Podsol and Tropical red latosol Flashcards
spatial distribution of Podsol
in Taiga 50 to 70 degrees north
4% Earth’s land mass
nearly 5,000,000km squared
climate conditions of and impact on Podsol
cold and dry with harsh winters (minus 40 degrees Celsius)
cool summers
depth of soil for Podsol
rarely more than 1M down to rock
profile of Podsol
increases in acidity as move down
leaf litter and thick black layer of acidic hummus
water logging if ice melts
clays and metal oxides at bottom on parent material
what vegetation grows on Podsol?
pine trees and mosses
little biodiversity
usefulness for agriculture in Podsol
not very useful
- logging
- caribou farming
lime and fertiliser needed for crops
potential issues with Podsol
waterlogging - thin soil
poor fertility
deforesting - house collapse
how do humans use Podsol?
hill sheep farming (waterlogged upland land UK)
Grouse farming employs 2,500 annually and is worth £150 million
spatial distribution of tropical red latosol
tropical monsoon areas
23 degrees north and south
between cancer tropic and Capricorn
climate conditions and influence on soil of tropical red latosol
wet and warm
between 20 and 30 degrees
254cm rainfall a year
depth of tropical red latosol
30M deep ancient soil
profile of tropical red latosol
serious vegetation
hummus soil layer
major leeching of nutrients with lots of microorganisms
aluminium builds up
bedrock
vegetation of tropical red latosol
lots
most diverse region
usefulness in agriculture of tropical red latosol
2 to 3 harvests then none as needs constant leaf litter - farming removes the nutrient source
need to replace nutrients slash and burn
palm oil and plantations hardwood
cattle ranching
cash cropping
potential issues of tropical red latosol
low nutrients after first harvest
leeching
salt pans
surface runoff - erosion prone
