Taxonomy
The three primary soil temperature regimes (STR).
What are frigid, mesic and thermic?
This horizon is the uppermost layer and does not have mineral components.
What is the O horizon?
This type of material was deposited by rivers/streams.
What is alluvial parent material?
The term for the type of relationship particle size has with surface area.
What is inverse?
This soil property will greatly impact the ability of roots to penetrate through the soil.
What is bulk density?
These are the properties a family name will denote.
What are texture, mineralogy, CEC and temperature?
Young soils may only have these 2 soil horizons.
What are A and C horizons?
The breakdown of ClORPT!
What is Climate, Organisms (vegetation), Relief (topography), Parent material, and Time?
This particle size is a dominant force for the properties displayed by soil.
What are clay particles?
Another term for an aggregate.
What is a ped?
This taxonomic ranking mainly uses moisture and temperature regimes as criteria for differentiating.
What is a suborder?
This horizon is lighter in color than others.
What is the E horizon (eluviated)?
Why is it lighter?
This type of rock has been the most important in soil formation.
What is sedimentary?
This type of soil exhibits all of the properties of each particle size class.
What is a loam?
This is the most important influence on aggregate stability in temperate zones.
What is organic matter?
(Bonus: what is most important influence in tropical zones?)
These 3 orders have developed in particularly unique environments.
What are Aridisols, Gelisols and Oxisols?
These are the 4 major processes for altering chemical/physical properties of parent material, forming horizons.
What are additions, transformations, translocations and losses?
The type of rock that will produce more parent material quicker put of sandstone versus limestone?
What is sandstone?
This size fraction has the greatest specific surface area.
What is a colloid?
This type of pore is present in clayey soils, but not sandy soils.
What is a micropore?
This SMR has long periods of drought in the summer.
What is Xeric?
This type of B horizon is what would likely form in very sandy parent material.
What is a Bhs horizon?
Soils with organic parent material are in this Order and form mostly in this type of location.
What are Histosols? What are bogs/wetlands?
Our laboratory method for determining soil texture used this instrument.
What is a hydrometer?
This process indicates very wet and anaerobic conditions in the soil for prolonged periods, showing colors of grey, blue or greenish-grey.
What is gleying?