Soil Erosion and Weathering Concepts Review

These flashcards cover key concepts related to soil erosion, pollution sources, weathering processes, and hydrology, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Point Source Pollution

Pollution that can be traced to a single, identifiable source.

Non-Point Source Pollution

Pollution that originates from multiple sources and cannot be traced to a single source.

Soil Quality in Tropical Rain Forests

High quality due to rich organic input.

Chemical Weathering

The process that alters the chemical composition of rocks, often resulting in the formation of rust.

Mass Wasting

The downward movement of soil and rock due to gravity.

Debris Flow

A fast-moving mass of loose mud, sand, soil, rock, and water.

Groundwater Contamination

Pollution of water sources due to infiltration of toxic chemicals.

Water Table

The upper surface of the zone of saturation, where the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water.

Permeability

The ability of a material to allow fluids to pass through it.

Leaching

The process by which nutrients are removed from the soil, typically by water.

Recurrence Interval

The average period of time between flood events of a similar size.

Gyre

A circular ocean current made up of large-scale water movements.

Salinity

The concentration of salts in water, particularly in oceans.

Wetlands

Areas where water covers the soil, either permanently or seasonally, and support a wide variety of plant and animal life.

Erosion

The process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth's surface by natural processes.