ENVS 1000U Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Mixed Grass Prairie, Pearson Education, Soil Retrogression And Degradation
22 Feb 2016
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Document Summary
Soil consists of mineral matter, organic matter, air, and water. Dead and living microorganisms and decaying material. Bacteria, algae, insects, earthworms, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Since soil is composed of living and non living matter, it is considered. Best soils found in grasslands an ecosystem. Most important agricultural areas in the world were originally grasslands. Wildlife habitat agricultural areas for crops livestock grazing biomass for biofuels. Soil formation is slow and complex (weathering produces soil: biological activity included deposition, decomposition, and accumulation of, humus = dark, spongy, crumbly mass of organic material formed by partial organic matter decomposition. A soil profile consists of horizons (= soil layers) Soil degradation = damage/loss of soils from poor management. Productive soils are renewable but not if abused at rates that are faster than the renewal rate - leads to soil degradation. Soil degradation has many causes: soil degradation results from deforestation agriculture and overgrazing.
