Soil Vocabulary
What are the different layers/levels of soil called?
Horizons
Which horizon is worst for planting crops?
Horizon C or Bedrock
What geological process is moving sand in a dust storm?
Erosion
Organic Matter or humus
Why is soil such an important resource?
Everything that lives on land depends on soil
Soil _________________depends on the size of the particles in the soil.
Texture
Farmers grow crops in places with hills. They plant the next crop directly on top of the previous crop's residue. This helps prevent erosion. What is this method of farming called?
Conservation Plowing
What force causes the most erosion of soil?
Moving Water
What is horizon B mostly made of?
Clay
What type of soil is made up of 30% sand, 30% clay, 30% silt, and 10% humus? This is the best type of soil for growing plants.
Loam
Name one use of soil
Farming, Construction, Development, Mining, Gardening
People who live in areas with mountains farm and build their farms on levels. This helps reduce erosion. What is this method called?
Terrace Farming
What force causes the least amount of erosion at one time?
Wind
What is horizon C mostly made of?
Weathered Rocks
Rich topsoil takes so long to form that it is important to protect it. List one of the following problems that poor soil protection that can lead to.
Starvation, Erosion, Desertification, Unusable Land
What is the decaying organic matter found in soil called?
Humus
Which horizon is best for planting crops?
Horizon A
What is the process that forms a delta?
Deposition
What level is below Horizon C in a soil profile?
Bedrock
What is not a component of soil?
Living Animals
What is the term used to describe the space between soil particles?
Porosity
Why do farmers plant trees on the edge of their fields?
The trees block the wind, helping to control erosion
What are the two types of weathering?
Mechanical and Chemical
List all the horizons from top of the soil profile to the bottom.
A,B,C, Bedrock
What would a soil sample look like that has high permeability?
Lots of spaces between soil particles.