lesson 13

Question 1

id: a complex mixture of weathered mineral materials from rocks, partially
decomposed organic molecules and a host of living organisms

Answer 1

soil

Question 2

ToF: soil can be considered an ecosystem itself

Answer 2

true

Question 3

how long does it take for a few centimetres of fertile top soil?

Answer 3

about two hundred to a thousand years

Question 4

enum: (4)
stages of soil formation

Answer 4

1) Bedrock begins to disintegrate

2) The rock breaks down into parent material, which in turn breaks into smaller mineral particles

3) organisms add organic material to facilitate the disintegration process - layers called horizons form

4) The soil will eventually reach a point where it can support a thick cover of vegetation and cycle its resources effectively

Question 5

enum: (5) factors involved in soil formation

Answer 5

1) parent material
2) climate
3) topography
4) biological
5) time

Question 6

enum: (6) important roles of soil

Answer 6

• Serving as a foundation
• Emitting and absorbing gases
• Providing habitat
• Interacting with water
• Recycling nutrients
• Supporting human settlements

Question 7

enum: (5) characters of soil

Answer 7

soil profile
soil texture
soil color
soil consistency
acidity

Question 8

id: a vertical cross-section of layers of soil found in a given area

Answer 8

soil profile

Question 9

id: layers in a soil profile

Answer 9

horizon

Question 10

id: (horizon)
topmost layer; made up of organic materials and other newly
decomposing surface litter; usually present in areas with many trees and plants

Answer 10

O horizon

Question 11

id: (horizon)
also known as top soil. Since it receives the nutrients from
decaying litter of O horizon, it is usually made up of humus which makes it fertile.
With the help of plant roots water is absorbed by humus thus preventing flood

Answer 11

A horizon

Question 12

id: (horizon)
materials from A and O horizons accumulate here. Thus it is rich in clay, organic matter and other mineral components. It is lighter in
color with reddish brown shades

Answer 12

B horizon (subsoil layer)

Question 13

id: (horizon)
usually made up of massive bedrock of the original parent material and it does not undergo much change

Answer 13

C horizon

Question 14

id: (horizon)
at depths of 48+ feet, deepest soil horizon in the soil profile, no rocks or boulders, only a continuous mass of bedrock, colors are those of the original rock of the area

Answer 14

R horizon (bedrock)

Question 15

id: pertains to how much sand, clay or silt is present in the soil

Answer 15

soil texture

Question 16

id: (soil)
particles measure up to 2 mm

Answer 16

sand

Question 17

id: (soil)
particles are smaller than .002 mm

Answer 17

clay

Question 18

id: (soil)
particles measure between 0.05 to 0.002 mm

Answer 18

silt

Question 19

id: a component of soil that makes it fertile

Answer 19

humus

Question 20

id: the kind of elements and minerals which are present in the soil gives
its characteristic _________. Light colored are usually deplete of organic material, reddish brown is rich in iron and with more white colouring usually contains calcium carbonate

Answer 20

soil color

Question 21

Light colored soil are usually (deplete, rich) of organic material, reddish brown is (deplete, rich) in iron and with more white colouring usually contains _______________-

Answer 21

deplete; rich; calcium carbonate

Question 22

id: the ease or difficulty of breaking the soil apart

Answer 22

soil consistency

Question 23

id: affected by the chemical nature of parent rock material, the kind of water it absorbs and the natural and man – made processes which happen in the soil as well as on it

Answer 23

soil acidity

Question 24

how did Prof. Ernesto Serote who was an author of Property, Patrimony and Territory, Foundations of Land Use in Philippines define land

Answer 24

a natural resource, an economic good, a property and a territory

Question 25

id: (soil - Prof. Serote) has ecological functions [habitat for species, medium for growing plants and trees, source of minerals and nutrients

Answer 25

natural resource

Question 26

id: (soil - Prof. Serote) a product that could be sold

Answer 26

economic good

Question 27

id: (soil - Prof. Serote) deals with ownership which is also related to land being an economic good

Answer 27

property

Question 28

id: (soil - Prof. Serote) power which the government has over its country, power of ownership extends to all the areas within the boundary of the country; includes land and bodies of water air space as well as the soil, water and other components below the surface. It is more than a property of the country because as a __________ it also includes the people with in it.

Answer 28

territory

Question 29

id: temporary or permanent decline in the productive capacity of the land and the diminution of the productive potential, including its major land uses [e.g. rain fed, arable, irrigation, forests], its farming systems [small holder subsistence] and its value as an economic resource

Answer 29

land degradation

Question 30

enum: (6) Anthropogenic Causes of Land Degradation

Answer 30

1) Shifting cultivation or kaingin system - clearing large areas of the forest by burning to plant their crops, without replanting the used land with forest trees once the soil losses its fertility 2) Timber harvesting or logging - cutting forest trees mainly for timber 3) Construction projects - Construction of roads, dams, reservoirs, irrigation and drainage projects 4) Mining - dig out and loosen rocks in the mountains exposing them to further erosion 5) Overgrazing and burning of grassland - conversion of natural ecosystems to pasture land 6) Use of agro chemicals - use of Pesticides and other chemicals on crop plants

Question 31

id: the result when there is concentration of salt ions builds up in the soil.

Answer 31

salinization

Question 32

To remove the excess salts from surface and allow these to be absorbed into the soil, farmers usually (decrease, increase) the amount of water for irrigation.

Answer 32

increase

Question 33

enum: (5) Effects of Land Degradation

Answer 33

1) Pollution and clogging of waterways - eroded soil with chemical fertilizers and pesticides are discharged into waterways and streams 2) Increased flooding - removal of soil composition plays a role in water retention and absorption 3) Loss of arable land - land wont be ploughable 4) Drought and aridity - highly influenced and amplified by soil degradation 5) Soil quality reduction - soil quality decline

Question 34

enum: (7) Conservation techniques in land cultivation

Answer 34

1) strip farming: 2) crop rotation: 3) ridge and furrow soil formation: 4) construction of dams 5) contour farming: 6) Leaving the previous year’s crop residue on the surface to shield the soil from erosion. 7) Avoiding poor tillage methods such as deep plowing.

Question 35

id: techniques and mechanisms targeted at making very minimal changes to the soil’s natural condition and at the same time improving the soil’s productivity

Answer 35

conservation tillage