Midterm Flashcards
1
Q
T\F
Soil is a complex ecosystem
A
T
2
Q
Soil is the interface of what 5 spheres?
A
- Hydrosphere
- Atmosphere
- Lithosphere
- Chemosphere
- Biosphere
3
Q
How do we call the study of interaction among organisms and their environment as an integrated system?
A
Ecology
4
Q
What are the boundaries of the soil scale?
A
Micro-scale to Landscape-scale
5
Q
Name 6 things that soil interactions create or affect ecosystems functions.
A
- support ECOSYSTEMS
- select for SPECIFIC LAND-USE
- influence FRESH-WATER health
- support ENDEMIC plant species
- impact DIVERSITY and tree distribution
- benefit HUMAN health
6
Q
Give a simple definition of soil.
A
Soil: weathering parent material that is capable of supporting life
7
Q
Name 6 functions of the soil
‘‘The uncosolidate material at the Earth’s surface consisting of minerals (sand, silt and clay) and organic matter and that serves as a
A
- Habitat for organisms (bio)
- Medium for plant growth (bio)
- Recycler of nutrients (chemo)
- Reservoir for water (hydro)
- Modulators of Earth’s atmosphere (atmo)
- Building material (litho)
8
Q
Give the component and proportions of soil.
A
Air (25%)
Water (25%)
Mineral particles (45%, sand silt and clay)
Organic matter (5%: organisms, roots and humus(80%)
9
Q
T\F
Soil is 50% pores, 50% minerals
A
T
10
Q
What is a loam?
A
A relatively equal mix of sand, silt and clay
11
Q
Why is pore space important in the soil?
A
Pore space in necessary to retain moisture and oxygen in the soil and for root growth.
12
Q
Is saturated soil good or bad?
A
Bad. Flooding (100% saturation) leads to loss of air-filled pores (anoxia).
13
Q
What is humus made from?
A
Plants and animal decay.
14
Q
Where does soil come from?
A
Soil-forming factors CLORPT(h) Climate Organisms Relief Parent material Time H other process=human land-ise
15
Q
What are the 10 identifiable types of soil in Canada?
A
- Brunisolic
- Chernozemic
- Cryosolic
- Greysolic
- Luvisolic
- Organic
- Podzolic
- Regosolic
- Solonetzic
- Vertisolic
16
Q
T\F
Soils are an infinite resource
A
F
It takes too long to form
(1000 years to form 1 cm)
17
Q
What is the rate of soil formation?
A
1 cm each 1000 years
18
Q
Name 4 things that cause soil degradation
A
- Deforestation
- Industrialization
- Erosion
- Agriculture
19
Q
How do we call the layer of unconsolidated materials overlaying in the hard, un-weathered, bedrock?
A
Regolith
20
Q
T\F
Soil is forming from upper limit to lower limit
A
F
Soil is forming from the parent material, which is the lower limit
21
Q
Name 3\8 things that we can infer looking at soil formation
A
- Topography
- Waterflow
- Water storage
- Mineral deposits
- Erosion\sedimentation
- Vegetation
- Habitats
- Risk
22
Q
Name the 4 major geological events in Quebec
A
- Greenville Province
- St-Lawrence platform
- Monteregian Hills
- Glaciation
23
Q
How was the Greenville Province formed?
A
By tectonic activity
24
Q
Give an example of a mount formed by Greenville Province event?
A
Mont Tremblant
25
If the bedrock of a hill is formed of metamorphic rocks (sediments and volcanic, like granite, gneiss and schist), it was more likely to be formed by which one of the 4 Majors geological event in QC?
1. Greenville province: tectonic activity -> metamorphic rocks (sediment + volcanic, as granite, gneiss and schist).
26
What the name of the ocean that formed the St Lawrence Platform?
Lapetus
27
Explain in 3 steps how the St Lawrence platform was formed.
1. Lapetus: Rift formed in the mountains of the Greenville province that slowly widened into an ocean
2. Marine sediments: Earth's crust subsided gradually, and marine sediments accumulated along the continental shelf
3. St Lawrence Platform: Over the years, it resulted in limestone beds
28
What is defined by '' material left behind from geological events''?
