Soil Science Terms PDF

1\. Absorption: The process by which soil particles attract and hold water, nutrients, and other substances.\ 2. Acidification: The process of increasing the acidity of soil.\ 3. Aerobic: A condition where oxygen is present.\ 4. Aggregate: A cluster of soil particles held together by organic matter,...

1\. Absorption: The process by which soil particles attract and hold water, nutrients, and other substances.\ 2. Acidification: The process of increasing the acidity of soil.\ 3. Aerobic: A condition where oxygen is present.\ 4. Aggregate: A cluster of soil particles held together by organic matter, clay, and other binding agents.\ 5. A horizon: The topsoil layer, characterized by a high concentration of organic matter.\ 6. Alkalinity: The opposite of acidity, indicating a high pH.\ 7. Alluvial soil: Soil formed from sediment deposited by rivers.\ 8. Anaerobic: A condition where oxygen is absent.\ 9. Anion: A negatively charged ion.\ 10. Available nutrients: Nutrients that are readily available for plant uptake.\ 11. Base saturation: The percentage of soil cation exchange capacity occupied by basic cations.\ 12. Bedrock: The solid rock layer beneath the soil.\ 13. Bioavailability: The degree to which a nutrient is available for plant uptake.\ 14. Bioturbation: The mixing of soil by living organisms.\ 15. Bulk density: The mass of dry soil per unit volume.\ 16. C horizon: The parent material layer, often consisting of weathered bedrock.\ 17. Cation: A positively charged ion.\ 18. Cation exchange capacity (CEC): The ability of soil to hold and exchange cations.\ 19. Clay: Soil particles smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter.\ 20. Colloid: A particle that is so small that it can remain suspended in a liquid.\ 21. Degradation: The process of soil deterioration, leading to reduced fertility and productivity.\ 22. Denitrification: The conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas.\ 23. Drainage: The removal of excess water from soil.\ 24. Dryland farming: Farming practices used in arid and semi-arid regions.\ 25. Dust bowl: A severe drought and dust storm event.\ 26. E horizon: A layer of soil that has been leached of nutrients.\ 27. Erosion: The process of soil removal by wind, water, or other agents.\ 28. Evapotranspiration: The combined loss of water from soil by evaporation and plant transpiration.\ 29. Fertility: The ability of soil to support plant growth.\ 30. Field capacity: The amount of water held in soil after excess water has drained away.\ 31. Fissure: A crack or opening in soil.\ 32. Flocculation: The clumping together of soil particles.\ 33. Friable: A soil texture that is easily crumbled.\ 34. Gley: A soil color that indicates poor drainage.\ 35. Grain size: The diameter of soil particles.\ 36. Gravel: Soil particles larger than 2 mm in diameter.\ 37. Humus: Decomposed organic matter in soil.\ 38. Hydration: The process of water molecules attaching to soil particles.\ 39. Hydrology: The study of water in the soil.\ 40. Infiltration: The movement of water into soil.\ 41. Inorganic matter: Soil components that are not derived from living organisms.\ 42. Irrigation: The artificial application of water to soil.\ 43. Leaching: The removal of nutrients from the soil by water.\ 44. Loam: A soil texture that contains a mixture of sand, silt, and clay.\ 45. Macronutrients: Nutrients that plants need in large amounts.\ 46. Micronutrients: Nutrients that plants need in small amounts.\ 47. Mineralogy: The study of minerals in soil.\ 48. Moisture content: The amount of water in soil.\ 49. Mulch: A layer of organic material applied to the soil surface.\ 50. Nitrogen fixation: The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas into a form that can be used by plants.\ 51. Nutrient cycling: The movement of nutrients through the soil and ecosystem.\ 52. Organic matter: Soil components derived from living organisms.\ 53. O horizon: The uppermost layer of soil, consisting of fresh or partially decomposed organic matter.\ 54. pH: A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity.\ 55. Permeability: The ability of soil to allow water to pass through it.\ 56. Phosphorus fixation: The process by which phosphorus becomes unavailable to plants.\ 57. Plant available water: The amount of water that plants can extract from soil.\ 58. Podzolization: A soil-forming process that results in the accumulation of organic matter and iron in the upper layers of soil.\ 59. Redox potential: A measure of the availability of oxygen in soil.\ 60. Rhizosphere: The zone of soil immediately surrounding plant roots.\ 61. Root zone: The area of soil where plant roots grow.\ 62. Salinity: The concentration of salts in soil.\ 63. Sand: Soil particles between 0.05 and 2 mm in diameter.\ 64. Silt: Soil particles between 0.002 and 0.05 mm in diameter.\ 65. Soil aeration: The presence of air in soil pores.\ 66. Soil compaction: The process of reducing the volume of soil by pressure.\ 67. Soil fertility: The ability of soil to support plant growth.