Summary Study notes for a 7 in IB ESS Topic 5: Terrestrial and Soil Systems
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Module
IB Environmental Systems and Societies
Institution
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SOIL SYSTEMS, Topic 5
5.1 INTRODUCTION
Profiles: fundamental horizons with different physical and chemical properties and cover
most of land surface (average depth = 20cm)
Soil as a system
- Open system in dynamic equilibrium. Plant growth for human food.
Store freshwater (0.005%). Filter materials, maintain water quality.
Nutrient recycling. Habitat for billions of organisms. Raw materials
(peat, clay, sand…)
- Storages: organic matter, organisms, nutrients, minerals, air and
water
- Transfers: biological mixing, translocation and leaching
- Inputs: organic material (leaf litter), inorganic material (parent
material, precipitation and energy)
- Outputs: uptake by plants and soil erosion
- Transformations: decomposition (fungi and bacteria from litter to
humus), weathering, nutrient cycling
Nutrient cycling: interactions between soil, plants, animals, atmosphere
and food chains
Nutrient plants animals die decomposers soil
Structure and Properties
- Benefit plants: anchor roots, supply H2O + O2 + nutrients, protect from changes in
pH and temperature
- Physical limits: mechanical barriers, absence of crack, too high/low temperatures,
oxygen shortage and dryness
- Chemical limits: high Al lowers pH, low nutrient supply, phytotoxic chemical in
anaerobic soil
Types of Soil
Triangular graph provide large amount of data allowing to recognize groups easily as
dominant characteristics are shown allowing to draw up classifications.
- Sandy: large particles (0.02-0.002mm ⌀), H2O and nutrients drain very easily. Light,
well-aerated, warm. Good for early crop with low potential PP
- Clay: small particles (<0.002mm ⌀) hold H2O and nutrients thanks to high surface
area. Fertile, limited PP by too much H2O and poor aeration unless drained
- Loam: optimal, high PP by minimum infiltration, low H2O and nutrient holding,
aerated, easy to work. Many pore diameters: >1mm allow root growth, O2 diffusion
and H2O movement; <0.5mm store H2O. Varying proportions of sand, silt and clay,
the latter limits the ease of working and risks waterlogging (not ideal for agriculture)
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