Deposition
29
Define ''parent material''
Unconsolidated material or organic material from which true soil develops
30
Name mounts that are part of the Monteregian Hills. By what phenomenon were they formed?
Mont Royal, Mont St Hilaire, Mont Rigaud and Rougemont were formed by igneous intrusions and slow cooling of magma.
31
T\F
| Igneous intrusions are less resistant to erosion
F
| Igneous intrusions are more resistant to erosion
32
Name a rock formed by ingenous intrusions? Is it resistant?
Granite, very resistant.
33
Which is more likely to be eroded; limestone or granite?
Limestone, found in St Lawrence platform. Granite, like in Mont Rigaud, is very resistant.
34
T\F
| There was one glacier period.
F
| There was 3-4 glacier periods
35
What impact the glaciers event did to the the relief of QC?
They levelled the Grenvillan and Monteregian relief.
36
What did glacial deposits following retreat left behind?
Glacial till
37
The richest farmlands in the St. Lawrence River valley are a legacy of what kind of sediments?
Glacial till, left by the glacial retreat.
38
Name the important steps in the glaciation event.
1. Glacial till: deglaciation let deposits following retreat
2. Retreat leaded to lake formation (after the Champlain Sea)
3. Isostatic rebound: formation of lakes and lowlands
39
T\F
| Glacier melt into the Champlain Sea
F
| After the glaciers left, the land which was depressed allowed the Atlantic Ocean to move in forming the Champlain Sea.
40
T\F
| Lapetus ocean was forming after the Glaciers event retreat
F
| Champlain Sea was formed.
41
What refers to the effect that occurs when massive thickness of ice sheet loads the earth’s crust to such an extent that it causes the crust to sink?
Isotatic rebound
42
Name a region resulting from the isostatic rebound
Hudson bay
43
Named the 3 resulting soils from the Glaciers and Champlain Sea
1. Glacial Till
2. Marine sediments
3. Alluvial sand deposits
44
Stony, little organic matter, poorly drained and good for pasture is characteristic of what soil resulting form the Glaciers and Champlain Sea?
Glacial till
45
What formed sand deposits after the Glaciers and Champlain Sea?
By the waves of the Champlain Sea
46
What soil is ideal for fruit tree, root vegetables and certain pine species?
Sand deposits
47
Clay belt is the result of what kind of deposits?
Marine deposits
48
How was clay deposits from the marine beds carried away?
By running river water
49
T\F geological events have an incidence on organisms that will arise
T
50
What does it mean to say that ''soil are more important than the sum of their parts''?
Soils are complex ecosystems that adapt and affect everything around them. They are finite resources that interact with the outside environment. Soils are vital parts of global ecosystem cycles.
51
Name 4 ecosystem service that soils provide.
1. Supporting services
2. Regulating services
3. Provisioning services
4. Cultural services
52
What are the 4 soil forming process? Give an example.
1. Gains: marine deposits
2. Losses: erosion of Mont Royal
3. Translocations : landslides
4. Transformations: glaciations
53
What are the 4 functions of soil organisms?
1. Nutrient recyclers
2. Regulate dynamics of soil matter and greenhouse gas emissions
3. Modifies soils physical structure and water regimes
4. Enhance nutrient deficiency
54
Discuss peatlands and their effect on the carbon cycle explain why peatlands are so important to carbon storage (see soils and climate ch.ange)
Peatlands are being drained which cause an increase of carbon emissions in the atmosphere (peatlands store carbon)
55
What effect will changes in temperature and rainfall have on stored organic matter ? Do you think higher temperature and rainfall will increase or decrease stored organic matter?
Changes in temperature will increase rainfall, which decreases organic matter and releases more carbon.
56
What is the connection between agriculture, population, food security, and soil health?
The health of soil influences all aspects of life including socio-economic issues. Healthy soil impacts healthy crops and vegetation which feed the population.
57
Who do you think should be responsible for reducing and/or reversing soil degradation (consider that some of this land is privately held)?
We think there should be an international coalition of political and scientific powers that gather to discuss and educate the public in an accessible manner.
