Unit 3 Flashcards
pedogenesis
process of soil formation
Soil horizons
O horizon: humus A horizon: topsoil E: transition B: Subsoil C: weathered bedrock R: solid berock
4 components of soil
25% water
25% air
5% organic matter
45% minerals: sand, silt, clay
O horizon
organic layer, composed mainly of organic material. Top most layer.
A horizon
also rick in organic matter, activities and remains of organic matter help create this layer. most plant roots restricted here.
E horizon
formed by eluviation and Leaching by rain water. lighter in colour and a transition zone between topsoil and beadrock
B horizon
transported clay and chemicals deposited. high concentrations of aluminum, iron and clay
C horizon
unconsolidated weathered rock, little to no organic matter.
R horizon
mostly solid weathered bedrock.
Soil formation factors
climate (warm+wet=faster) parent material time organisms topography and moisture
weather
state of the atmosphere at any given moment and comprises ever-changing events on time scales ranging from minutes to weeks.
climate
long term average of weather and the average frequency of extreme weather events
Biome
extensive geographic region with relatively uniform vegetation structute
gulf stream
warm current, discovered by Benjamin Franklin, deputy postmaster.
Humboldt current
cold current: (El Nino) Philippines-Galapagos
6 types of climates
tropical dry mild mid-latitude severe mid-latitude polar highlands
species
populations that can interbreed
geographical scales
(large scale) individuals –> populations –> communities and ecosystems –> Biomes –> biosphere (small scale)
soil differences in the tropics
the amazon has poor quality soil due to leeching from rain, where Indonesia has rich soil due to volcanoes.
Anthropocene
the age of human transformation of Earths physical systems (1800)
First life evolution
3.5 billion. bacteria, cyanobacteria
ocean light penetration depth
250m (blue light)
gyre
larger circular ocean current
2 kinds of ocean currents
1> surface currents caused by wind
2. deep ocean currents, driven by different water density
major topographical features of the sea floor
mountain ranges, ocean plains, deep sea trenches, continental shelf
two types of choral
cold water (all latitudes, great depths) and warm water(surface of tropics)
three kinds of choral reefs
fringing reef, barrier reef, atoll
phytoplankton
microscopic algae. marine ecosystems rely on them to convert solar energy to chemical energy that all other marine life needs. produces 70% of earths oxygen.
biogeography
branch of geography that studies the distribution of life. “where life lives”
biodiversity
of living species in a specified region
bioflorescence
bioluminescence
bioflorescence: needs light to produce light
bioluminescence: produces its own light
kelp forest threats
pollution and sediment runoff ocean warming removal of keystone species invasive species harvesting
three ways to organize a biosphere
the spatial geography hierarchy
the taxonomic hierarchy (evolution)
the tropic hierarchy (energy)
homologous traits
came from the same thing
Analogous traits
does the same thing
two types of succession
primary: no life beforehand
secondary: previously existing life
niche
the resources and environmental conditions that a species requires
habitat
the physical environment in which an organism lives
endemic
a species restricted to one geographical area
physical limiting factors
light
temperature
water
biological limiting factors
predation
competition
mutualism
