U3L3 Soil Contains Decomposed Plants

Soil is made up of decomposed plants, decomposed animals and weathered rocks.

• True

• False

What is HUMUS made from?

• Chick-Peas
• The remains of decayed plants and animals
• Beans
• Cheese

Which of the following processes will most likely contribute to the development of soil?

• Volcanic eruptions that make new land

• Building up of snow in very cold areas

• Migration of animals to warmer climates

• Breaking down of rock by wind, water, and ice

What properties are soils classified by?

• amount of sand
• color, texture, and grain size
• color alone
• grain or particle size alone

Soil is an important part of an ecosystem. Plants use the nutrients in soil to grow, and animals eat the plants that use the soil. Sometimes soil becomes stripped of its nutrients because plants use all the nutrients to grow. What is ONE way nutrients are replaced in soil? Write in complete sentences.

Answer explanation

Nutrients are replaced in soil when an organism dies and decays. The minterals and nutrients that are in the body of the organism are returned to the soil as the organism decomposesnd breaks down. For example, this animal that is decaying had once eaten plants and took nutrients from them. Now that it is decomposing, it is giving nutrients back to the soil.