Geo notes
Published by Alex Kotton
Soils
What is soil- is a mixture of broken rock and minerals, living organisms and decaying organic matter
called humus.
Study of soils is called pedology
Edaffic= influenced by soil. Edaffic factors refer to soils
Soil is a substrate (underlying layer) that in the point of interaction between abiotic and
biotic factors
Abiotic- non living Biotic- living
Atmosphere Macro Micro
Lithosphere Big animals Bacteria
Water Slugs Viruses
Sunlight Create a climate or Trees and grasses
Moisture biome or ecosystem Plants
Temperature Earthworms
Geology Fish
Weathering = the breaking down of rocks, soil and minerals through
contact with the earth’s atmosphere and living organisms.
1. Chemical weathering: needs water in order to weather / erode
effectively, high temp (rust oxidation + reduction in carbonation)
2. Physical weathering: expansion and contraction, freeze thaw and
Soil is created by physical weathering salt crystallization
Soil: connects the living and the non-
living (i.e.. Earth worms & water)
Leaching: infiltration of water
through the soil
Sand
Plant roots make space in the Silt
soil for air and grow between Clay
rocks
Biological movement of
animals on foot paths
Bedrock
1
Xerophytes- plants that adapt to dry conditions
, What is parent rock?
Parent rock is broken into 3 particle sizes:
1. Sand
2. Silt
3. Clay
Igneous rocks produce the most mineral rich soils
Soil components
soil componenets
mineral matter organic matetr biota
water air
What is mineral matter
Mineral matter is the main mineral from the parent rock (eg. Sandstone has a lot of silica
therefore the main mineral matter component will be silica)
Mineral matter determines soil structure
What is air
Air is made of nitrogen and oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere
What is water
Water seeps through the soil through the soil pores (pore=the amount and size of opening
between the particles)
Organic matter
O.M aka humic acid
Type 1- humus: dead organic matter staring to decay (dead animals or plants)
Type 2- maribund: dead plant and animal matter that has not started to decay yet
Biota
2
Published by Alex Kotton
Soils
What is soil- is a mixture of broken rock and minerals, living organisms and decaying organic matter
called humus.
Study of soils is called pedology
Edaffic= influenced by soil. Edaffic factors refer to soils
Soil is a substrate (underlying layer) that in the point of interaction between abiotic and
biotic factors
Abiotic- non living Biotic- living
Atmosphere Macro Micro
Lithosphere Big animals Bacteria
Water Slugs Viruses
Sunlight Create a climate or Trees and grasses
Moisture biome or ecosystem Plants
Temperature Earthworms
Geology Fish
Weathering = the breaking down of rocks, soil and minerals through
contact with the earth’s atmosphere and living organisms.
1. Chemical weathering: needs water in order to weather / erode
effectively, high temp (rust oxidation + reduction in carbonation)
2. Physical weathering: expansion and contraction, freeze thaw and
Soil is created by physical weathering salt crystallization
Soil: connects the living and the non-
living (i.e.. Earth worms & water)
Leaching: infiltration of water
through the soil
Sand
Plant roots make space in the Silt
soil for air and grow between Clay
rocks
Biological movement of
animals on foot paths
Bedrock
1
Xerophytes- plants that adapt to dry conditions
, What is parent rock?
Parent rock is broken into 3 particle sizes:
1. Sand
2. Silt
3. Clay
Igneous rocks produce the most mineral rich soils
Soil components
soil componenets
mineral matter organic matetr biota
water air
What is mineral matter
Mineral matter is the main mineral from the parent rock (eg. Sandstone has a lot of silica
therefore the main mineral matter component will be silica)
Mineral matter determines soil structure
What is air
Air is made of nitrogen and oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere
What is water
Water seeps through the soil through the soil pores (pore=the amount and size of opening
between the particles)
Organic matter
O.M aka humic acid
Type 1- humus: dead organic matter staring to decay (dead animals or plants)
Type 2- maribund: dead plant and animal matter that has not started to decay yet
Biota
2
