Soil Profiles

Question 1

Formation of brown earth soils

Answer 1

Thick hummus
Deciduous forests
Acidic mull hummus
Organisms blur horizons
Deep roots, absorb leached minerals, biological weathering
Reddish colour
Low leaching but allows soil to be free draining

Question 2

Formation of gley soils

Answer 2

Gleying = waterlogging
Tundra permafrost
Decay is slow
Acidic Mor hummus
Saturated
Organism activity limited
Impermeable clay not broken by freeze-thaw
Meltwater not free draining

Question 3

Formation of podzol soils

Answer 3

Coniferous forests
Acidic mor hummus
Leaching from A
Few organisms
Leached materials deposited in B, red
Illuviation forms iron pan obstructing drainage
Parent material in C broken by freeze-thaw