made of rocks and mineral particles (parent material)
What is mineral soil
100
living or once living parts of soil
What is organic soil
100
When earthworms add their wastes to the soil, then die and decay in the soil, they are contributing to the formation of
humus
100
break down and digest the remains of dead organisms
Decomposers are the soil organisms that
200
mainly mineral matter or small pieces of rock, broken down over thousands of years (bedrock)
What is parent material
200
is mostly dead plant and animal remains which makes the soil rich and fertile. Found just below the organic litter & forms from it rotting.
What is humus
200
layers of soil
What is soil horizons
200
Soil that is rich in humus has high
fertility
200
Soil is a valuable resource because it
is important to all living things on land.
300
soil mixtures made of a good mixture of sand, silt, and clay ;most commonly found in Ohio farmland
What is loam
300
Is it easier for water to flow through clay?
No, clay is made of very fine particles, so it has less pore space and not very permeable
300
potential living spaces file with air, water or living organisms
What is pore space
300
Soil formation begins with the weathering of
bedrock
300
What can cause the loss of soil that is not protected by plant cover
erosion by water or wind
400
3 ways to identify soil
texture, composition/structure and color
400
litter from plants for example: twigs, leaves, branches
What is organic litter
400
Bacteria, fungi, and earthworms (living things) that break down the dead remains of plants and animals
What is decomposers
400
How long does it take 1 in. of topsoil to form?
500 years
400
Planting a monoculture, not rotating the crop and overplowing removed the grass from the Great Plains and exposed the soil. What effect did this have when a drought struck the Great Plains during the 1930s?
It helped to cause the Dust Bowl
500
What are the 4 components of loam soil? Name the % for each.
25% air
25% water
45% mineral matter
5% organic matter
500
nonrenewable resources
A natural resource that is not replaced in a useful time frame. ex/ soil, coal
500
They break down and digest the remains of dead organism to make soil and humus
How do living organisms help soil formation?
500
The process of breaking down dead plants, animals and organic materials into humus
What is decomposition
500
What term describes the management of soil to prevent its destruction?