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27 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
weathering
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The chemical and physical processes that break down rock at Earth's surface.
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erosion
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The process by which water, ice, wind, or gravity moves weathered rock or soil.
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uniformitarianism
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The geologic principal that the same geologic processes that operate today operated in the past to change Earth's surface.
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mechanical weathering
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The type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces.
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abrasion
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The grinding away of rock by other rock particles carried in water, ice or wind.
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ice wedging
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Process that splits rock when water seeps into cracks, then freezes and expands.
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chemical weathering
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The process that breaks down rock through chemical changes.
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oxidation
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A chemical change in which a substance combines with oxygen, as when iron oxidizes, forming rust.
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permeable
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Characteristic of a material that is full of tiny, connected air spaces that water can seep through.
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soil
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Composed of a mixture of rock particles, decomposed organic materials, minerals, and water.
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bedrock
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The solid layer of rock beneath the soil.
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humus
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Dark colored organic (once living) material in soil.
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fertility
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A measure of how well soil supports plant growth.
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loam
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Rich, fertile soil that is made up of about equal parts of clay, sand, and silt.
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soil horizon
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The layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it.
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topsoil
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Mixture of humus, clay, and other minerals that forms the crumbly, topmost layer of soil.
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subsoil
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The layer of soil beneath the topsoil that contains mostly clay and other minerals.
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litter
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The loose layer of dead plant leaves and stems on the surface of the soil.
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decomposer
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Soil organism that breaks down the remains of organisms and digests them.
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sod
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A thick mass of grass roots and soil.
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contour plowing
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Plowing fields across the slope instead of up and down the slope to prevent erosion. It makes little mini dams not rivers.
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crop rotation
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The planting of different crops in a field each year to maintain the soil's fertility.
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Terracing
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Used by farmers on steep hills--create a series of smaller flatter fliers.
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No Till Farming
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Leave old stalks which provide cover from rain. Reduces water runoff and slows erosion.
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Crop Cover
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No planting between harvest crops. Planted between harvest crops. Used to replace nutrients and prevent erosion by providing cover from wind and rain.
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land degradation
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Soil cannot support plant life as a result of over use from poor farming techniques, and animal grazing.
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Importance of Soil Conservation
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Soils need to be protected from nutrient depletion and erosion.
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