OTHER TOPICS -----> Intro/Maps Atmosphere Climate / Hydrosphere
Biosphere / Soils Tectonics Specific Environments

BIOSPHERE / SOIL CHAPTERS -----> Biosphere Soils

Soils

I. BASIC TERMINOLOGY

A. What is Soil and Why is it Significant?

  1. medium for plant growth
  2. Purify groundwater
  3. absorb / emit atmospheric gases
B. Layers
  1. soil
  2. regolith
  3. bedrock

II. MAIN CONCEPTS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

A. Soil Forming Controls

  1. geology (parent material)
  2. climate
  3. topography ... a little human help
  4. biology -- humus
  5. chronology (example: Sunset Crater)
B. Soil Properties
  1. color: dark, red (in AZ), yellow, multiple colors
  2. texture (particle size)
  3. chemistry (pH of foods)
    • acidity vs. alkalinity
    • neutral = best
C. Soil Forming Classifications (conditions)
  1. laterization (tropical)
  2. podzolization (cold winter)
  3. gleization (poor drainage)
  4. calcification (semi-dry)
  5. salinization (desert)

D. Soil Taxonomy (Soil Classification)

  1. aridisols -- desert (BW)
  2. mollisols -- steppe (BS)
  3. alfisols -- humid cont. (Dfa) + Medit. (Cs)
  4. ultisols -- humid subtropical (Cfa)
  5. oxisols -- tropical (Af + Aw)
  6. spodosols -- subarctic (Dfc)
  7. inceptisols (or gelisols) -- subarctic (Dfc) + tundra (ET)
  8. Soils in the U.S.

III. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

BIOSPHERE / SOIL CHAPTERS -----> Biosphere Soils
Next section -----------------------> Geomorphology