Earth Science 2

Electric Boogaloo

Pedosphere

It is made of four other spheres and is the foundation of terrestrial life on this planet.

Geosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere

It is the four components that make up the pedosphere

pedon

“soil” in Greek

sfaira

“sphere” in Greek

Soil Texture

relative proportion of the particle sizes in the soil.

Clay

Smallest soil particle

Sand

Largest soil particle

Loam

ideal soil for agriculture

Organic Matter, Water, Air, and Minerals

The four components of soil

5%, 25%, 25%, and 45%

The makeup percentage of soil

Residual Soils

Soils formed on site through the weathering of the underlying rock are called:

Parent material, climate, topography, biological factors, and time

What are the five factors that affect soil formation?

Topography

What is the factor that affects soil formation in steep slopes

Soil Profile

The sequence of soil horizons from the surface down to the underlying bedrock.

A (Surface Horizon)

composed of mineral matter mixed with some dark organic humus.

B (Subsoil)

is the accumulated clay and other nutrients from the layers above it.

C (Substratum)

Composed of partially altered parent material

O (Organic Horizon)

Composed of loose or partly decayed organic matter.

E Horizon

characterized by a significant loss of minerals (eluviation) and leaching

R (Hard Bedrock)

The bottom most layer in the soil profile

Regolith

A layer of loose, heterogeneous, and superficial material covering the bedrock is collectively called:

Gelisol

Frozen soils found in the coldest regions of Earth

Histosol

High organic content and wet

Spodosol

Sandy and acidic soils found in moist climates that often support dense forests

Andisol

Composed of volcanic ash

Oxisol

Very weathered and common in tropical climates

Vertisol

Claylike soils that shrink and swell

Aridisol

Very dry soils in arid regions

Ultisol

Weathered soils

Mollisol

Deep and fertile soils

Alfisol

Moderately weathered productive soils found in temperate and humid regions

Inceptisol

Slightly developed, young soils found on steep slopes and mountain ranges

Entisol

Newly-formed soils found in steep rocky lands

Nine soil orders being alfisol, andisol, entisol, histosol, inceptosol, mollisol, oxisol, ultisol, vertisol

The soil orders recognized by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management.