APES - Unit 4 accurate Questions & Answers(rated A)

APES - Unit 4 accurate Questions & Answers(rated A) ecosystem services provided by soil - ANSWER - provides habitats - allows for the cycling of nutrients through terrestrial ecosystems - provides a substrate for plant growth - filters water as rainwater passes through it on its way to rivers and groundwater How does soil form? - ANSWER weathering is the primary process that forms soil - breaks down rock into smaller particles - these small particles of rock combine with decomposing organic material to form soil - As a result, soil is neither completely biotic nor completely abiotic What influences the speed of soil formation? - ANSWER climate influences the speed of weathering cold climates: little water movement, so physical and chemical weathering will proceed slowly Names of the six possible horizons - ANSWER O horizon, A horizon, E horizon, B horizon, C horizon, R horizon (Orange And Eager Bears Can Run) A horizon - ANSWER minerals and organic material have been mixed together, aka topsoil O horizon - ANSWER stands for organic, called humus, consists of decaying organic material, found in forest ecosystems E horizon - ANSWER a zone of leaching; due to the soil's acidity, material is more likely to dissolve and be transported down to the B horizon B horizon - ANSWER subsoil, contains mostly inorganic material, it is where nutrients will accumulate