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19 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is soil?
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The interface between the worlds of rock (lithosphere), air (atmosphere), water (hydrosphere), and living things ( biosphere)
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five key roles of soil in the ecosystem
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Supporting plant growth
Largely controlling the flow of water through the hydrologic cycle Recycling waste products of society and nature Providing habitat for an enormous diversity of organisms, and Functioning as construction material and support for building foundations |
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Soil properties vary in a _ dimensional pattern
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three
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Soil Horizons in there respected order
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O, A, E, B, C
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An ideal soil in good condition for plant growth would have a volume composition of:
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about 50% solid
45% mineral and 5% organic matter and 50% pore space half filled with air and half with water |
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Mineral soil particles are grouped by size...
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coarse fragments (>2 mm),
sand (2-.05 mm), silt (.05-.002 mm) and clay (<0.002). |
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Clay consists of both
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primary and secondary minerals
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Humus is the portion of soil...
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that is well decomposed, colloidal, and relatively resistant to further microbial attack.
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Soil organic matter generally accounts for how much of the soil's dry weight?
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1 - 6%
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soil organic matter influences which of the properties of the soil?
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plant-available water
porosity chemical properties microbiological properties |
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Water in the soil is different from the water encountered in everyday life, for two reasons:
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the liquid properties of soil water are modified by the attraction between water molecules and soil particles
water in the soil is never pure, but always has a tremendous variety of substances dissolved in it. |
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How many elements are considered to be essential to plant growth?
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18
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How many of the 18 elements considered essential to plant growth are carried by the soil?
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15
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What is the difference between soil air, and atmospheric air?
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Soil air is a few times more Co2 concentrated than atmospheric air
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Water that infiltrates soil ultimately flows:
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laterally to a surface body of water (e.g. stream, lake, etc), or
downward into the shallow then deep groundwater |
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Greater infiltration of water into the soil means less runoff, which also means
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less risk of flooding
less surface movement of environmental pollutants |
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About how many homes in NC (in a percentage) rely on septic systems to treat waste?
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about 50%
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Not considering physical and mineralogical properties of soils during construction can result in
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serious structural failure
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Soil quality is a measure of the ability of a soil to carry out its intended functions, which are:
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plant growth,
water supply, and nutrient recycling. |
