Unit 1

-erosion

-pollution

-over-cultivating (compaction)

-global warming

-salinization

-urban sprawl

-final product of specific pedogenic processes active at a specific site over time

-unconsolidated mixture of mineral and inorganic material

-more or less loose

sand, silt, clay

-dead plants and animals

-SOM, OM, Humus

-found near earth surface

-interacts with atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere

1. Water

2. Air

3. Nutrients

4. Physical Support

5. Heat

-Carbonate ion

-Calcium Carbonate

-Magnesium Carbonate

-includes calcium, magnesium carbonates or lime

-most common carbonate material is Calcium carbonate

-presence verified by usage of 10% HCl

-vertical section formed by distinct layers known as horizons

-consists of a, b, and a thin slice of c for horizons

-consists of a and b horizons

-fragmented bedrock or superficial deposit

-relatively thick in western Canada (1m to 30m thick)

-rocks and sediments in which soils are formed

-two types, residual and transported

-horizontal and parallel to soil surface

-properties differ from layers above and beneath

-Each soil type has a unique horizon sequence

-differentiated by OM content, Carbonate minerals, pH, soluble salts, fertility, roots

A, B, C

-found near soil surface

-often maximum accumulation of OM

-site of material removal (elluviation)

-development of soil structure

-color change

-deposition of material occurs here (illuviation)

-negligible change from PM

-usually no structure development

-uppermost soil zone

-enriched with OM/humus (active zone)

-most fertile soil zone

-lower part of active soil profile

-mostly b plus upper part of c horizon

-less active than topsoil, plant roots are still able to access water and some nutrients

-important for internal drainage and water percolation

h, p, m, k, t, e

-enriched with OM/ humus

-horizon that has been disturbed by mans activities such as logging, habitation, and cultivation

-change in color, or structure, or both compared to c horizon

-presence of carbonate minerals

-fizz when treated with 10% HCl

-alkaline pH

1. Destructive processes

   ex. rock weathering, organic residues, decomposition

2. Synthetic (constructive) processes

   ex. formation of clay and humus

-additions to (inputs)

ex. energy, water, plants and animals, deposition, weathering

-removals from (losses)

ex. energy, evaporation, erosion, leaching

-vertical transfers

-transformations

-removal of ions in solution (nutrients, salts dissolved in water) (washed out) below root zone

-addition of material to soil body

-addition of OM

-removal via downward transport of tiny soil particles

-signifies eluviation, which is removal of soil particles

-deposition of tiny soil particles removed from upper horizon

-acid reaction that remove carbonates from one or more horizons

-deposition of carbonate transported down from an upper horizon

-accumulation of soluble salts

-bedrock weathers in place, loose weathered products become a soil in spot

-more common PM

-major influence of glaciers

-glaciers melting transported loos mineral material

1. Glacial till (or morainal(

2. Glacio-fluvial

3. Glacio-lacustrine

4. Eolian

5. Colluvial

-deposited by glacial ice

-contains limestone, carbonate minerals, marine shale, and other sedimentary rocks

-variable mix of sand, silt, and clay

-most common transported PM in Prairies

-angular rocks present

-slightly to extremely rocky

-majority are loamy textured

-wave-like topography

-often hummocky> nonlinear tops and depressions

-rolling> linear top and depressions

-undulating> gentle slops

-deposited by moving melt-water within drainage channels

-___ gravel-deposited by rapid moving water and formed by sand, grave land, and other coarse fragments (outwash)

-___ sand- deposited by slower moving water formed by sand ranges from coarse sand to very fine sand

-high in sand content (sandy/coarse texture group)

-silt high with some clay content

-poor moisture retention therefore susceptible to drought and wind erosion

-good drainage and aeration

-high leaching potential

-topography- lower slops, winding

-deposited by stagnant melt-water collected in drainage basins (glacial lakes)

-high in clay with lots of silt (clay/fine textured)

-very few to no coarse fragments

-high in clay content

-few to no stones

-often level/ flat topography

-hold high amounts of water

-most productive soils for annual crops

-susceptible to compaction

-poor drainage/aeration

-after glaciers melted wind deposits were utilized

-deposited by wind (highly sorted)

-dominated by sand size particles (most commonly) or silt particles (known as loess)

-form active or inactive dunes

-Silt, very fine sand, fine sand, and medium sand

-little to no clay present

-no coarse fragments therefore highly susceptible to wind erosion

-lower productivity and fragile ecosystem

-Deposited by gravity (unsorted PM)

-found in coulee bottoms, bases of hills, and in mountainous areas

-may bury existing soils

-material deposited before gravity induced movement

-”young” stage of soil development

-may be associated with buried soil horizons (Ahb)

-Not stable, and not widely distributed

1. texture

2. pH

3. Fertility

4. Salinity

5. Topography (landform)

-Coarse-grained PM> produces sandy soils

-Fine-grained PM> produces clayey soils

-characteristics affect porosity, water retention, drainage, leaching, compaction, erosion, fertility

ability of soil to store water against gravity

-Alkaline is most prominent because of amounts of naturally present finely ground limestone (free-lime)

-Free-lime present in the form of Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and lesser amounts in Magnesium carbonate (MgCO3)

-due to high amounts of free-lime, Ca and Mg fertilizers are hardly ever needed

-K maintenance is often kept due to amount taken in by the soil.

-PM affects all plant essential nutrients EXCEPT for Nitrogen

-PM high in salt content (ex. marine shale) is a direct source this characteristic

-not all PM have soluble salts, but where they occur this can develop

-different PM causes change in landform

-affects runoff and drainage/aeration

-steepness of slope influences potential for water erosion

-MOST influential factor

-controls chemical, physical, and biological processes

-determines kind and amount of vegetation

2 major components are:

1. temperature

2. moisture

-increase causes the rate of soil formation to increase

-soils in warmer climates usually develop deeper profiles

-semi-arid conditions result in a slower rate of soil formation

-dry soil profiles not as deep as in humid regions

-affects kind and amount of vegetative cover (SOM accumulation)

-precipitation slightly increases, temp. decreases, SOM of Ah horizon increases from brown to black soil zones

-SOM accumulation in the grassland

-Soil structure porosity

-pH> ex. forested soils are generally more acidic

-fertility> grassland are more fertile

-nutrient cycling> grassland or forested

-elevation> vertical distance

-slope> angle which any part of the earths surface make with a horizontal surface

-aspect> direction of the slope surface relative to the points of the compass (S, N, W, or E)

-differential erosion and moisture content because of differences in elevation slope

-modify the effects of macroclimate of a site specific basis, creating a microclimate

-shoulder slopes have thinner profiles

-lower slopes have thicker profiles as it receives soil material from upper slopes

-affects temperature and rate of evapotranspiration which regulates moisture content and affects soil development

-groundwater travels and it can potentially transport Na+ and/or soluble salts

-degree of weathering

-presence of carbonates can indicate young soil

-increasingly modified to suit mankind needs

-regular addition of manure over time in western europe has produced a thick a horizon

-sea draining