4.2 - Soil Formation and Erosion

0.0(0)
Studied by 0 people
call kaiCall Kai
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
GameKnowt Play
Card Sorting

1/6

encourage image

There's no tags or description

Looks like no tags are added yet.

Last updated 1:15 AM on 9/18/26
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced
Call with Kai
Chat

No analytics yet

Send a link to your students to track their progress

7 Terms

1
New cards

Soil Formation

Soil is formed when parent material is weathered, transported and deposited

  • Parent material - original rocks that were broken down to form the basis of the soil

  • Weathering - mechanical breakdown of rock


2
New cards

Factors in Soil Formation

Type of parent material - rocks are broken down by wind and rain; soil tends to retain basic chemistry of these rock

  • Climate - average temperature and moisture change rate of weathering and leaching(nutrients in water), wind redistribution as well

  • Topography - slope of the land may affect erosion

  • Biological factors - plants, animals, microorganisms

  • Time - soil formation is continuous, there’s no end


3
New cards

Soil profile (soil horizons)

Overtime, soil layers build up and from common layers

  • These are known as soil horizons, or soil profile

  1. Organic matter

  2. Surface horizon (rock and humus (organic material)

  3. Subsoil

  4. Substrata (most parent material)

  5. Bedrock


4
New cards

Soil Erosion

  • Overtime, soil erodes due to several factors

    • Water

    • Wind

    • Gravity

    • Human factors

      • Leads to water contamination


5
New cards

Human Factors - Agriculture and Soil Erosion

  • First problem: Deforestation - The lack of roots holding down soil

    • They are often replaced with plants that worsen erosion, ex. soybean and wheat

  • Second problem: Overgrazing - Pastureland can lead to cattle overeating and the top layer of soil can erode with wind and rain

  • Third problem: Pesticides and fertilizers - These can change chemistry of soil and kill microorganisms in the soil

  • Fourth problem: Tillage practices: Turning and breaking up soil keeps top layer from accumulating organic material and roots


6
New cards

Erosion of Soil into Water

  • Sheet Erosion - surface layer is removed by water

    • Solution: Maintain plant cover

  • Rill Erosion - small channels of water flow

    • Solution: Strip cropping or contour plowing

  • Gully Erosion - Wider cuts from expanded rill erosion

    • Solution: Divert water away from rills and gullies


7
New cards

Erosion’s Effect on Watersheds

USDA Study on Watersheds

  • Study on thousands of watersheds

  • Public and private lands

  • Farm fields all over US

  • Sheet and Rill Erosion