Soil key terms

Question 1

Fungus

Answer 1

Organisms such as mould or mushrooms that are important in breaking down organic matter.

Question 2

Horizon

Answer 2

A specific layer of soil or subsoil in a vertical cross-section of land

Question 3

Humus

Answer 3

Fertile part of the soil formed when plants and animals decay.

Question 4

Landscape

Answer 4

The visible features of an area of countryside or land

Question 5

Mineral matter

Answer 5

Rock particles (eg. stones, sand, silt) found in soil

Question 6

Natural resource

Answer 6

Resource that is provided by nature

Question 7

Nitrogen

Answer 7

A colourless, odourless unreactive gas that is the main component of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Question 8

Bacteria

Answer 8

A very large group of micro-organisms

Question 9

organism

Answer 9

an individual animal, plant or single-celled life form

Question 10

oxygen

Answer 10

a colourless, odourless reactive fas that is the life-supporting component of the air

Question 11

parent material

Answer 11

the underlying geological material (eg, bedrock) on which soil horizons form

Question 12

particle

Answer 12

a minute portion of something

Question 13

silt

Answer 13

fine sand, clay or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment

Question 14

soil profile

Answer 14

a vertical cross-section of soil from the ground surface to the parent rock

Question 15

vegetation

Answer 15

plant life found in a particular area or habitat