\ 68. Soil horizon: A distinct layer of soil that differs in physical, chemical, or biological properties.\ 69. Soil profile: A vertical cross-section of soil that reveals its different horizons.\ 70. Soil structure: The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates.\ 71. Soil texture: The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay in soil.\ 72. Texture: The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay in soil.\ 73. Topsoil: The uppermost layer of soil, rich in organic matter.\ 74. Translocation: The movement of nutrients within the soil profile.\ 75. Unconsolidated soil: Soil that is not cemented together.\ 76. Vertisol: A type of soil that is high in clay and shrinks and swells with changes in moisture content.\ 77. Water holding capacity: The amount of water that a soil can hold.\ 78. Weathering: The physical and chemical breakdown of rocks and minerals.\ 79. Biochar: A charcoal-like material produced from the pyrolysis of biomass.\ 80. Bulk density: The mass of dry soil per unit volume.\ 81. Calcareous soil: Soil containing a significant amount of calcium carbonate.\ 82. Capillary action: The movement of water upwards through soil pores.\ 83. Carbon sequestration: The process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in soil.\ 84. Clay minerals: Crystalline structures in soil that have a high capacity to hold water and nutrients.\ 85. Clay loam: A soil texture with a high percentage of clay.\ 86. Climatic factors: Weather conditions that influence soil formation.\ 87. Colluvium: Soil material transported and deposited by gravity.\ 88. Compaction: The process of reducing the volume of soil by pressure.\ 89. Conservation tillage: Farming practices that minimize soil disturbance.\ 90. Crusting: The formation of a hard, impermeable layer on the soil surface.\ 91. Decomposers: Organisms that break down organic matter in soil.\ 92. Deposition: The process of adding soil material to a location.\ 93. Eluviation: The process of removing soil material from one layer and transporting it to another.\ 94. Erosion control: Practices designed to prevent soil erosion.\ 95. Exchangeable cations: Cations that are held loosely on soil particles and can be exchanged with other cations.\ 96. Field capacity: The amount of water held in soil after excess water has drained away.\ 97. Fertilizer: A substance that provides nutrients to plants.\ 98. Fine-textured soil: Soil with a high percentage of clay and silt.\ 99. Flooding: The submergence of soil by water.\ 100. Footprint: The area of land used for a particular activity.\ 101. Forest soil: Soil found under forest vegetation.\ 102. Friability: The ease with which soil can be crumbled.\ 103. Genesis: The process of soil formation.\ 104. Geomorphic factors: Landforms and geological processes that influence soil formation.\ 105. Gill: A small, vertical crack in soil.\ 106. Gleyed soil: Soil that has a grayish color due to poor drainage.\ 107. Gravel: Soil particles larger than 2 mm in diameter.\ 108. Groundwater: Water that is stored beneath the Earth\'s surface.\ 109. Hardpan: A hard, compacted layer in soil that restricts root growth.\ 110. Horizon: A distinct layer of soil that differs in physical, chemical, or biological properties.\ 111. Humification: The process of decomposing organic matter into humus.\ 112. Hydric soil: Soil that is saturated with water for long periods.\ 113. Infiltration rate: The speed at which water enters the soil.\ 114. Intercropping: Growing two or more crops together in the same field.\ 115. Land degradation: The deterioration of soil quality and productivity.\ 116. Land use: The way that land is used by humans.\ 117. Laterite: A type of soil rich in iron and aluminum oxides.\ 118. Leaching: The removal of nutrients from the soil by water.\ 119. Loamy soil: Soil with a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay.\ 120. Macropores: Large pores in soil that allow for rapid water movement.\ 121. Mantle: The layer of soil that covers bedrock.\ 122. Microbial activity: The processes carried out by microorganisms in soil.\ 123. Micropores: Small pores in soil that hold water and nutrients.\ 124. Mineralization: The conversion of organic matter into inorganic nutrients.\ 125. Mollisol: A type of soil with a thick, dark topsoil rich in organic matter.\ 126. Monoculture: The practice of growing a single crop in a field.\ 127. Nutrient availability: The amount of nutrients that are readily available for plant uptake.\ 128. Nutrient deficiency: A condition where plants lack essential nutrients.\ 129. Nutrient leaching: The loss of nutrients from the soil by water.\ 130. Nutrient management: Practices designed to maintain soil fertility and prevent nutrient loss.\ 131. Oxisol: A type of soil that is highly weathered and rich in iron and aluminum oxides.\ 132. Parent material: The underlying rock or sediment from which soil is formed.\ 133. Ped: A single soil aggregate.\ 134. Pedogenesis: The process of soil formation.