Exam 1

soils deliver ecosystem services enabling life on earth

plant production, matter cycling, habitat for biological activity (biodiversity), filter and buffer for water, carbon sequestration

1) erosion 2) organic carbon loss 3) nutrient imbalances 4) acidification 5) contamination 6) waterlogging 7) compaction 8) soil sealing 9) salinization 10) loss of biodiversity

1) mixture of solids, liquids, and gases 2) various colors (iron gives soil a red color) 3) formed from parent materials 4) soil has structure 5) soil has horizons

25% air, 25% water, 45% minerals, 5% organic matter

1) medium for plant growth 2) natural body 3) regulator of water supplies 4) recycler of raw materials 5) habitat for soil organisms 6) an engineering medium

Native Americans used earth colors as body paints; cosmetics

physical, chemical, and biological

caused by tillage or compaction from heavy equipment

overapplication or misuse of fertilizers and pesticides

overgrazing that leads to compaction, less perennial root systems, and introduction of invasive species

39% (which is the highest)

1) the use of soil cover 2) improve landscape biodiversity 3) the use of living roots in agricultural practices

closely related to soil health

the continued capacity of a soil to function as a vital, living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans

1) maximize living roots 2) reduced tillage 3) maximize soil covers / cover crops 4) maximize biodiversity

nutrient cycling

1) medium for plant growth 2) regulator of water supplies 3) recycler of raw materials 4) habitat for soil organisms 5) engineering medium

1) the movement of water, minerals, and organic materials filter and detoxify precipitation 2) soil can clean sewage 3) microorganisms can consume wastewater in drained fields

soil provides a habitat for the greatest diversity of microorganism species than any other environment on the earth

ceramics and drilling fluid that is used by the oil industry

every type of soil has unique properties and can be traced back to its origin

granular, blocky, prismatic, and platy

whether a soil has high or low OM, is wet or dry, has aerobic (oxidized) or anaerobic (reduced) condition, and has a high or low iron content