All Flashcards
Consequences of soil erosion?
Loss of fertility, sediment pollution, reduced water quality.
Cause and effect of over-farming and drought?
Massive soil erosion, dust storms (Dust Bowl).
Effect of deforestation on soil?
Increased soil erosion due to lack of root structure.
Effect of overgrazing on soil?
Compacts soil, reduces vegetation cover, increases erosion.
How does soil erosion affect soil fertility?
It removes the nutrient-rich topsoil layer, reducing the soil's ability to support plant growth.
How does soil erosion affect water quality?
It leads to sediment pollution, clouding the water and harming aquatic life, while also reducing the soil's ability to filter pollutants.
What were the environmental consequences of the Dust Bowl?
Massive dust storms, loss of topsoil, agricultural devastation, and displacement of people.
What are the steps of soil formation?
Parent material, weathering, deposition, biological activity.
Describe the process of eluviation.
Water carries nutrients from the E horizon to lower layers.
Define Parent Material.
Underlying rock that breaks down to form soil.
Define Weathering.
Breakdown of parent material into smaller pieces (physical/chemical).
Define Soil Horizon.
A distinct layer within a soil profile.
Define Humus.
Surface litter, decaying organic matter in the O horizon.
Define Topsoil.
Mixture of organic matter and minerals; the A horizon.
Define Eluviation.
Process of leaching nutrients from the E horizon.
Define Subsoil.
Zone of accumulation; the B horizon.
Define Soil Erosion.
Removal of topsoil by wind or water.
Define Sediment Pollution.
Pollution caused by eroded soil entering waterways.
Define Soil Degradation.
Loss of soil quality due to nutrient depletion or pollution.