GEOG 1280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 47: Parent Material, Cation-Exchange Capacity, Microfauna
17 May 2017
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Document Summary
A dynamic, natural, 3 dimensional body on the surface of the earth composed of mineral, organic materials, and living forms. The properties of soils are due to the integrated effects of climate and living matter acting upon parent material, as conditioned by relief over periods of time. Soil is defined as the naturally occurring, unconsolidated mineral or organic material at least 10cm thick that occurs at the earth"s surface and is capable of supporting plant growth. Sustaining plant and animal life below and above the surface. Soil is the basis of the ecosystem soils support life. The alteration of mineral and/or organic material by chemical (decomposition) and physical (disintegration) processes: physical: rocks(big) rocks (small), silt-sized particles 50-20 m (1 m = 0. 001mm, chemical: primary minerals secondary minerals, oxides, carbonates, sulfates. Capacity (cec) high values for cec = high. Cations: ca2+, h+, na, mg2+, k, al, nh4. Weathering is very important to soil formation for it creates parent material.
