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Soil and Natural Vegetation Connections ANSWERS/RESOURCE LIST while the smaller particles of clay prevent rapid drainage. A well-balanced mixture of both allows the soil to hold moisture, and at the same time allows water to pass through at a rate moderate enough to allow plants to take up nutrients. Student Book Questions, pp. 155-156 CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING 1. Describe the four components that make up a true soil. ANSWER: (pp. 145–146) The four components of a true soil are minerals, bacteria and organic materials, air, and moisture. • Minerals, w hich come from rock, become part of the soil when the rock is broken down into smaller particles called sand, silt, or clay. Many of these minerals (e.g., calcium, phosphorous, and potassium) provide nutrients to plants. • When organic materials, i.e., plants and animals, die, they are decomposed by bacteria in the soil. As bacteria break down these organic materials, humus is formed. Humus provides nutrients and moisture for plants, and gives the soil its dark colour. • Plants need air around their roots. Humus helps produce air in the soil because the loose, decaying materials allow for many air pockets. Insects, worms, and small animals that tunnel through the soil also provide air spaces. • Moisture, i.e., water, dissolves nutrients in the soil and is taken up by plants through their roots. Moisture is necessary for plant survival and for the chemical and physical processes that weather rock and decay organic materials. 2. a) How is topsoil formed? ANSWER: (pp. 145–146) Topsoil is formed very slowly as dead plants, leaves, and animals are decomposed by bacteria. The decaying organic materials form humus, which gives the topsoil its dark colour. b) How long has it taken to form topsoil in Canada? ANSWER: (p. 146) It has taken 6000 to 10 000 years to form 15-25 cm of topsoil in Canada. This is how long it has been since glaciers have retreated. c) Why does the topsoil differ in thickness in different parts of Canada? ANSWER: (pp. 147–148, 153–154) The creation of topsoil is related to the influence of climate, which in turn affects the amount of vegetation in a given area. In cold climates where there is little vegetation, humus does not build up, and the topsoil remains thin. In warm climates where there is more vegetation, the humus builds up from greater amounts of decaying plants, leaves, and wood. This results in a thicker, richer topsoil. 3. Why is the size of rock particles important to soil structure? ANSWER: (p. 146, see margin) The larger rock particles of sand allow rain water to drain quickly through the soil, 4. Explain the difference between leaching and calcification. ANSWER: (pp. 147–148) • Leaching occurs in areas of high precipitation (creating wet-climate soils); calcification occurs in dry climates areas (creating dry-climate soils). • The leaching process is a downward movement of water through the soil; the calcification process is an upward movement of water through the soil. • As leaching occurs, water dissolves the chemical nutrients and carries them downward; as calcification occurs, water evaporates, leaving behind the minerals that were dissolved in it. • Leaching removes nutrients in the soil that plants need to survive; calcification builds up nutrients and minerals in the upper portion of the soil. • Excessive leaching results in a poor, often thin, topsoil layer; excessive calcification results in a layer of mineral deposits that is poisonous to plants. 5. In your own words, explain the meaning of the term "natural vegetation." ANSWER: (p. 149) Natural vegetation refers to plants and trees that grow without any human interference. 6. There are two classes of trees. Which one can survive a harsher climate? Why? ANSWER: (p. 151, see Fig. 13-9 caption) Coniferous trees can survive in a harsher (colder) climate because they have the following characteristics: • Long roots are able to extract nutrients from the poor soil. • Sticky sap prevents the needles from freezing. • Waxy needles and thick bark prevent a loss of moisture in times of drought. • The needles and flexible branches easily shed snow to prevent damage. • The needles can conduct photosynthesis on warm days beyond the normal growing season. 