soils

Infiltration: water entering the soil

percolation: water movement through the soil

Drainage: movement out of soil

Flooding does not equal ponding. Flooding is instable. Ponding is not stable

Ponding: water perched ontop of soil

Epi Saturation: Water from above

endo saturation: water from within

Pedology: study of pedogenesis

Pedogenesis: Study of genesis + geomorphology, building and destroying

Soil skeleton: fine sand or bigger

soil plasma: clay, organic matter, silts, only things transported by water

Eluviation: destroying/leaving “net loss”

Illuviation: building “net gain”

Leaching: when a material is removed completely from the profile by eluviation.

mollisols: higher mineral IA prairie, deep A horizons, melanization

Histols: high in organic matter, peat bogs.

Humification: organic matter + humus

What causes the accumulation of organic matter in peat bogs? water sitting in a ponded environment. accumulation 100% organic matter in a wet and cold environment.

Melanization: development of Dark organic matter coatings on peds and minerals. That renders a horizon dark color.

Soil water: main agent transporting solids and ions in soil

aDsorbed water: water held by adhesive forces btwn water molecules and a particular surface

aBsorbed water: held by cohesive forces to absorbed water “ held” in small pores.

Capacity of water: Adsorbed +Absorbed, water held in soil

Gravimetric water content of soil: wg= Mass moist soils - mass oven dry soils/ mass of oven dry soils

Soil bulk density: pd=mass of oven dry soil / soil volume

Soil water potential: a combo of potential energies that govern water movement in soil

matric potential: attraction between soil particles and water in (bars) required to remove water from soil

gravitational potential: water movement downward due to gravity in saturated soils

Field capacity: water content when gravitational water movement stops

Permanent wilting point: 15 bars plants cannot extract beyond this point

hygroscopic water: water held tighter then 15 bars adsorbed only

Water potential is highly dependent on soil texture.

Silts hold the most plant available water.

mineralogy: study of soils inorganic materials “ naturally occuring”