Soils Flashcards
What is soil made up of
Mineral matter
Air
Water
Humus
Living organisms
Humus
A gel like substance made of plant litir and decayed animals.
O horizon
The layer of soil visible. Plant litter falls here to decay which provides humus
A horizon
Most fertile layer of soil. Plant roots are found. Dark in colour, mist humus &living organisms
B horizon
Lighter in colour bc of less humus. Higher number of stones are found here
C horizon
A mixture of solid rock and broken rock. The remains of the parent rock from when the soil was formed
3 things soil formation is influenced by
Time
Landscape/ relief
Vegetation
Landscape/ relief
Soils in upland areas are thin and poorly drained bc of heavy rain
Soils in lowland areas are more fertile, well drained and rich in humus
Vegetation
Vegetation creates plan litir (humus) which makes soil fertile
Deciduous trees=more plant litir
Coniferous trees= less plant litir
4 main soil types in ireland
Brown earth soils
Podzol soils
Gley soils
Peaty soils
Influence of soil on vegetation
Depth
Acidity
Drainage
Depth
Deep fertile soils have a high nutrient content which supports lots of vegetation
Shallow infertile soils are usually limited to coniferous forests
Acidity
Many plants do not grow in areas w acidic soil. Farmers spread lime on the soil to make it more fertile and less acidic bc of this
Drainage
Sandy soils- well drained & supports lots if vegetation
Clay soils- waterlogged & doesn’t support much vegetation
Influence of vegetation on soil
Plant littir
Soil erosin
Leaching
