Soils Part 1

Soils Part 1

Open Ended

Why is soil so important?

Multiple Choice

What is the biggest component of soil?

• Living organisms

• Mineral matter

• Air

• Water

Multiple Choice

Water is important for plant growth because it contains ___________ which plants take up through their roots.

• Potassium

• dead animals

• nitrogen

• Dissolved minerals

Open Ended

Another component of the soil allows animals to survive underground, what is this component?

Components of the Soil

• Mineral matter - 45%

• Water - 25%

• Air - 25%

• Humus and living organisms - 5%

Humus

• Previously we learned that plants and animals decay to form humus.

• Living organisms such as worms then burrow into the soil and mix the humus into the soil

Multiple Choice

Why is humus a good thing to have in soil?

• Makes the soil dry

• Makes the soil soggy

• Makes the soil fertile

• Makes the soil turn pink

Open Ended

What living creatures break down dead plants into humus?

The Benefits of Humus

• Makes the soil fertile by adding nutrients to the soil

• Helps to bind the soil together

• Now for a trickier question....

Open Ended

In what global climate would you expect to find little to no humus in the soil? (Be specific don't just say hot, cold or temperate climates)

Factors that Affect Soil Formation

Climate

Living Organisms

Parent Material

Vegetation

Time

Landscape

Climate

• Temperature and rainfall influence the rate at which parent rock is broken down by weathering.

Multiple Choice

What type of weathering are rocks in places of hot climates most likely to experience?

• Chemical weathering

• Freeze thaw action

Living Organisms Play a Huge Roll in Soil Formation and Fertility

• Micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi break down plant and animal remains forming humus

• Larger organisms such as worms then mix this humus into the soil which makes the soil more fertile

Parent Material

Parent Material (Parent Rock)

• The type of parent rock influences how fast soil is formed and how fertile it will be

  
  

• Granite is slow to break down by weathering whereas sandstone will breakdown quickly to form soil

Multiple Choice

Which of the following parent rocks form the most fertile soil?

• Limestone

• Sandstone

• Granite

Multiple Choice

Which type of trees' leaves turn brown in Autumn and fall?

• Coniferous trees

• Deciduous trees

Open Ended

Why do areas with deciduous trees have more fertile soil than areas with coniferous trees?

Multiple Choice

Soil is more fertile in _____________ areas.

• Upland

• Lowland

Upland vs. Lowland Soil

• Upland: colder, wetter, less plants and animals --> less humus

• Lowland: Deeper, well-drained, lots of plants and animals ---> lots of humus

Time

The longer a rock is exposed to weathering, the more it is broken down

Multiple Choice

It may take up to ________ years for 1 cm of soil to form.

• 4

• 40

• 400

• 4,000