Soil Formation & Composition
Across
- 4. a dark-colored substance that forms as plant and animal remains decay
- 5. type of North American soil; form in warm, wet climates; may be low in humus
- 9. develops from the C horizon when plant roots weather the rock; consists of topsoil and humus
- 12. type of North American soil; forms in cool, wet climates; range from thick and fertile to thin with little humus
- 13. usually consists of clay and other particles washed down from the A horizon
- 16. forms as bedrock weathers and rock breaks up into soil particles; consists of rock fragments
- 17. the loose, weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants can grow
- 18. a crumbly, dark brown soil that is a mixture of humus, clay, and other minerals
- 19. type of North American soil; form in cool, dry climates of grasslands; topsoil is thick and rich in humus
Down
- 1. type of N. American soil; form in dry areas with few plants; often sandy, thin soil that is low in humus
- 2. the organisms that break the remains of dead organisms into smaller pieces and digest them with chemicals
- 3. develops as rainwater washes clay and minerals down from the A horizon; consists of subsoil
- 6. type of North American soil; forms where it is cold year-round; thin soil with little humus
- 7. a layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it
- 8. type of N. American soil; topsoil often thin because cold temperatures slow chemical weathering and erosion causes soil loss
- 10. the loose layer of dead plant leaves and stems of the surface of the soil
- 11. the solid layer of rock beneath the soil
- 14. type of North American soil; form in wet, tropical climates; often low in humus and minerals
- 15. soil with a crumbly texture that is made up of about equal parts clay, sand, and silt