffer to soil acidification.
Which one of the following is most likely to be associated with a brown to black colour in soil?
- Granite parent rock
- Waterlogging
- Organic matter
- Limestone derivation
- High iron levels
- Organic matter
What are the three pasture system
Permanent pasture, phase farming, ley farming
The pasture system in higher rainfall area
tends to be permanent or semi-permanent, all year pasture.
The pasture system in drier mixed farming region
ley pasture phase, rely on self-regeneration of legume (subterranean clover, annual medics)
Characteristics of phase farming
Due to delayed cycle, subterranean clover are unable to regenerate from the hard seed remain dormant during the crop stage, can re-sow wide range of pasture species. Not expect to self-generate is re-seeded.
Temperate perennial zones, location and characteristics
South eastern coastal areas including west of Tasmania. In this zone pastures includes perennial ryegrass and white clover, they are high production, well adapted to grazing but restricted to high rainfall coastal area. They have high nutritive values and are important to dairy industry.
Temperate perennial grass annual legume zone location and characteristics
south west(Perth) and south east near coastal area also east coastal Tasmania. Phalaris(more drought resistance) the most drought tolerant temperate grass sown in Aus, usually with subterranean clover
Lucerne area location and characteristics
same as the temperate perennial grass and annual legume zone.
Lucerne is a deep-rooted perennial legume adapted to several zones, on suitable soils rainfall exceeds 400mm. Mixture with other grasses and annual legumes, sensitive to acid soils and water logging
Mediterranean annual pasture zone location and characteristics
On top of the temperate perennial grass and annual legume pasture zone.
Subclover and annual medics have been basis for the legume ley pasture system in the wheat belt on suitable soils annual legume persist >350mm in southern Aus. Subclover suited to well drained acid sandy loam soils and medics prefer clay loams and pH>6.5
Which pasture zone is dominant in Tasmania and along the south-east coast of Australia?
a) Humid coastal perennial zone
b) Lucerne pasture zone
c) Temperate perennial pasture zone
d) Temperate perennial grass – annual legume zone
e) White clover pasture zone
d) Temperate perennial grass – annual legume zone