Soil and Nutrients exam Flashcards

A dynamic mixture of minerals, organic matter, and living organisms essential for plant growth.

Nutrients needed in large quantities by plants, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Nutrients needed in smaller quantities but still essential for plant life, such as iron and zinc.

The process by which plants exchange protons for nutrient cations like magnesium and calcium in the soil.

A type of soil with equal proportions of sand, silt, and clay, enriched with humus.

A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of soil, which influences nutrient absorption.

Decaying organic matter in soil that adds nutrients and improves soil structure.

They increase the surface area for water and nutrient absorption in plants.

The ability of the plasma membrane to control which substances can enter or leave the cell.

The process by which wind and water carry soil away from a place.

A positively charged ion.

A negatively charged ion.

They create electrochemical gradients that allow ions to enter through transporters.

The outermost layer of soil, rich in humus and microorganisms.

It affects water retention, nutrient availability, and root penetration.

The process by which plants take up nutrients from the soil, primarily through root hairs.

Layers of soil that vary in composition and color, extending from the surface to bedrock.

The ability of soil to exchange cations, higher in humus than in clay.

They move soil around, cycle nutrients, and improve soil's ability to retain gases and water.

Soil with a low pH, often found in conifer forests due to decaying organic matter.

Soil with a high pH, often resulting from the presence of limestone or calcium carbonate.

The loss of nutrients from the soil through the movement of water.

The process by which plants filter harmful ions and prevent them from entering cells.

Proteins that bind to metals and prevent them from poisoning the plant.

Nutrients that can be transported around the plant, often moving to younger leaves.

Nutrients that remain in the location where they were absorbed, often leading to deficiencies in older leaves.

The area behind the root tip where most nutrient absorption occurs due to the presence of root hairs.

A difference in proton concentration across a membrane, used by plants to facilitate ion transport.

It forces ions to cross a membrane, acting as a filter to control what enters the plant's vascular system.