8. Explain, in your own words, the term "transition zone." Give an example and explain why this vegetation region is a transition zone. ANSWER: Answers will vary, but should include the following points: • A transition zone is an area where the natural vegetation of one region gradually changes into the natural vegetation of another region. • A transition zone is the line on a map that shows the boundary between one vegetation region and an other, but does not indicate an abrupt change in the natural vegetation. • A large transition zone is considered to be a vegetation region in itself. • A transition zone is the area where the climate and soil conditions of one region begin to change into the climate and soil conditions of another region. Example and explanation: An example of a transition zone is the Mixed forest vegetation region. This region is located between the Boreal and Taiga forest region and the Deciduous forest region. The Mixed forest vegetation region is a transition zone because it has the same type of natural vegetation, namely coniferous and deciduous forests, as the two regions that border it In the northern part of the region the climate is similar to that of the Boreal and Taiga forest, while in the southern part of the region the climate is similar to that of the Deciduous forest. The soil in northern parts of this transition zone is similar to the leached, infertile soil of the Boreal and Taiga forest; in southern parts, it resembles the soil of the Deciduous forest. ANALYZE AND APPLY Connections Answers/Resource List 181 11. Copy Fig. 13-18 into your notebook. Complete the chart using the information in this chapter. ANSWER: Vegetation Region Types of Natural Vegetation Temperature Character istics Precipitation Character istics Soil Character istics Tundra • shrubs, mosses, lichens, small flowers • plants mature and bloom very quickly to produce seeds before the cold weather • cold • short growing season • very little precipitation, most areas less than 400 mm • thin soils • permafrost • only the top metre of permafrost thaws in summer • water-logged surface because water cannot drain downward • very little humus in thin layer of topsoil Boreal and Taiga Forest • coniferous trees, e.g , white and black spruce, balsam fir, pine (evergreens), which lose few needles • hardy deciduous trees (poplar and white birch) in southern portion • cold temperatures • short growing season • wet climate • very little humus • shallow topsoil • grey-coloured topsoil • acidic • rainfall and snowmelt wash away soluble minerals • leached soil • infertile and unsuitable for agriculture • few organ isms such as bacteria and earthworms 9. Fig. 13-17 shows the relationship between precipitation and soil fertility in temperate latitudes. Copy the graph in your notebook, and mark the following on it: a) a brown prairie soil b) a lightly leached soil c) a black prairie soil d) a heavily leached soil e) the boundary between wet-climate and dryclimate soils ANSWER: Wet climate soils Dry climate soils A black prairie soil A lightly leached soil A brown prairie soil r 7. Name the Canadian vegetation region which: a) is the largest ANSWER: (p. 148) the Boreal and Taiga forest region b) is the smallest ANSWER: (p. 148) the Deciduous forest region c) is the wettest ANSWER: (p. 148) the West Coast forest region d) is the coldest ANSWER: (p. 148) the Tundra region Chapter 13: Soil and Natural Vegetation 10. "Natural vegetation is usually quite different from plants which people cultivate for food or for use in industry." Explain the differences. ANSWER: Answers will var y, but should include the following main points: • Natural vegetation seeds itself naturally in the wild; cultivated plants are artificially germinated, and often begin life in the controlled conditions of a greenhouse. • Natural vegetation has not been subject to DNA engineering; many cultivated plants have been genetically engineered to make them more colourful, disease-resistant, or unnaturally big. • Unlike cultivated plants, natural vegetation is neither fertilized nor sprayed to control insects and weeds. • Unlike cultivated plants, the land on which natural vegetation grows is not irrigated. • Natural vegetation consists of a mixture of many different species of plants and trees growing together, all of which compete for space, light, moisture, and nutrients; only one species of cultivated plant is grown in a particular field at any given time, which eliminates competition from any other plant species for survival. / I \ A heavily leached soil I \ Soil types Precipitation 182 Chapter 13: Soil and Natural Vegetation Connections