ENVS 2060 Study Guide - Final Guide: Pedogenesis, Soil Texture, Illuvium
22 May 2016
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Document Summary
Major cycles in soil ecosys: energy, water, nutrients. Soil composition: 50% pore spaces (20-30% air; 20-30% water); 50% soil solids (45% mineral; 5%organic) Good soil conditions may have 25% liquid volume; 25% solid volume. Soil as a natural product of the ecosys: soils are at the interface of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Soils are a product of these components of the ecosys thru the cycling of energy and matter within the system. Soil as a phys sys: density, porosity, arrangement of pores. As a chem sys: dissolution of mineral material and precipitation of new solid phases. As a biol sys: the living fraction is very important in the transformation of organic compounds in the soil. Soil texture: the range of size of individual particles of the mineral fraction of the soil (not organic) gravel or stones sand slit clay. Smooth, slippery or floury but not sticky sticky. Basic soil textural class: sandy, loamy, clayey (from coarse to fine)