58
What does Ah mean?
Accumulation of organic matter -> black
59
What does Ae mean?
Eluviation of organic matter, iron or clays -> pale
60
What does Cg mean?
Gleying
61
What does Cs mean?
Salts
62
What do L F H of the O horizon mean?
L: organic matter discernable (leaves)
F: partially decomposed
H: indiscernible structure, mixed with grains (humus)
63
What soil is caracterized by a well developed A and B horizons and be found in confinerous forests?
Podzsol
64
What soil is characterized by a clay rich B horizon and can be found in Northern prairies and central BC, mostly on sedimentary rocks?
Luvisol
65
What soil is immature and found in boreal forest ?
Brunisol
66
From which soil do Brunisol arises?
Regosol
67
Which soil have for keep features
1. Young
2. High nutrients
3. Physical weathering
Brunisol
68
What is the drainage of a Brunisol? It is reducing or oxidizing conditions?
Moderate to imperfect drainage, oxidizing conditions.
69
What are the horizons of Brunisols?
Ah, Ae, small Bm (slightly altered B = modified), and C without alterations.
70
From what kind of parent Brunisol and Podzol arise? Why is Podzol more developed?
A sandy parent, igneous rocks. More precipitations, waves.
71
Where can you find Podzols?
On the old sand beaches (far west and east), under confierous beaches.
72
What is the drainage of Podzols? What color?
Well to imperfectly drained soils, red color.
73
What are the diagnostic features of Luvisols? Where can you find them?
1. Textural contrast between A and B (Aeluviated clay, Btranslocated deposition of clay)
2. low ph (parent material Ca + Mg)
3. Good for agriculture
All over Canada, under coniferous and boreal forests (clay belt)
74
What kind of soils has features like :
1. Low pH
2. Formed from marine deposits
3. Poor drainage (clay)
4. High organic surfaces
Gleysols
75
Name 3 characteristics of gleysols.
1. Water saturated (poor drainage of clay)
2. Wet conditions of vegetation
3. B and C show gleying (mottling)
76
Define colors of mottling
```
Red = oxidized iron (add electrons), aerated
Blue = reduced iron , saturated with water
```
77
Which soil is describes with a high level of organic matter and A horizon at least 10 cm thick and can be found in the southern Prairies?
Chernozem
78
Which soil is having a clay-rich B horizon, commonly with a salty C and found in the southern?
Solonetzic
79
What soil is:
1. very dark
2. very fertile (high organic matter)
3. Salty
4. Calcium in B and C
Chernozem
80
What soil is dominated by organic matter and where can it be found?
Organic order in wetlands areas (espicially around the Hudson Bay).
81
What soil is poorly developed (mostly C horizon), and can be found in permafrost of northern Canada?
Cryosol
82
What soil occupy north, is characterized of long and cold winter and have a low productivity&
Cryosol
83
What the process were frost action cause pattern in the ground?
Cryoturbation
84
What kind of soil can be to blame for landlslides?
Cryosol (freeze-thaw)
85
What soils found in tropic a from orange color, high in clay, high in iron oxides and very weathered?
Utisol and Oxisol
86
What soil is
1. Water saturated
2. Reducing conditions (Fe2+)
3. Can have a part of perfmafrost
4. Minim 50 cm of peat
5. Low decomposition rates
Organic soils
87
What are the Of, Om and Oh horizons of the Organic soil?
Of: Fibric materials
Om: intermediate decomposition (physical and chemical)
Oh: Advanced stage of decomposition , high bulk density, stable(humus)
88
What is the main feature of Regosol, were can it be found?
Young (no B), poorly developed . Everywhere, but rare.
89
Which soil is high in clay (swelling clays) and can be found in grasslands?
Vertisols
90
Which soil is found in Western Canada and arid regions with high salt content?
Solentz
91
Is regosol oxidizing or reducing?
Oxidizing
92
What are the horizons of regosols?
LFH, A and C. NO B
93
What soil have cracks and montmorillonite clay? Where can it be found?
Vertisols, arid regions (south, western)
94
What can happen if cryosols warm?
1. Landslides
| 2. Accelerating GES emissions.