Answers/Resource List Temperature Characteristics Vegetation Region Types of Natural Vegetation Mixed Forest • regular, • coniferous • temperate abundant and deciduous climate has trees (spruce, warm summers fir, pine, cedar, and cool hemlock, maple winters beech, ash, oak, • cold winds birch) create a harsh • small shrubs, climate along e.g., junipers the coast of the along the coast Maritime of the Maritime provinces provinces Deciduous Forest Grassland • short grass • Tong grass • deciduous trees (especially hardwood trees such as maple, beech, hickory, ash, black walnut) • long, hot summers • minimum of five months of warm weather • relatively mild winters • cold winters, • droughtresistant short hot summers grasses with root system which forms a sod mat • sagebrush and cactus • trembling aspen, willow, and spruce grow only in river valleys where enough moisture is available • long grass • grains • oil seeds • cold winters, hot summers Precipitation Characteristics • plentiful • very dry • limited rainfall • high evaporation • dry • increased precipitation • just enough rainfall to keep the minerals within easy reach of the grass roots Soil Characteristics Vegetation Region Types of Natural Vegetation Temperature Characteristics Precipitation Characteristics Soil Characteristics • deep, greybrown topsoil rich in minerals • good supply of humus • few soluble minerals are removed from topsoil by leaching • suitable for farming • parkland • long grass dotted with clumps of trees • coniferous trees more common in the north • deciduous trees dominate in the south • cold winters, hot surnmers • more precipitation than grassed area, but less than forested area • transition soil between the rich black soil of long grass and the grey -coloured soil of the Boreal forest • less acidic than Mixed forest because of greater number of deciduous trees • more humus than Mixed forest • humus-rich topsoil is dark brown • some soluble minerals leached from topsoil by abundant rain • most fertile soil of eastern Canada • limited amount of humus • calcified soils • unsuitable for crops • suitable for grazing cattle and other animals • large amounts of humus that result in rich black soil • richest soil in Canada • produces some of the best grains in the world Cordilleran Vegetation West Coast Forest • vegetation varies greatly due to varying temperatures and precipitation • grasses and cactuses in dry, hot valleys on the east side of mountains • coniferous forests on lower slopes where precipitation is heavier • meadows of flowers and shrubs similar to Tundra vegetation on higher slopes above tree line • no vegetation on the very highest slopes 12. a) Using Fig. 13-5 and 12-21, p. 143, match each vegetation region to the corresponding climate region. ANSWER: (pp. 148, 143) Vegetation Region Corresponding Climate Regions Tundra Arctic West Coast forest Pacific Maritime Cordilleran vegetation Cordilleran and wet, and encourages the growth of deciduous and coniferous trees. The dry climate of the Prairies does not encourage the growth of trees, but the grass grows abun dantly. North of the Prairies, the Boreal and Taiga forest region has climate conditions that are harsher than those in the Mixed forest and Grassla nd regions. These conditions prevent deciduous trees from growing, but the coniferous trees still survive. Farther north, where temperatures are even colder, the coniferous trees begin to thin out, until they gradually disappear. Above the tree line is the Tundra where only small shrubs, moss, and lichen grow close to the ground, between patches of bare rock. In Arctic areas of the Tundra, there is nothing but snow and ice. Boreal and Taiga forest Boreal, Taiga, and Atlantic Maritime • warmer in the valleys than high in the mountains • dry, hot valleys on east side of mountains • temperatures get colder with elevation • temperate • mild climate rain forest (lush forests of Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, red cedar, western hemlock) • trees more than 1 m in diameter, and over 50 m high • heavier rainfall on west side of mountains • drier on the east side of mountains • heavier precipitation on lower slopes • snow and ice on the very highest slopes • soils of all types • soils change completely within a short distance • soil type determined by elevation, slope, rainfall, and vegetation cover • in dry, hot valleys on east side of mountains, soils are similar to those in short grasslands • irrigation is often required for