Composition of Soil (Leaving Cert Geography): Flashcards
📚Flashcards
Practise the cards
13 cards from this deck
ShowHide
Practise the cards
13 cards from this deck
What is soil?
What is soil?
Thin layer of natural material from weathered rock + decomposing organic matter
Time to form 1 cm of soil
Time to form 1 cm of soil
Up to 400 years
Four components of soil
Four components of soil
Mineral matter, air, water, organic matter
% of mineral matter in soil
% of mineral matter in soil
45%
% of organic matter in soil
% of organic matter in soil
5%
% of air in soil
% of air in soil
25%
% of water in soil
% of water in soil
25%
Parent material definition
Parent material definition
Original rock from which soil develops
What is plant litter?
What is plant litter?
Dead plant material (leaves, twigs, stems) on ground
What is humus?
What is humus?
Dark substance from decomposed plant litter, rich in nutrients
Location of air & water in soil
Location of air & water in soil
In pores (spaces) between mineral particles
Main function of water in soil
Main function of water in soil
Dissolves & transports nutrients to plant roots
Water storage capacity per acre
Water storage capacity per acre
Up to 9,000 tonnes