Soil Formation Crossword

4. a loose mixture of small rock fragments, organic matter, water, and air that can support the growth of vegetation
5. how well a soil can support plant growth
6. microorganisms that are responsible for breaking down the remains of plants and animals
7. type of climate where soil develops more quickly (two words)
9. the source of inorganic soil particles that gets weathered first
10. remains of decayed organic matter(contains nutrients that plants need to grow)
12. when water carries materials, such as iron minerals and clay, from the A horizon down to the B horizon
13. speed at which soil develops in an area without a lot of plants and animals

1. another name for the A horizon (where the most humus is located)
2. a vertical section of soil that shows all of the different layers of soil
3. a property that describes the relative amounts of differently sized soil particles
8. the space between soil particles
11. each of the different layers of soil with different physical properties