Importance of Soil
There are four basic functions of soil as a medium for plant growth. Water, Oxygen, Nutrients, and _________?
Anchorage
Acidic soil has a pH below seven and alkaline, or _______, soil has a pH above seven.
Basic
________-________ capacity is the ability of the pores of soil to hold water which is available for plant use.
Water-holding
There are five basic soil horizons. Name them in order?
O, A, E, B, C
Restoring and regenerating soil is extremely difficult, if not __________.
Impossible
Agriculture depends on soil for grazing, forests, water structures and ___________?
Cropland
_________ is soil which contains all three types of soil particles in relatively equal amounts?
Loam
Soil drainage is the removal of excess water from soil by ______ or artificial means.
Gravity
An A horizon always forms at the surface and is most commonly referred to as __________, as it is comprised of minerals, decomposed, organic matter, and large amounts of microorganisms.
Topsoil
The definition of soil fertility is the quality or ability of a soil to provide _________ to plants.
Nutrients
Soil is also a functional filter and is often used for the treatment and recycling of human and _________ waste.
Livestock
A soil with good structure will have numerous, ______ pores and will not erode as easily.
Large
__________ drainage removes excess water from the plant root zone by lowering the water table level through a series of drainage pipes installed beneath the soil surface, usually just below the root zone.
Subsurface
___________ is the position on a landscape that a soil occupies.
Topography
All food webs are fueled by _________ producers.
Primary
___________ is the rate at which water and air move into and through the soil?
Permeability
______ _______ is defined as the dry weight of soil per unit volume of soil and indicates the degree of structure or compaction present in the soil.
Bulk Density
There are three different types of water found in soil: Gravitational, Capillary, and _____________.
Hygroscopic
Soils form from parent materials through processes called ______________.
Weathering
Without beneficial organisms, all soil properties are affected and the likelihood of plant disease __________ significantly.
increases
The maximum amount of water a soil can hold against the pull of gravity refers to ___________?
Field Capacity
An __________ refers to a collection of soil particles which are bound to one another, usually by organic matter.
Aggregate
____________ conductivity is a quantitative measure of how easily water flows through soil.
Hydraulic
Soils are organized into visibly distinct layers through the interaction of the four soil forming processes: additions, losses, transformations, and ___________.
Translocations
Although vital to a productive soil, soil fertility is not the same as soil _____________.
Productivity