How does soil develop?
What is the mineral (non-organic) matter (rock, soil, clay)from which the soil developed.
Parent material
Who are “Intestines of the soil.”
earthworms
Sulphur, calcium, and nitrogen are usually present in the ______ of soil.
parent material
Sometimes this white crust is in a ring pattern around a slough. The crust is salt that has collected on the surface of the soil. This condition is called ______.
salinization
These drills push seed right through the stubble of the previous crop into the undisturbed soil.
seed drills
What are the five major factors determine how soils develop?
parent material, climate, vegetation, landscape (which affects the amount of water),and time.
These are the most diverse and numerous of all soil organisms.
Bacteria
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium often need to be added in _________
fertilizer.
Two factors lead to salinization:
too little vegetation and too much water (excess irrigation).
What are shelterbelts?
rows of trees along the edges of fields.
Warmth and moisture are required for soil organisms to break down plant and animal matter and change it to a rich, dark soil called _____. It holds nutrients and water for plants.
humus
Fungi include _____ and _______
moulds and mushrooms.
The ____l is like a buffet table that holds the water and nutrients that plants need.
soi
The problem of soil salinization can be solved by what?
replanting the areas so that plants use up the water that falls before it has a chance to seep away.
This is a technique for growing plants without soil
Hydroponics
What are the layers in a cross section of soil called?
horizons
these are a special type of bacteria that also play a vital role in decomposing organic matter and forming humus.
Microscopic actinomycetes
Many tree seedlings grown for _______ are given a type of fungus called mycorrhizae to help them get nutrients from the soils in which they will be planted.
reforestation
Ground water flows from higher elevations to lower elevations, carrying _____ along with it.
salts
This can also have an impact on soils. When trees are cut and removed from an area, wind and water can erode the soil.
Forestry
What s the upper horizon called?
topsoil
They produce casts that are richer in nutrients and bacteria than the soil they took in! Their tunnels help air and water move through the soil.
Earthworm
Healthy, growing plants require large amounts of these six nutrients:
nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K),
sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg).
This technique, called ______, protects the soil from wind and water erosion.
zero-tillage
What is rock wool
rock that has been heated and spun