MEMORY STRATEGIESWHAT IS SOIL MADE FROM?SOIL-A WORM lives in soil. A=air W=water O=organic matter R=rock M=matter

HOW IS SOIL MADE?W weatheringO organic decompositionR roto tilling by burrowing animalsM material that is organic decays to make dark hummus

HO THE RISING LAYERS OF SOIL PROFILE YOUR GOOD SIDE FOR A PICTUREA HO THE RISING LAYERS FROM HORIZON A HUMMUSHORIZON B LEACHED MATERIAL VERY LITTLE HUMMUSHORIZON C THE WEATHERED PARENT ROCK NO HUMMUS

A’s are always on top and who wouldn’t be humming with A’s (humming = hummus)B’s might need to leach a bit in life but still hum a little, too C’s are on the bottom and may have to live with parents who rock a bit longer so no humming

Characteristics of soil

Texture determined by amounts in composition

sand Silt clay

pH Acidic lower pH Basic pH higher pH Neutral pH = 7

Pore space Sand has larger pore size between particles

Silt has less pore space than sand but more the clay

Clay has the least pore space

color Determined by minerals

Fertility of soil (ability to grow plants)

Climate, topography, amount of humus, minerals, and nutrients.

WHAT IS SOIL MADE FROM?SOIL-A WORM lives in soil. A=air W=water O=organic matter R=rock M=matter

Fertility of soil (ability to grow plants)

Climate, topography, amount of humus, minerals, and nutrients.

W weatheringO organic decompositionR roto tilling by burrowing animalsM material that is organic decays to make dark hummus

C

B

A

Ahttp://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/KFW_2nd_Grade_Links_Soil.html

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/mauisoil/a_profile.aspx

A WORM

Type of RockWeathering Rate

Temperature/water & soil formation rate

Topography (slope & erosion) and soil formation rate

Biotic level and soil formation rate

Metamorphicslowest

Coldest dryestslowest

Steep slopeFastest erosionslowest

Little life of 5 kingdoms slowest

Igneous Warm wetmedium

Medium slope medium erosion

Some life of 5 kingdoms Medium

Sedimentaryfastest

Hot and wettestFastest

Flat areaSlowest erosionfastest

Many and differing life formsfastest

FlatWarmWetterBiotic organisms plentiful

SlopedColderDryerBiotic organisms insufficient

A’s are on top and hummingB’s leach a bit C’s stay with rocking parents C

horizon location biotics otherA Top (top

soil)All forms including decomposers

Most eroded, most developed,

B Middle All formsHas some humus

Rain turns it Reddish from leached minerals of A horizon seeping down to B horizon

C bottom No humus Larger parts of Parent rock just beneath C level

coarse

Sticky when wet

smooth

Tropical soil

DesertSoil

Temperate Soil

Artic

Warm and wet so a lot of erosion and leeching

Hot Dry so low biotics and little erosion

Moderate temp and rainfall so moderate erosion

Cold dry low biotics and little erosion

Thin humus

Little organic

Rich humus Poorly developed A,B,C

Fast soil Slow soil

Moderat soil good for growing

A lot of rocks

Humus layer Horizon AConnected pore spaces, Very fertile

Smooth sticky Clay, gray means a lot of rain