Soils     Students are expected to:

2004 AREA  IV  ENVIROTHON  SOILS  TEST  STUDY  GUIDE  (12-24-03)

The following list of topics is a summary of key terms, soil interpretive tables, narrative sections and soil map unit and series descriptions from the Soil Survey of Miami County which participants in the 2004 Envirothon Competition should concentrate their study time to prepare for the soils questions on the test.

A few pages taken from the web site:  http://soils.usda.gov/use/

Key soil types:  The following soil types should be reviewed:   Remember the Soil Survey is a reference book.  Participants should be familiar with the soil map unit descriptions (beginning on page 50) for the following map units:  CeB, ElA, EmA, ElB2, Gn, MhB, and Mk; and the soil series descriptions (beginning on page 50 of the Soil Survey) for the following soils:  Celina, Eldean, Genesee,  Miamian, and Montgomery.  The type of information given in these descriptions is set up systematically.  The information is given in the same order in each description.  For example, the "included soils" are listed in the second paragraph of the map unit descriptions.  Once a person knows this, they can locate it much more quickly.

Soil Interpretive Data:  The soil map units' suitability for land uses covered in the tables should be familiar to the participant.  For example, what information is in the various columns of the tables?  Know where to find it!  The first step, look up the appropriate table needed in the "Summary of Tables" on page "iii".   The tables listed below will be most useful for this event:  Tables numbered:  1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.   Learn what these interpretations may be used for, and how to efficiently refer to them.

Narrative sections of the "Soil Survey":  The Table of "Contents" lists all the narrative sections in the report.   For example,  the section entitled, "Formation of Soils" begins on page 89.   The narrative sections and the page numbers in the report on which they begin which will be most useful on this event are listed below:   Descriptions of the Soils p. 50

    Geology and topography p.  89 and 90; 

    General soil map units……   p.  2

    Use and management of soils   p.  5

    Crops and pasture  p.  5

    Capability grouping  p. 6

    Woodland   p. 15

    Wildlife   p. 16

    Management  for special crops  p.  6

    Soils and land use planning …  p.  38

    Factors of soil formation  p. 89

    Parent Material  p. 89

    Living organisms  p. 89

The following terminology will be useful on this event:  found in the "Glossary":

Aggregate, soil

     Available water capacity                       Lacustrine deposit                      Terrace

          Alluvium                                               Leaching                                    Upland

              Calcareous soil                                        Loess                                        Water table

                  Clay                                                         Moraine

                      Clay film                                                   Mottling, soil

                          Complex                                                    Organic matter

                              Drainage class                                           Parent material

                                  Eluviation                                                  Permeability

                                      Flood plain                                                Root zone

                                          Infiltration rate                                            Profile, soil

                                               Glacial outwash                                         Series, soil

                                                    Glacial till                                                   Solum

                                                         Horizon                                                       Structure, soil

                                                              Texture, soil                                                 Substratum                                                          

AREA  IV  ENVIROTHON  SOILS  TEST  STUDY GUIDE                          Page 2

A few of these terms will appear in the "narrative sections" listed above.  If so, pay extra attention to this information. 

Map unit descriptions:  When studying these descriptions you will notice the following general contents: 

      In paragraph # 1      --  land form, typical size of map units, etc

           Paragraph #2      --  included soils

           Paragraph  #3     --  a discussion of key soil properties important to land use

           Paragraph  #4     --  potential for farming and other land uses

The following web sites will also be helpful:  on hydric soils: http://soils.usda.gov/use/hydric/

 (1)  Then click on Hydric Soils Technical Notes, "Hydric Soils Tech Note 1:",  (2) "Definition"

The following web site will be helpful on soil quality:  http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/

(1)     Scroll to "What is Soil Quality", then scroll down to "Managing for Soil Quality"  (print pages 1 through 4 of the 6 total pages for reference)

(2)     Then go back to “Glossary of Soil Quality Terms", then look for:  "SOM" and "Three general pools"  (print pages 3 to 6 of the 6 total pages for reference)

(3)   From the soil quality home page, under “about soil Quality” click on “Related Sites”, scroll down to NRCS, “Urban Soils”, “technical resources”, Urban Technical Notes”, then click on the link http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/soil_quality/land_management/urban.html.  Study pages 1 through 5.

Good luck on your preparations for the 2004 Area IV Envirothon!

George Derringer, Resource Soil Scientist, NRCS, Troy, Ohio