2.   Soil – Biogeochemically weathered product of nature  Minerals, Nutrients, Organic Residue  Continual Changes  Lead to specific properties of a profile Development

3.   Temperature  Precipitation  Atmospheric Gradients that affect development

4.   Weather Gradient

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6.  The Soil Horizons  Soils are formed in Horizons  Soil Horizons differ one from the other  The horizons are roughly parallel to the soil surface  The boundaries between horizons can usually be seen 6 / 20

7.  Soil Morphology  Is the physical nature of the soils seen in horizons  Horizons are characterized by differences in physical properties  Horizons are given letter names 7 / 20

8. The Soil Profile  Any cross- section of a soil  This Soil Profile is  O, A, B, C 8 / 20

9.   O:  A:  E  B  Bt:  R Soil Profile

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11.   Granite  Sandstone  Shale  Limestone NYS Soil Composition

12. Lower case suffix letters Used with Capital letters – never alone Used to indicate a specific characteristic of the master horizon Example: Ap = plowed A horizon Or Bt = illuvial clay 12 / 20

13. Soil profile review  Has visible horizon breaks  There are no set numbers of horizons in a pedon 13 / 20

14.   Began 2.5 mya  4 glacial advances well known  Ice records in ocean show more than 30 advances through history. Ice Ages

15.   65,000-10,000yBP  Scraped away top layers of soil Wisconsin Advance

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17.  Soil Time Table

18.   I – Climate  II – Vegetation  III – Parent Material  IV – Topography  V - Time Five Factors of Soil Formation

19.   Leaching – complete removal of substances from the soil.  Translocation – moved from an upper horizon to a lower horizon.  Synthesis of new compounds – process of decomposition (ex. Lichens on glacial till)  Biological Activity – animals living on top of the soil will help break it down.  Formation of Soil Structure – Soils begin to stick together (coagulate) Soil Development Process

20.   I. Hydration – water becoming bound to mineral  II.Dissolution – dissolving of minerals in contact with H 2 O  III. Carbonation – CO 2 reacting with H 2 O (ex. Acid Rain)  IV. Oxidation/Reduction – ex.Rust Chemical Processes Zn(s) => Zn 2+ (aq) + 2e - Cu 2+ (aq) + 2e - => Cu(s)

21.   Conditions: Temperate Climate  Alternating hot and cold / wet and dry  High precipitation and High Humidity  Deciduous Vegetation  Mechanics:  Leaching – mineral Salts buffers and nutrients  Results:  Podzolization – soil becomes infertile, acidic, absorbs tannins and humic substances.  NE: gray-brown podzols  SE: red-yellow podzols North Eastern US

22.   Conditions:Tropical Climate  Super-humid  Hot temperature  Year-round growing season  Mechanics: EXTREME leaching  Intense Weathering  Organic Materials recycled rapidly  Rapid root uptake  pH = Alkaline  Results:Leaching counteracted by root uptake  Productive soils (proper growing season) –> fertile(proper nutrients)  Fragile productivity – maintained by rapid recycling Tropics

23.   Conditions: Grasslands or Chaparral  Moderate or Low rainfall  Calcification ->Prairie Soil formation  Mechanics: Translocation – Cycling of Ca++  Results: Ca++ saturated Clays  Nutrients conserved near the surface  Limy subsoil – alkaline pH  Very Fertile ( may need irrigation) Prairies

24.   Continuous long-term annual agriculture (left) and long-term, annual haying of the native prairie (right)

25.   Conditions: Gleization – Tundra Soils  Cool-cold temperature  Low evaporation  Supply of organic material  Continuously waterlogged “perma-frost”  Mechanics: Frost Polygons  “patterned” ground  Reduction  Results:  Sticky layers of reduced clays  Blue-gray color  “bog” iron deposits Arctic

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