Questions and Answers
What is the main characteristic of Entisols?
What type of layer do Inceptisols have?
Umbric layer
Andisols are characterized by their parent material being lava.
True
Which of the following is a characteristic of Gelisols?
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Where are Histosols primarily located?
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Which soil type is found in arid desert areas?
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Vertisols are characterized by having low clay content.
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What term describes the organic buildup found in Mollisols?
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Spodosols are typically formed in which type of forests?
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Ultisols have high native fertility.
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What is a key feature of Oxisols?
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Study Notes
Entisols
- Least weathered soil type with minimal horizon development.
- Formed from the youngest parent materials like landslide deposits or freshly disturbed forest areas.
- Characterized by the absence of distinct B horizon; typically features only an A horizon.
- Not specific to any biome, making it one of the most common soil types.
Inceptisols
- Mid-level weathered soils with slight horizon development.
- Possess a dark organic layer called an umbric layer but contain minimal organic material.
- Distributed widely across various landscapes.
Andisols
- Most weathered soil among low weathering types, primarily formed from volcanic lava.
- Commonly located around the Pacific Rim, notable in regions like Hawaii and Japan.
- Exhibits unique properties, including high water-holding capacity and the ability to make phosphorus unavailable to plants.
Gelisols
- Less weathered soils characterized by the presence of permafrost.
- Formed from organic matter and contain no distinct B horizon.
- Rich in organic matter yet hold minimal minerals; found in high-latitude polar regions.
Histosols
- Soil type rich in organic material, typically found in wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and marshes.
- Features a thick O horizon that exceeds 40 cm and comprises at least 20-30% organic matter by weight.
- Contains no bedrock beneath the surface.
Aridisols
- Intermediate weathering soil type found in arid and desert regions.
- Characterized by low carbon content and indistinguishable horizons due to slow soil development.
- Limited vegetative cover results from minimal rainfall, hindering chemical weathering.
Vertisols
- Intermediate weathering soil type associated with high base status and high activity clays.
- Typically found in wetter areas; exhibits significant shrinkage and cracking during dry seasons.
- High clay content distinguishes this soil type, contrasting with aridisols.
Alfisols
- More advanced weathering soil, often referred to as "catch-all" soil, prevalent in semi-arid to humid ecosystems.
- Moderately leached with high native fertility; generally mildly acidic and features clay accumulation.
- Primarily found in temperate humid and subhumid regions, contributing to productive agriculture.
Mollisols
- Advanced weathering soils associated with grassland ecosystems.
- Distinguished by a thick, dark surface horizon rich in organic matter, often found in prairie regions like the Great Plains in the U.S.
- Highly productive agricultural soils, integral to farming practices, even after abandoning agriculture.
Spodosols
- Most weathered and highly leached soil type, typically found in cool, wet climates with sandy textures.
- Extremely acidic and primarily located in coniferous forests.
- Characterized by a light-colored E horizon above a reddish-brown spodic horizon formed in coarse-textured parent material.
Ultisols
- Most weathered soil type known for strong leaching and acidity.
- Often found in humid temperate and tropical regions, typically located on older, stable landscapes.
- Reddish hue due to iron content; characterized by a highly weathered B horizon with relatively low native fertility.
Oxisols
- Highly weathered soils found in intertropical regions, marked by a distinguished red color.
- Composed of minerals rich in iron and aluminum oxides, resulting in extremely low native fertility.
- Characterized by very low nutrient reserves and high phosphorus retention, which limits agricultural usefulness.
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Description
Explore the fundamental concepts of soil classification with these flashcards. Learn about different soil orders such as entisols and incepticols, along with their characteristics and formation processes. Perfect for students and enthusiasts of soil science.
