JEG100H1 Chapter 17: Soils
2 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Output plant ecosystems that sustain animals and humans, improve air and water quality. Higher temperature and moisture encourage chemical reactions and water movement. Downward leaching, decomposition, more acid, evaporation of salt deposits, desert has low organic material. Edaphology: study of soil as medium of sustaining growth. Soil profile: vertical section from surface to deepest extent of plant roots; point where regolith/bedrock encountered. Soil horizon: distinct horizontal layers, parallel to surface. Plant, animal litter at surface transformed to humus (mixture of decomposed/synthesized organic materials, dark in color) Illuviation: material leached from one layer accumulates in another. All particles less than 2mm in diameter are soil. Loam: balance of sand, silt, clay that is beneficial to plant growth. Size, shape of aggregate of particles in soil. Shape of peds influence pore space for water storage. Soil porosity: part of volume of soil filled with air, gases, or water. Pore size, continuity, shape, orientation, location (in ped/between ped)
