Tomatosphere Project Based Learning Week 6 PDF
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Uploaded by NavigableArgon
Pembina North Community School
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Summary
This document is about soil, including topics such as healthy soil, types of soil, soil degradation, and soil problems and solutions. It discusses elements such as topsoil and subsoil. It also introduces factors like natural disasters, erosion and salinization.
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Week 6: Day 1 SOIL Most soil you see is topsoil. This layer has the greatest amount of oxygen and decayed organic matter. The organic matter helps the soil hold moisture. Subsoil contains minerals that were washed down from the topsoil. Healthy soil contain...
Week 6: Day 1 SOIL Most soil you see is topsoil. This layer has the greatest amount of oxygen and decayed organic matter. The organic matter helps the soil hold moisture. Subsoil contains minerals that were washed down from the topsoil. Healthy soil contains: earthworms insects bacteria fungi clay (fine sand (large silt (medium grain) grain) grain sand) Week 6: Day 1 HEALTHY SOIL Healthy soils contain: Bacteria & Insects – small organisms that break down dead plant and animal tissues. Which then turns into humus (nutrient rich black soil). Earthworms – eat and regurgitate soil which is then richer in nutrients. They also create tunnels to help water and air move through the soil. Fungi – moulds and mushrooms found especially in cool acidic forests. Decomposers -that make nutrients available to plants and receive carbohydrates in return. Week 6: Day 1 TYPES OF SOIL A : Well drained soils - the more organic matter there is, the darker the topsoil. Roots die and bacteria decompose them. B: Well drained soils under forests, most of the organic matter is added at the top as leaves, instead of below as roots. The soil remains grey-brown. Fungi cause most of the decomposition of the leaves at the surface. Top soil here is acidic. C: Soils saturated with water (bluish tinge to it) have very little oxygen available for decomposers to live and work. Week 6: Day 1 TYPES OF SOIL Week 6: Day 1 SOILS DEGRADE? 1. Natural disasters - Hurricanes, Tsunami, landslides, tornado, floods 2. Erosion - Wind (important nutrients are blown away), water (rain) Week 6: Day 1 SOIL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 1. Problem: Salinization – Build up of salt on the soil near a body of water. Solution: Replant areas that have been cultivated for farm land so the plants will soak up the salty water. Monitor irrigation and line canals to stop salty water from seeping into the groundwater Week 6: Day 1 SOIL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Week 6: Day 1 SOIL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS 2. Problem: Soil erosion - Wearing away of soil and organic matter. Solution: Planting vegetation to absorb water and protect it from the wind. Seed drills – equipment that pushes seed right through the stubble of the previous crop (zero-tillage). Plant shelterbelts (rows of trees). Leave debris on cut areas in forests and replant shortly after the cut.
