ESS Topic 5

Leaching

The removal of dissolved nutrients from soil by water movement.

Decomposition

The breakdown of organic matter by decomposers.

Weathering

The breakdown of rock into smaller particles.

Nutrient cycling

The movement and reuse of nutrients within ecosystems.

Salinization

The buildup of salts in soil reducing fertility.

Bedrock

The solid rock layer beneath soil.

Water holding capacity

The ability of soil to retain water.

Food production

The process of growing or raising food.

Herbivores

Organisms that feed on plants.

Nitrates

Nitrogen compounds essential for plant growth.

Mixed crops

Growing more than one crop species together.

Pastoral

A farming system based on raising livestock.

Arable

Land suitable for growing crops.

Crop rotation

Changing crops grown in a field over time.

Organic fertilizer

Natural substances used to enrich soil.

Food distribution

The process of transporting food to consumers.

Synthetic fertilizers

Man-made fertilizers rich in nutrients.

Cash crop

Crops grown for sale rather than subsistence.

Trophic level

A feeding position in a food chain.

Vegetarian

A diet excluding meat.

Land rights

Legal ownership or access to land.

Land grabbing

Large-scale acquisition of land often displacing communities.

Shifting cultivation

A farming system where land is cleared

Antibiotics

Medicines used to treat bacterial infections in livestock.

Organic

Farming without synthetic chemicals.

Extensive farming

Low-input farming over large areas.

Seed crop

Crops grown to produce seeds.

Intensive agriculture

High-input farming aimed at maximizing yield.

Food waste

Edible food that is discarded.

Green revolution

Introduction of high-yield crops and modern farming techniques.

Slash and burn

Clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation.

Subsistence farming

Farming to meet the needs of the farmer’s family.

Agribusiness

Large-scale commercial farming operations.

Pollinator

An organism that transfers pollen between plants.

Livestock

Farm animals raised for food or products.

Malnourishment

Lack of proper nutrition.

Arable farming

Crop-based farming.

Monoculture

Growing a single crop species.

Soil erosion

The removal of topsoil by wind or water.

Pastoral farming

Livestock-based farming.

Nomadic

A lifestyle involving movement with livestock.

Compost

Decomposed organic matter used as fertilizer.

Green manure

Plants grown and plowed into soil to improve fertility.

Terracing

Creating stepped land to reduce erosion.

Cover crop

Crops grown to protect and enrich soil.

Organic carbon

Carbon stored in living or once-living matter.

Inorganic carbon

Carbon stored in minerals or gases.

Methane (CH₄)

A potent greenhouse gas produced by anaerobic processes.

Loam

Soil with balanced sand

Carbon storage

The accumulation of carbon in soils or vegetation.

Permeability

The ability of soil to allow water to pass through.

Permafrost

Permanently frozen soil.

Wetlands

Water-saturated ecosystems with high biodiversity.

Percolation

Downward movement of water through soil.

Erosion

The wearing away of soil or rock.

Porosity

The amount of space between soil particles.

Soil profile

A vertical section showing soil layers.

Soil system

An interacting set of soil components.

Organic matter

Decomposed plant and animal material in soil.

Mineral components

Inorganic particles in soil.

Soil texture

The proportion of sand

Infiltration

The movement of water into soil.

Soil horizon

A distinct soil layer.

Lithosphere

Earth’s outer rocky layer.

Parent material

The original rock from which soil forms.

Volcanic soils

Soils formed from volcanic ash.

Calcareous soils

Soils rich in calcium carbonate.

Topsoil

The nutrient-rich upper soil layer.

Humus

Dark organic material formed from decomposition.

Biota

Living organisms within soil.