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6.2.5: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    97197
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    A horizon
    consists of a mixture of organic material with inorganic products of weathering
    B horizon
    soil layer that is an accumulation of mostly fine material that has moved downward
    bedrock
    solid rock that lies beneath the soil
    C horizon
    layer of soil that contains the parent material, and the organic and inorganic material that is broken down to form soil; also known as the soil base
    clay
    soil particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter
    epiphyte
    plant that grows on other plants but is not dependent upon other plants for nutrition
    horizon
    soil layer with distinct physical and chemical properties, which differs from other layers depending on how and when it was formed
    humus
    organic material of soil; made up of microorganisms, dead animals, and plants in varying stages of decay
    inorganic compound
    chemical compound that does not contain carbon; it is not part of or produced by a living organism
    insectivorous plant
    plant that has specialized leaves to attract and digest insects
    loam
    soil that has no dominant particle size
    macronutrient
    nutrient that is required in large amounts for plant growth; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur
    micronutrient
    nutrient required in small amounts; also called trace element
    mineral soil
    type of soil that is formed from the weathering of rocks and inorganic material; composed primarily of sand, silt, and clay
    nitrogenase
    enzyme that is responsible for the reduction of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia
    nodules
    specialized structures that contain Rhizobia bacteria where nitrogen fixation takes place
    O horizon
    layer of soil with humus at the surface and decomposed vegetation at the base
    organic compound
    chemical compound that contains carbon
    organic soil
    type of soil that is formed from sedimentation; composed primarily of organic material
    parasitic plant
    plant that is dependent on its host for survival
    parent material
    organic and inorganic material in which soils form
    rhizobia
    soil bacteria that symbiotically interact with legume roots to form nodules and fix nitrogen
    rhizosphere
    area of soil affected by root secretions and microorganisms
    sand
    soil particles between 0.1–2 mm in diameter
    saprophyte
    plant that does not have chlorophyll and gets its food from dead matter
    silt
    soil particles between 0.002 and 0.1 mm in diameter
    soil
    outer loose layer that covers the surface of Earth
    soil profile
    vertical section of a soil
    symbiont
    plant in a symbiotic relationship with bacteria or fungi

    6.2.5: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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