Soil & Plant Nutrition Cont'd Flashcards
This is a COMPLEX MIXTURE OF PARTICLES composed of INORGANIC and ORGANIC constituents.
Soil
True or False: soil type affects growth and distribution of different plants.
TRUE
True or False: soil is only composed of organic material.
FALSE, soil can be made up of organic AND INORGANIC constituents.
True or False: soil is the same texture throughout.
FALSE, soil VARIES in TEXTURE and has VARIOUS SIZED PARTICLES throughout
How does soil develop?
Soil develops from the WEATHERING of SOLID ROCK.
Name the THREE (3) types of WEATHERING.
Physical
Chemical
Biotic
True or False: rock is the aggregate of two or more minerals.
TRUE, for example GRANITE is comprised of VARIOUS MINERALS (more than seven).
This is the process of RELEASING MINERAL NUTRIENTS which CREATES SUBSTANCE that is MORE AMENABLE FOR LIFE.
Weathering
What are FOUR (4) examples of PHYSICAL WEATHERING?
Heat
Ice
Water
Pressure
Give an example of CHEMICAL WEATHERING.
Acid Rain
True or False: chemical weathering creates smaller particles and releases nutrients into soil.
TRUE
This type of WEATHERING occurs when a variety of ORGANISMS aid in producing soil.
Biotic Weathering
True or False: biotic weathering aids in chemical but not physical weathering.
FALSE, BIOTIC WEATHERING aids in BOTH CHEMICAL and PHYSICAL WEATHERING
This is the ORGANIC portion of SOIL.
Humus
True or False: the humus mainly consists of leaf-litter and plant dretritus.
TRUE, the HUMUS MAINLY consists of LEAF-LITTER and PLANT DETRITUS but also INCLUDES detritus of ANIMALS, FUNGI and BACTERIA
True or False: humus soil has a hard consistency.
FALSE, the HUMUS is SOFT in CONSISTENCY and it FOSTERS ROOT GROWTH.
These are LAYERS OF SOIL in VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
Soil Horizons
This HORIZON of soil is comprised of TOP SOIL, HUMUS and BROKEN DOWN ROCK.
A Horizon
True or False: the A Horizon is inorganic.
FALSE, the A HORIZON is ORGANIC and in fact PROVIDES NUTRIENTS and HABITAT for DETRITIVORES.
True or False: detritivores is the name for a diverse group of bacteria, fungi and animals.
TRUE, in fact 1 square meter of woodland A HORIZON soil can contain 1000 SPECIES of animal populations.
What are the THREE (3) major types of SOIL PARTICLES?
Sand
Silt
Clay
True or False: soil texture influences water drainage of soil.
TRUE, in fact LARGER particles drain FASTER bc it contains LARGE PORES while,
SMALLER particles drain SLOWER bc it contains SMALL PORES.