GGR107H1 Chapter 4: Soils and Agriculture
Document Summary
50,000 protists: soil itself meets definition of ecosystem because is composed of living and nonliving components that interact in complex ways. Heat speeds chemical reactions and accelerates weathering, decomposition, and biological growth. Moisture is required for many biological processes and can speed weathering: organisms: earthworms and other burrowing animals mix and aerate the soil, add organic matter and facilitate microbial decomposition. Plants add organic matter and affect soil composition: topographical relief: hills and valleys affect exposure to sun, wind, and water and they influence how and where soil moves. 4. 2. 3 industrialized agriculture is newer still: industrial revolution introduced large-scale mechanization and fossil fuel combustion to agriculture - more powerful means of cultivating, harvesting, transporting, processing crops, uniform planting of single crop is called monoculture vs. polyculture. 4. 3 soil degradation: problems and solutions: most desirable soil for agriculture is loamy mixture with ph close to neutral that is workable and capable of holding nutrients.
