MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
1
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ii.
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iv.
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2
Describe in detail how the following parameters affect soil formation:
Climate
Organisms
Topography
Parent material
Time.
5 marks
5 marks
5 marks
5 marks
5 marks
Of the five soil forming factors, which ones determine:
I)
II)
III)
Rate of reaction in soils
Initial state of soil development
Extend to which a reaction would have proceeded
4 marks
4 marks
2 marks
3
a) Draw a soil profile and label the regolith, the solum, A, B and O horizons
5 marks
B)
As an example, suppose students took three soil samples for bulk density and soil particle
density for each horizon at University Farm. After performing the Bulk Density and Soil
Particle Density Protocols, they determined:
Bulk Density:
Mass of dry soil = 395 g
Total soil volume = 300 cm3
Calculate Bulk density in kg/m3
3 marks
Particle Density:
Mass of dry soil = 25.1 g
Volume of dry soil = 9.5 mL
Calculate particle density of the soil in kg/m3
2 marks