Soils: 3_Alberta Soils and Land Use Flashcards
(31 cards)
What is the Ah horizon?
A surface mineral horizon enriched with organic matter.
What characterizes the Ae horizon?
A mineral horizon characterized by the removal (eluvation) of clay, iron, or aluminum.
What is the Bm horizon?
A mineral horizon characterized by some alteration and reddening, often associated with Brunisolic soils.
What is the Bt horizon?
A mineral horizon characterized by the accumulation of clay (illuviation).
What does the Bn horizon indicate?
A mineral horizon high in sodium.
What is the Bnt horizon?
A mineral horizon enriched in both sodium and clay, often with well-developed columnar structure, characteristic of Solonetzic soils.
What is the C horizon?
The unconsolidated material underlying the solum (A and B horizons), from which the soil formed.
What characterizes the Cca horizon?
A C horizon with accumulated secondary calcium carbonate.
What is the Ck horizon?
A C horizon with primary (inherited) calcium carbonate.
What does the Csa horizon contain?
A C horizon with accumulated soluble salts and calcium carbonate.
What is the D horizon?
A diagnostic horizon suggested for Anthroposols, indicating highly disturbed or reconstructed soil material.
What is the LFH layer?
A layer of organic material on the surface of mineral soil, composed of litter (L), fermented organic matter (F), and humified organic matter (H).
What is permafrost?
Permanently frozen soil.
What is Available Water Capacity?
The amount of water a soil can hold that is available for plant uptake.
What is soil texture?
The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay in a soil.
What does soil structure refer to?
The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates.
What is soil salinity?
The concentration of soluble salts in the soil.
What is organic matter?
Decomposed plant and animal residues in the soil.
What is tillage erosion?
The movement of soil downslope due to repeated ploughing or other tillage operations.
What is no-till?
An agricultural practice where crops are planted directly into residues of the previous crop without ploughing.
What is conservation tillage?
Tillage practices that leave a significant amount of crop residue on the soil surface to reduce erosion.
What is reclamation?
The process of restoring a disturbed area to a condition that can support activities similar to those before disturbance.
What is remediation?
The process of cleaning up contaminated soil or groundwater to meet specific standards.
What is carbon sequestration?
The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, often in soils and biomass.