agriculture • grey -coloured soils under coniferous forests • Tundra soils and bare rock on higher slopes above tree line • heavy rainfall • lush vegetation provides a lot of plant material to make humus • minerals leached deep into the soil Chapter 13: Soil and. Natural Vegetation Connections Answers/Resource List 183 Grassland Prairie Mixed forest primarily Southeastern and Atlantic Maritime Southeastern Deciduous forest b) The mixed forest and the deciduous forest regions are found in the same climate region. Explain how two vegetation regions can both occur in the same climate region. ANSWER: In the Southeastern climate region, the summers are relatively long and hot, the winters cool, and the precipitation plentiful. These conditions are ideal for deciduous trees, e.g., maple, beech, hickory, ash, and black walnut, because they need at least five months of warm weather to store up energy in their roots and trunk to survive the winter. Coniferous trees also find the conditions of the Southeastern climate ideal. They can survive the warm summers, and thrive on the abundant precipitation.They can withstand the relatively mild winters because they have characteristics that enable them to survive in the harsh, northern conditions of the Boreal and Taiga climate. We therefore find deciduous trees from the Mixed and Deciduous forest regions, and coniferous trees from the Mixed forest region, throughout the Southeastern climate region. 13. "If you climb up a mountain, you will find a similar sequence of vegetation to that you would find if you travelled from southern Canada to the high Arctic." Explain why this is a valid statement. ANSWER: Answers will vary, but the explanation should be in a logical form similar to the following answer. As you climb up a mountain, the temperature decreases. With every increase in altitude, the air becomes colder. The change in the mountains climate has a direct effect on the type of vegetation growing up the mountain side. The warmer temperatures at the bottom encourage the growth of deciduous and coniferous trees and abundant groundcover in the form of grass, small plants, and shrubs. Higher up, the deciduous trees start to disappear because they cannot survive the colder temperatures. As the climate becomes even colder, the groundcover and shrubs begin to disappear. The coniferous trees begin to thin out, and gradually disappear. All that remains is moss, and very small plants growing between patches of bare rock. A snow cap sits on the very top of the mountain all year. As you travel from southern Canada to the high Arctic, the climate becomes colder. It affects the vegetation in the same way that an increasingly colder climate affects the vegetation growing up a mountain side. The weather in the Southeastern climate region of southern Canada is warm 1'84 English as a Second Language Activity, TSP blackline master p. 186 A.1.G;2.D;3.J;4.F;5.K;6.H;7A;8.B;9.E;10.I B. 1. infertile; 2. plentiful; 3. leached; 4. lush; 5. mild; 6. natural; 7 moist; 8. coniferous; 9. evaporates; 10. densely CHAPTER RESOURCE LIST Books and Booklets Attenborough, David. The Living Planet. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1984. Bastedo, Jamie. Reaching North: A Celebration of the Subarctic. Red Deer, Alta.: Red Deer College Press, 1998. ISBN 0889951705 Colpitts, Mark C. Forest Soils of New Brunswick. Ottawa: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, 1995. 96-06493/1 Eastern Canadian Boreal and Sub-arctic Wetlands: A Resource Document. Ottawa: Environment Canada, Atmospheric Environment Service, 1991. ISBN 0662184734 Lawford, Richard G., Paul Alaback, Eduardo Fuentes, eds. High-Latitude Rainforests and Associated Ecosystems of the West Coast of the Americas: Climate, Hydrology, Ecology, and Conservation. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1996. ISBN 0387944877 Ruitenberg, Arie A., and Clay Douglas, eds. Geology, Soils and Climate of Fundy National Park and Its Greater Ecosystem: the Effects on Vegetation. Alma, NB: Department of Canadian Heritage, Fundy National Park, 1996. FUN/96-08 Shields, J.A. et al. Soil Landscapes of Canada: Procedures, Manual and User's Handbook. Ottawa: Agriculture Canada, 1991, no.1868. ISBN 0662188268 Sims, R.A. Forest Site Classification iii Canada: A Current Perspective. Ottawa: Forestry Canada, Science and Sustainable Development Directorate, 1992. F042174/1992E Chapter 13: Soil and Natural Vegetation C o n n e c t i o n s Answers/Resource List