Soil Formation & Composition

Edit Answers
12345678910111213141516171819
Across
  1. 4. a dark-colored substance that forms as plant and animal remains decay
  2. 5. type of North American soil; form in warm, wet climates; may be low in humus
  3. 9. develops from the C horizon when plant roots weather the rock; consists of topsoil and humus
  4. 12. type of North American soil; forms in cool, wet climates; range from thick and fertile to thin with little humus
  5. 13. usually consists of clay and other particles washed down from the A horizon
  6. 16. forms as bedrock weathers and rock breaks up into soil particles; consists of rock fragments
  7. 17. the loose, weathered material on Earth's surface in which plants can grow
  8. 18. a crumbly, dark brown soil that is a mixture of humus, clay, and other minerals
  9. 19. type of North American soil; form in cool, dry climates of grasslands; topsoil is thick and rich in humus
Down
  1. 1. type of N. American soil; form in dry areas with few plants; often sandy, thin soil that is low in humus
  2. 2. the organisms that break the remains of dead organisms into smaller pieces and digest them with chemicals
  3. 3. develops as rainwater washes clay and minerals down from the A horizon; consists of subsoil
  4. 6. type of North American soil; forms where it is cold year-round; thin soil with little humus
  5. 7. a layer of soil that differs in color and texture from the layers above or below it
  6. 8. type of N. American soil; topsoil often thin because cold temperatures slow chemical weathering and erosion causes soil loss
  7. 10. the loose layer of dead plant leaves and stems of the surface of the soil
  8. 11. the solid layer of rock beneath the soil
  9. 14. type of North American soil; form in wet, tropical climates; often low in humus and minerals
  10. 15. soil with a crumbly texture that is made up of about equal parts clay, sand, and silt