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Chapt. 11: Soil- The Foundation for Land Ecosystems - Coggle Diagram
Chapt. 11: Soil- The Foundation for Land Ecosystems
The Dust Bowl of 1930s “ The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself” (FDR 1937)
1931: Droughts start and begin the dust bowl in the great plains(Breadbasket of America); farmers were growing wheat and cotton for its high market value
1935: More than 75% of the country was impacted
Soils-
Gabino Lopez- Guatemalan Agriculturist
Five golden rules of the tropics (applicable everywhere)
Keep soil covered
Minimal or no-till (rips apart roots and nutrients and spreads them out and are eventually lost)
Mulch for nutrients and cover
Maximize biomass production
Maximizing biodiversity
Soils- unconsolidated cover of Earth, made up of mineral and organic components water and air; capable of supporting plant growth
Soil Functions
Medium for plant growth
Engineering medium
Organism habitat
Recycles nutrients and water
Water purification
Modifier of atmosphere
Pedosphere- the outermost layer of soil and involved in many geological processes
Soil Forming Factors:
Climate- most influential; determines intensity and types of weathering that occurs. Two main factors- Temperature and Precipitation
Biota- soil organisms- Flora (plants) & Fauna (animals)
Functions-
Help form soil organic matter
Cycle nutrients
Facilitate weathering of rocks/materials
Enhance infiltration
Parent material-Underlying geologic material by which the soil forms.
Organic- derived from plants
Geological- rocks/minerals
Types of rocks
Igneous- formed by the cooling of molten rock and magma/lava. Ex. Granite
Sedimentary- formed by wind and water and then are cemented together. Ex. Limestone
Metamorphic- When igneous and sedimentary go through transformations due to high temps. And pressures. Appears similar to igneous. Ex. Marble
Topography - Also known as relief- affects water movement and soil erosion
Time- Can take 100s and 1000s of years to form. Primary minerals weather to secondary and become physically smaller
ClORPT= Cl=climate, O=organisms, R=relief, P=parent material T=time