Soils KT#3

dominant soil order in southern alberta

chernozem

dominant soil order in mixed deciduous-coniferous forest

brunisols

dominant soil order in canadian shield

brunisols, some podzols in moist forests

dystric vs eutric brunisols

dystric = low base saturation (acidic), eutric = high base saturation

where is the cordillean region

alberta-BC border

chernozemic great groups and luvisol transition

brown → dark brown → black → dark gray → gray luvisol (with increasing moisture)

solonetz profile

Ah/Bn/Csak

solodized solonetz profile

Ah/Ae/AB/Bnt/Csak

solod profile

Ah/Ahe/AB/Bnt/Csak

regosol profile

A(h)/(Bm)/C

what is a gleysol and where are they found

soils with gleying, wetlands or hummocky surfaces (e.g. knob and kettle)

parkland soil orders

luvisols, brunisols

gray luvisol profile

LFH/Ae/Bt/Cca/Ck

dystric brunisol profile

LFH/Ae/Bm/BC/C (acidic pH)

eutric brunisol profile

LFH/Ae/Bm/BC/C (neutral pH)

wetland soil orders

organic soils (fibrisol, mesisol, humisol), cryosols

organic mesisol profile

Of/Om/Cg

organic crysol profile

Of/Om/(Of)/(Om)/Ofz

what is the canada land inventory classification system

classifies agricultural capabilities of canada’s soils

CLI 1-4

capable of long term field crops

what restrictions are there on CLI 3-4

• restricted crop selection

• specific management strategies

uses of CLI 5-6

• forage production

• livestock grazing

main determinant of CLI and secondary factors

water holding capacity (predominantly texture)

• also salinity and erosion of A horizon

vertisol CLI

1-2

chernozem CLI

2, sometimes 1

solonetz CLI

5-6 because of salinity

gray luvisol CLI forest capabilities

4-5

brunisol CLI forest capabilities

6

wetland soils ecosystem services

• protect waterfowl

• sequester carbon

effect of draining wetlands on carbon

releases CO2

effect of tillage on soil

• erodes A horizon

• can incorporate B/C into Ap → less fertile

two examples of soil removal

• trenching for pipelines

• removal of surface oil sands to mine bitumen

what is an anthroposol

proposed soil order characterized by D horizon (disturbed horizon)

what is CLI class 0

organic soils

CLI subclass C

adverse climate

CLI subclass D

undesirable structure or low permeability

CLI subclass E

erosion

CLI subclass F

low fert (fertility—im just using slang)

CLI subclass I

inundation

CLI subclass M

moisture limitations

CLI subclass N

high salinity

CLI subclass P

stoniness

CLI subclass R

consolidated bedrock

CLI subclass S

combination of subclasses

CLI subclass T

topography

CLI subclass W

excess water

CLI subclass X

combined effect of two subclasses

soil macronutrients

nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium

• secondary macros: calcium, magnesium

soil micronutrients

boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc

what fertilizer application placement method

broadcast (not incorporated)

what fertilizer application placement method

broadcast (incorporated)

what fertilizer application placement method

banding

what fertilizer application placement method

side band

what fertilizer application placement method

seed-placed

what percent of canadian prairies have been lost to cultivation, urbanization, and industrial use

80%

pattern of all the soil trends in canada

sask best, southern alberta rly good, northwest alberta good. manitoba bad, middle alberta bad

what percent of canadas farmland is alberta

33%

what percent of canadas irrigated farmland is alberta

70%

things alberta is doing in agriculture

• decreasing summer fallow

• implementing rotational grazing

• reducd tillage

things saskatchewan is doing in agriculture

• sequester 80% of their ag emissions

• diverse crop rotations

• most low-till of any province

• invest money into ag reseach and soil health

• building relationships with indigenous in ag

agroforesty methods

• windbreaks/shelterbelts

• riparian tree buffers

• alley cropping

• silvopasture

• woodlots

economic benefits of agroforestry

• increased crop yields

• lower energy costs

• lower snow removal costs

• production of specialty ag products

  • honey, syrup, berries

• production of specialty wood products

  • biomass, firewood, timber, on-farm wood use

environmental benefits of agroforestry

• clean air/water

• carbon sequestration

• soil health

• biodiversity (wildlife habitat, fish, pollinators)

barriers to agroforestry

• lack of crop insurance for trees

• lack of carbon market for ag

• lack of govt funding for agroforestry

• lack of policy framework for agroforestry