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LPC 2020 S2 - EAE1012 - Earth Science 2 > EAE 09 Soils > Flashcards

EAE 09 Soils Flashcards

1
Q

What part of the soil is the A horizon?

A

Topsoil

EAE 11aa

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2
Q

What part of the soil is the B horizon?

A

Subsoil

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3
Q

What part of the soil is the R horizon?

A

Weathered or decomposed

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4
Q

What part of the soil is the O horizon?

A

Organic materials

EAE 11ad

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5
Q

What is the definition of soil?

A

The uppermost part of earth’s surface, that forms a natural median for growth of land based vegetation.

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6
Q

What is Loam textured soil?

4 points.

A

Soil that is ideal for plant growth and is:

  • 25% Air
  • 25% Water
  • Biomass/O.M. 5%
  • 455 minerals.

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7
Q

How much of vegetated land is considered degraded?

A

17% or 1 in 6 hectares.

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8
Q

What is Humus?

A

Dark organic matter whose original components can no longer be recognized.

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9
Q

What is the relationship between air and what in soil?

A

Water and air take up the same amounts of space in soil and are therefore higher proportions of one mean lower proportion of the other.

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10
Q

Is all water in soil available to plant why or why not?

A

No as some water is held in micropores unavailable to plants.

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11
Q

What are the main factors which influence weathering and erosion?

4 points.

A
  • Rock type
  • Topography
  • Rainfall
  • Wind exposure

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12
Q

How is surface area affected by the breakdown of a rock?

A

The more broken down it is the higher the surface area

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13
Q

What is the primary factor in determining soil formation?

A

Parent material.

Soil forms much slower from bedrock then it does from alluvium.

EAE 11am

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14
Q

What are the characteristics of alluvial deposits?

2 points.

A
  • Soils follow pattern of sediments.
  • Finer soils form further away.

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15
Q

Why are soils from igneous rocks fertile?

A

They form a clay rich soil.

EAE 11ao

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16
Q

What does temperature affect in soils?

3 points.

A
  • Water balance in the soil.
  • Rate of chemical reactions.
  • The soil biota present.

EAE 11ap

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17
Q

What does temperature and rainfall affect in soils?

6 points.

A
  • Soil depth
  • Particle size
  • PH
  • Organic matter content
  • Salt concentration
  • Concentration and type of minerals.

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18
Q

How does evapotranspiration relate to average rainfall?

A

It is the inverse of the rainfall.

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19
Q

What are the base cations?

A
  • Ca²⁺
  • Mg²⁺
  • K⁺
  • Na⁺

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20
Q

What are the characteristics of arid dry?

2 points.

A
  • High evapotranspiration.
  • High amounts of mineral leaching

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21
Q

What are the characteristics of temperate soil?

2 points.

A
  • Moderate leaching
  • Moderate evapotranspiration

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22
Q

What are the characteristics of a Monsoon soil?

2 points.

A
  • Very High soil leaching
  • Moderate evapertraperation

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23
Q

What does soil PH set?

A

The environment in which plants will grow. Ideal is a fairly neutral soil.

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24
Q

What is the PH of High rainfall environments?

A

Low PH(more acidic).

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25
Q

What is the PH of low rainfall environments?

A

High PH (more alkaline).

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26
Q

What are the key characteristics of arid and semi-arid environments?

3 points.

A
  • High soil PH
  • Presence of salts
  • Low organic matter

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27
Q

What are the key characteristics of alpine and subalpine environments?

3 points.

A
  • Low PH
  • Leached salts
  • High levels of organic matter

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28
Q

What are the key characteristics of tropical environments?

3 points.

A
  • Low PH
  • Salts leached
  • Low organic matter accumulation

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29
Q

What is relief?

4 points.

A

The configuration of the land’s surface. Including the

  • Slope
  • Aspect(compass direction)
  • Elevation
  • Landscape position

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30
Q

How does aspect affect soil in Australia?

A

North facing slopes are drier and therefore less weathered than the south facing slopes.

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31
Q

What is the definition of land use?

A

It is defined as the purpose to which the land cover is committed.

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32
Q

What is the definition of Land cover?

A

Land cover refers to the physical surface of the Earth and includes vegetation, soils exposed rocks, water bodies and built environments.

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33
Q

What is Land management practice?

A

It is defined as the approach taken to achieve a land use outcome.

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34
Q

What was the green revolution and how was it achieved?

5 points.

A

Green revolution was a technological response to food shortage after WWII achieved through:

  • Use of fertilizers
  • Irrigation
  • High yielding varieties
  • Double cropping(not waiting a season to replant).
  • Use of modern agricultural equipment.

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35
Q

What were the impacts of the green revolution on soil?

4 points.

A
  • Increased soil and water degradation
  • Increased use of water
  • Decreased genetic diversity
  • Increased use of pesticides and fungicides

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36
Q

What were the initial impacts on agriculture in Australia?

2 points.

A
  • Removal of vegetation and surface cover causes increased potential for erosion.
  • Introduction of hard-hooved animals compounded this effect.

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37
Q

What kinds of erosion can be caused by water?

3 points.

A
  • Sheet erosion
  • Kill erosion
  • Gully erosion

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38
Q

What is Sheet erosion?

A

Uniform removal of surface of soil by raindrop impact and run off.

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39
Q

What are Rills?

A

Channels greater than 30cm deep formed from sheet erosion.

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40
Q

What is Desertification?

A

Land degradation in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas.

Resulting from climatic variations and human activities.

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41
Q

What are the causes of Desertification?

4 points.

A
  • Overgrazing
  • Over cultivation
  • Deforestation
  • Poor irrigation practices.

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42
Q

What are some management and rehabilitation techniques?

6 points.

A
  • Establishing seed banks.
  • Maintaining vegetation cover.
  • Integrating land and water management
  • Re-introduction of selected species
  • Counter erosion through terracing
  • Addition of soil nutrients.

EAE 11bp

LPC 2020 S2 - EAE1012 - Earth Science 2 (18 decks)

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