Exam 1

Question 1

Definition of soil

Answer 1

Is a dynamic natural body composed of Air, Water, Organic Matter, Minerals

Question 2

Compositions of a normal soil

Answer 2

25% water
25% Air
5% Organic Materials
45% Minerals

Question 3

5 factors of soil formation

Answer 3

Climate
Parent material
Time
Topography 
Biota

Question 4

Primary succession

Answer 4

Lichens appear with mosses, break down rocks, small grasses start to appear, more organic material and larger root system grasses appear with shrubs and trees and forests appear

Question 5

4 ways soils can be moved

Answer 5

Ice
Gravity
Water
Wind

Question 6

Ice

Answer 6

Terminal Moraine

Question 7

Water

Answer 7

Alluvium

Marine

Question 8

Gravity

Answer 8

Colluvium

Question 9

Bedrock

Answer 9

Residual

Question 10

Wind

Answer 10

Eolian

Loess

Question 11

4 soil forming processes

Answer 11

Additions: Organic material build up (forests)
Losses: Loss of soil (erosion)
Translocation: Soil shifting/moving(weathering)
Transformation: Soil changes based on parent material (water evaporation)

Question 12

Know your horizons in order

Answer 12

O
A
E
B
C
R

Question 13

O characteristics

Answer 13

Which is a humus or organic layer

Question 14

A characteristics

Answer 14

• Which is considered to be the mineral organic layer.

* Which horizon is considered to be top soil.

Question 15

E characteristics

Answer 15

Which horizon is not always present and is made up of components and not susceptible to leaching

Question 16

B characteristics

Answer 16

• Which horizon is associated with an increase of clay content
• Which horizon (besides O and E) may not be present in an entisol

Question 17

C characteristics

Answer 17

Which is an I consolidated parent material

Question 18

R characteristics

Answer 18

Bedrock

Question 19

3 physical properties

Answer 19

Color
Texture
Structure

Question 20

Soil separates

Answer 20

Clay- Smooth
Silt- Fine
Sand- Gritty

Question 21

Clay characteristics

Answer 21

• High water holding capacity
• Good for building lagoons, ponds landfills
• Best for most septic systems

Question 22

Sand characteristics

Answer 22

• Low water holding capacity

* Good aeration

Question 23

Silt characteristics

Answer 23

• High susceptibility to wind erosion

* Low strength

Question 24

Soil filth qualities that affect it

Answer 24

Good water capacity
Good nutrient capacity
Good drainage

Question 25

Review conservation tillage terms

Answer 25

Fallow is letting soil go without tillage, preparing for crop growth for 1 seasons it is used to put nutrients back into the ground

Question 26

Macro-pores

Answer 26

Larger than .08mm

Question 27

Micropores

Answer 27

Smaller than .08 mm

Question 28

6 levels of soil taxonomic system

Answer 28

``` Order Suborder Group Great group Family Series ```

Question 29

Entisols

Answer 29

Little if any profile development, very young

Question 30

Inceptisols

Answer 30

Young profile development (B horizon) has began

Question 31

Mollisols

Answer 31

Dark prairie soils, high fertility

Question 32

Alfisols

Answer 32

High base, shallow soils, Mediterranean climates

Question 33

Ultisols

Answer 33

Forested, subtropical soils

Question 34

Vertisols

Answer 34

Dark swelling clay

Question 35

Aridisols

Answer 35

Dry soils, semi-arid climates

Question 36

Spodosols

Answer 36

Wet, acidic soil E horizon

Question 37

Histosols

Answer 37

Organic soils

Question 38

Andisols

Answer 38

Volcanic soils

Question 39

Oxisols

Answer 39

Highly weathered, oxidized soils, tropical rain forests

Question 40

Gelisols

Answer 40

Young soil characterized by a permafrost layer

Question 41

What is the maximum amount of sand a silt loam can have?

Answer 41

49%

Question 42

Which is the most important factor in soil formation

Answer 42

Climate

Question 43

Name 1 macro-fauna and 1 micro fauna important to soil development

Answer 43

Macro fauna- worms | Micro fauna- bacteria

Question 44

Give at least 3 characteristics of the previous soil series. Which soil order does it belong to? (Mollisols)

Answer 44

Great for agriculture More of a silt mixture loam Moderate pH level

Question 45

Give at least 3 characteristics of the previous soil series. Which soil order does it belong to? (Ultisols)

Answer 45

Low pH Holds heat More silt

Question 46

Which soil order is responsible for the productive wheat crop on the pacific NW

Answer 46

Andisols

Question 47

Which soil order is prone to CaCO3 and sodium accumulation due to excessive evaporation and dominates the SW portion of the US?

Answer 47

Aridisols

Question 48

Which soil order has bedrock closest to the surface, the majority of these are found in the Rocky Mountains

Answer 48

Entisols

Question 49

Which soil order is characterized by its bright red color

Answer 49

Oxisols

Question 50

Which soil order can be problematic for engineers because of its high shrink swell possibility

Answer 50

Vertisols

Question 51

Which soil order is considered to be the most productive and dominates the Great Plains area

Answer 51

Mollisols

Question 52

Which soil order develops under coniferous pine of central east Canada as well as northern Michigan and Wisconsin. It’s is characterized by a zone of eluviation

Answer 52

Andisols

Question 53

Which soil order is characterized by cryoturbation

Answer 53

Gelisols

Question 54

Why might profile development be delayed in Gelisols or Aridisols

Answer 54

The permanent layer of the low moisture content can hinder growth and development

Question 55

Why is soil important? Why is it important to understand soil characteristics?

Answer 55

Soil gave life to everything. We need to understand soil so we can grow crops in the right soil or build houses that will not be destroyed by swelling of soil

Question 56

The three major factors that have the greatest influence on the color of a soil are texture organic matter and water content

Answer 56

False

Question 57

We use the munsell soil book to help us determine textures

Answer 57

False

Question 58

Redoximorohic features are those associated with periods of flooding drainage

Answer 58

True

Question 59

Mottling is considered to be a redoximorophic feature

Answer 59

True

Question 60

A red soil means that it has clay texture

Answer 60

False

Question 61

A red soil means that the Fe has been reduced

Answer 61

False