MT
What is the main cause of soil loss?
Wind and Rain
This step of erosion involves leaving rock particles in a new location
Deposition
This is when rock particles are moved from one place to another
Erosion
What are the three steps of erosion?
1) Rock particles are picked up
2) Rock particles are moved somewhere
3) Rock particles are deposited
Soil from __________ is usually carried into rivers and lakes
Construction
Name three natural forces that cause erosion
Water, Wind, and Ice
What are three human activities that can harm soil?
Farming, Construction and Development, and Mining
How does gravity help deposition?
Gravity is a natural force that pulls the rock particles back down to earth
What is the main cause of desertification?
Overgrazing by animals
This is the layer of grass, plants, and trees that naturally sits on top of soil and protects it
Plant cover
Soil from construction sites that builds up in rivers and lakes can eventually lead to ___________
Flooding
This type of soil protection includes planting rows of trees in between fields to serve as wind protection
Windbreaks
Name three reasons why humans need soil
1) Helps plants grown
2) Purifies water
3) Recycles nutrients
What is mass wasting?
The downhill movement of rock and soil
Where does the mass wasting of rocks usually happen?
Mountainsides
What are the 5 ways farmers protect and conserve soil?
1) Crop rotation
2) Conseration tillage
3) Terraces
4) Contour plowing
5) Windbreaks
Debris is a mixture of theses three things:
Rock, Soil, and Plants
This type of mass wasting usually occurs near road construction because the soil is unstable
Slumps
These two methods of protecting and conserving soil are used on sloping land
Terraces and Contour Plowing
This type of mass wasting, which can be easily spotted by leaning fences, involves soil moving 1-10 mm every year
Creep
Describe how crop rotation keeps nutrient levels balanced in a field
Different types of crops are planted in the same field every year. Some crops will eat a lot of nutrients, and other crops will restore nutrients
Explain how a mine full of sulfide minerals can lead to soil pollution
The sulfide minerals react with air and water, producing sulfuric acid. This leads to acid drainage.
Explain the difference between a rockfall and a rockslide
A rockfall involves individual blocks of rock falling down a slope. A rockslide involves a large sheet of rocks sliding down a slope
Explain how (1) heavy rains and (2) volcanic eruptions can lead to mudflows
(1) Heavy rains naturally pour a lot of water on soil, making mud, which becomes heavy and slides down a slope
(2) Volcanic eruptions melt the snow at the top of mountains, which mixes with debris and ash to make mud
Explain how a grassy field with cows might eventually become a desert
The cows will eat all of the grass in a process called overgrazing, which will create desert-like conditions in the field (desertification)