Forest Soils
Forests used to cover the
Eastern half of the United
States, and most of
southern Canada.
Most forests are not too hot, or not too
cold, and have moderate amounts of
precipitation.
ALFISOL
Moderately Weathered
SPODOSOL
Sandy, Acidic
There are two main types of forests.
Pine forests have ashy white layers (E
horizons) and are called Spodosols.
Deciduous forests
have soils called
alfisols, and are
not as leached. But
clay accumulates
in the SUBSOIL.
There are a lot of
organisms in the woods.
Like salamanders,
chipmunks, squirrels, and
deer.
There are a lot of TREES,
mosses, fungi and
bacteria.
The BIGGEST organism on the Earth is
actually a FUNGUS in a temperate
forest!
Can you think of a place that relief
would be steep?
Forests are Important to the Carbon Cycle
CO2 from
Atmosphere
CO2 from
Respiration
CO2 from
Respiration
CO2 from
Respiration
Tree Roots
Bacteria
Worms
Soil Carbon from Living Sources
Fallen
Leaves
Animal
Waste
Dead
Animals
Soil Carbon from Dead Sources
Temperate forests store carbon in trees and soils,
which keeps it from being released into the air.
CLEAR CUTTING is removing all trees
at once.
Why could this be a problem?
FORESTS are FILTERS.
PLANTS and SOILS
work together to
remove germs, extra
nutrients, and other
pollutants from the
WATER.
Vocabulary
•
•
•
•
E Horizon (eluviated)
Subsoils
Fungus
Leaching
Vocabulary
• Spodosols – acidic, sandy forest soils under
conifers
• Alfisols - moderately leached soils often found
in temperate forests
• Respiration – animals breathing in and out
generate carbon dioxide
• Carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas