Soil and Environmental Impact

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to soil properties, erosion, conservation, sustainable farming, mining impacts, and urbanization.

Soil

A mixture of weathered rocks (minerals), air, water, and organic matter.

Soil Formation

A long-term process occurring through the weathering of rock and the decomposition of organic matter.

Soil Profile

A cross-section of soil consisting of different layers called horizons.

Horizon O (Humus)

The uppermost layer consisting of organic material such as decaying leaves, twigs, and animal remains.

Horizon A (Topsoil)

Loose soil rich in organic material and nitrogen; it contains most soil life and is essential for plant growth.

Horizon B (Subsoil)

A layer rich in minerals like aluminum and iron that have leached from above; it also contains some humus and clay.

Horizon C (Parent Material)

The layer primarily made of weathered rock; the soil horizons above develop from this layer, and it determines soil’s pH.

Horizon R (Bedrock)

A solid mass of unweathered rock (such as granite or limestone) located beneath all other soil layers.

Soil Texture Types

The three main sizes of soil particles are sand, silt, and clay.

Soil Erosion

The process where soil is blown or washed away, which happens easily when soil is exposed and lacks plant roots.

Plowing

A traditional farming practice that turns the soil and disturbs the ecosystem, making it more susceptible to erosion.

Monoculture

The practice of growing the same crop repeatedly in the same soil, depleting nutrients faster.

Overgrazing

Occurs when livestock eat grass and roots down to the ground, exposing bare soil to erosion.

Deforestation

The removal of forests that leads to habitat loss and increased erosion.

Logging

The removal of trees for timber, contributing to erosion and increasing flooding.

Soil Conservation Act (1935)

Federal law signed to protect soil from erosion, control floods, and safeguard public health.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

The modern name of the Soil Conservation Service, renamed in 1994.

The Dust Bowl

A period of severe soil erosion in the 1930s prompting the creation of national soil conservation laws.

Strip Cropping

Planting strips of groundcover between fields to soak up rain and slow runoff.

Terracing

Building steplike surfaces on slopes to prevent water from rushing downhill.

No-till Planting

Planting seeds without plowing; dead plants from previous seasons remain to hold the soil.

Windbreaks

Rows of trees planted to slow down wind and reduce erosion.

Contour Farming

Planting crops in curving rows following the natural shape of hills to slow runoff.

Cover Crops

Plants grown year-round to cover the soil and hold it in place during off-seasons.

Crop Rotation

Alternating different crops each season to improve soil fertility and interrupt pest cycles.

Rotational Grazing

Moving livestock between different pastures to prevent overgrazing.

Mining

The process of extracting valuable minerals or materials from the Earth.

Surface Mining

Includes open-pit and strip mining; causes large-scale land disturbance.

Underground Mining

Involves digging tunnels to reach deep deposits; causes less surface damage but is more dangerous.

Overburden

The soil and rock that must be removed to access a mineral deposit.

Tailings

Leftover materials after minerals are extracted; often toxic and stored in ponds.

Acid Mine Drainage

Pollution created when sulfide minerals react with air and water to produce sulfuric acid.

Land Reclamation

The process of restoring land after mining ends.

SMCRA (1977)

The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act requiring restoration of mined land.

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)

Required studies to evaluate potential impacts on soil, water, and air quality.

Urbanization Benefit

Primarily provides increased access to jobs and services.

Urban Heat Island Effect

A phenomenon where cities experience higher temperatures due to human activity.

Which president signed the soil conservation act and when

Roosevelt in 1935

what gov. agency was created for the soil conservation act

Soil Conservation Service