Soils Flashcards
Fungus
Organisms such as mould or mushrooms that are important in breaking down organic matter
Horizon
A specific layer of soil or subsoil in a vertical cross-section of land
Humus
Fertile parts of the soil formed when plants and animals decay
Landscape
The visible features of an area of countryside or land
Mineral matter
Rock particles (eg. Stones, sand, silt) found in soil
Natural resource
Resource that is provided by nature
Nitrogen
A colourless, odourless, unreactive gas that is the main component of the earths atmosphere
Organism
An individual animal, plant or single-celled life form
Oxygen
A colourless, odourless reactive gas that is the life supporting compound in the air
Parent material
The underlying geological material(e.g. Bedrock) on which the soil horizons form a minute portion of something
Silt
Fine sand, clay or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment
Soil profile
A vertical cross-section of soil from the ground surface to the parent rock
Vegetation
Plant life found in a particular area or habitat
Bacteria
A very large group of micro-organisms