\ 135. Percolation: The downward movement of water through soil.\ 136. pH: A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity.\ 137. Phosphate: A form of phosphorus that is available to plants.\ 138. Phytoremediation: The use of plants to remove pollutants from soil.\ 139. Plant available water: The amount of water that plants can extract from soil.\ 140. Pore space: The volume of air and water in soil.\ 141. Profile: A vertical cross-section of soil that reveals its different horizons.\ 142. R horizon: The bedrock layer.\ 143. Regolith: The layer of unconsolidated material that covers bedrock.\ 144. Residual soil: Soil that has formed in place from the underlying bedrock.\ 145. Rhizosphere: The zone of soil immediately surrounding plant roots.\ 146. Saline soil: Soil with a high concentration of salts.\ 147. Salinization: The process of increasing the salt content of soil.\ 148. Sandy soil: Soil with a high percentage of sand.\ 149. Saturated soil: Soil that is completely filled with water.\ 150. Sodic soil: Soil with a high concentration of sodium.\ 151. Soil amendment: A substance added to soil to improve its physical, chemical, or biological properties.\ 152. Soil conservation: Practices designed to protect and improve soil quality.\ 153. Soil fertility: The ability of soil to support plant growth.\ 154. Soil health: The overall condition of soil, including its physical, chemical, and biological properties.\ 155. Soil horizon: A distinct layer of soil that differs in physical, chemical, or biological properties.\ 156. Soil management: Practices designed to maintain and improve soil quality.\ 157. Soil map: A map that shows the distribution of different soil types.\ 158. Soil moisture: The amount of water in soil.\ 159. Soil organic matter: Decomposed plant and animal material in soil.\ 160. Soil structure: The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates.\ 161. Soil survey: A systematic investigation of soil characteristics.\ 162. Soil texture: The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay in soil.\ 163. Soil water: Water that is held in soil pores.\ 164. Solum: The upper part of the soil profile that includes the A, B, and E horizons.\ 165. Spodosol: A type of soil that is highly weathered and acidic.\ 166. Subsoil: The layer of soil beneath the topsoil.\ 167. Subsurface drainage: The removal of excess water from soil by underground pipes.\ 168. Sustainability: The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.\ 169. Surface drainage: The removal of excess water from soil by surface channels.\ 170. Texture: The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay in soil.\ 171. Tillage: The mechanical disturbance of soil.\ 172. Topsoil: The uppermost layer of soil, rich in organic matter.\ 173. Transpiration: The loss of water from plants through their leaves.\ 174. Ultisol: A type of soil that is highly weathered and acidic.\ 175. Vermicomposting: The use of earthworms to decompose organic matter.\ 176. Water balance: The relationship between the amount of water entering and leaving a soil system.\ 177. Water infiltration: The movement of water into soil.\ 178. Waterlogging: The saturation of soil with water to the point where it becomes anaerobic.\ 179. Water table: The level below which soil is saturated with water.\ 180. Weathering: The physical and chemical breakdown of rocks and minerals.\ 181. Wetland soil: Soil that is saturated with water for long periods.\ 182. Wind erosion: The removal of soil by wind.\ 183. Zonal soil: A soil that has developed under a particular climate and vegetation.\ 184. Bioremediation: The use of living organisms to clean up contaminated soil.\ 185. Carbon footprint: The amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with a particular activity.\ 186. Climate change: The long-term shift in global weather patterns.\ 187. Compost: Decomposed organic matter that can be used as a soil amendment.\ 188. Conservation agriculture: Farming practices that minimize soil disturbance and maintain soil health.\ 189. Crop rotation: The practice of growing different crops in the same field in a sequence.\ 190. Desertification: The process of land degradation leading to the formation of desert-like conditions.\ 191. Ecosystem services: The benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems.\ 192. Food security: The availability of safe, nutritious food for all people at all times.\ 193. Green manure: A crop grown specifically to be plowed under to improve soil fertility.\ 194. Land use change: The conversion of land from one use to another.\ 195. No-till farming: A farming practice that avoids tillage.\ 196. Organic farming: A farming practice that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.\ 197. Precision agriculture: The use of technology to manage crops and soil more precisely.\ 198. Soil biodiversity: The variety of living organisms in soil.\ 199. Soil carbon: The amount of carbon stored in soil.\ 200. Sustainable agriculture: Farming practices that are environmentally