EESA06H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Canadian System Of Soil Classification, Soil Horizon, Organic Matter
10 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Soils of Toronto Area
- Pedologist someone who studies soil
- Pedology is scientific study of soil
- Soil originates from mechanical and chemical breakdown of rocks and sediment
- Typically 1 m deep
- Organic material builds up in soil
- Mineral are washed down from the surface
- Develops horizons or layers over thousands of years
- A, B and C horizon
- A horizon just below ground surface
- Brown because of high organic content
- B horizon underneath
- Contains clay, aluminum and iron washed down from above
- Typically yellow colour
- C horizon more below
- So-called parent material, rock or sediment
- Four main types of soil in Toronto area
- Based on number and types of horizons present
- Regosols (infant soil) thin A horizon rests on C horizon
- Common along creeks or flood plains
- Sediment is still accumulating
- Insufficient opportunity for deep soils to form
- Gleysols found in poorly drained boggy areas
- Grey in colour due to lack of oxygen
- Build-up of organic material in the form of peat
- Brunisols next stage of soil evolution
- Thin B horizon as found on slope where soil particles are washed down
- Luvisols (adult soil) is thick
- Dark coloured A horizon and thick B horizon
- Shows thick accumulation of leaf litter (horizon L-H)
- Take thousands of years to mature
- Best agricultural land occurs on this soil
- Classified as Class 1 soil
- Supported forests of Toronto area
- Soil resource threatened by urban development
Document Summary
Soil originates from mechanical and chemical breakdown of rocks and sediment. Mineral are washed down from the surface. Develops horizons or layers over thousands of years. Contains clay, aluminum and iron washed down from above. Four main types of soil in toronto area. Based on number and types of horizons present. Regosols (infant soil) thin a horizon rests on c horizon. Gleysols found in poorly drained boggy areas. Grey in colour due to lack of oxygen. Build-up of organic material in the form of peat. Thin b horizon as found on slope where soil particles are washed down. Dark coloured a horizon and thick b horizon. Shows thick accumulation of leaf litter (horizon l-h) Best agricultural land occurs on this soil.
