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Greenhouse Management Dual Credit - Chapter 2: The Soil

Terms in this set (32)

Soil
the thin, outer layer of the Earth's crust made up of weathered minerals, decomposing organic matter, and living organisms
Weathering
the breakdown of rocks into smaller particles due to the actions of rain, wind, gravity, water movement, and biological activity
Soil Profile
A cross-sectional slice made down into the Earth's surface to show the different layers of soil formation.
Humus
Organic compounds that do not decompose quickly.
Green Manure
Plowed under green plants.
Sedentary
Soils that weather from bedrock and remain in place
Transported Soils
Moved by forces of nature
Colluvial Soils
Have moved in response to gravity
Alluvial Soils
Are carried in water such as rivers
Aeolian Soils
Are transported and deposited by wind.
Glacial Till
Soil deposited by glaciers
Soil Texture
The relative proportion of soil seperates of different sizes in any one soil.
Loam Soil
Enough sand to provide drainage and aeration yet finer particles can retain moister and provide necessary plant nutrients.
Silt
particles are irregulary shaped and much smaller than most sand particles.
Clay
has very small, plate-like particles. It possess the greatest surface area of all separates.
Soil Texture Triangle
illustrates how soils are named, based on a laboratory determination of their composition.
Essential Elements
elements that a plant cannot grow without
Trace Elements
have been found to promote plant growth in many species, but have not been proven to be absolutely necessary for completion of the plants' life cycle.
Leaching
When Nitrogen is not absorbed by the colloidal particles of the soil, it passes quickly through the root region of the soil.
Agregates
Soil particles adhere together to form larger particles
Soil Solution
The soil's water, held between the particles and granules of the soil contains dissolved mineral salts.
Soils is Acidic When...
Soil contains more hydrogen ions than hydroxyl ions
Soil is Akaline When...
Soil contains more hydroxyl ions than hydrogen ions
Cation Exchange
refers to the capacity of colloidal particles to attract positively charged ions (cations) and to exchange one ion for another.
Fertilizers
are nutrient additives applied to the soil periodically to maintain optimum crop productivity.
Complete Fertilizers
A fertilizer which provides all three elements: N P K
Ammonification
is the conversion of nirtogen in organic compounds to ammonia.
Nitrification
is the conversion of ammonia to nitrite; then to nitrate
Soil Structure
the arrangements of soil particles into aggregates.
Buffering
occurs when hydrogen ions that are held in absorbed from dissociate from clay particles and enter into the soil solution to replace those hydrogen ions neutralized by the addition of lime.
Low-analysis Fertilizer
When less than 30% of the of a complete fertilizers weight represents available nutrients.
High-analysis Fertilizer
When the amount of available nutrients is 30% or more.
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