Page 639 - Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography 4th Canadian Edition

Canadian System of Soil Classification (CSSC) (p. 583) order (p. 583)
great group (p. 583)
subgroup (p. 583)
family (p. 583)
series (p. 583) Brunisolic (p. 584) Chernozemic (p. 586) Cryosolic (p. 588) Gleysolic (p. 588) Luvisolic (p. 588) Organic (p. 588) Podzolic (p. 588) Regosolic (p. 589) Solonetzic (p. 590) Vertisolic (p. 596)
14. Why did Canada adopt its own system of soil clas- sification? Describe a brief history of events that led up to the modern CSSC system.
15. Which soil order is associated with the development of a bog? Account for the use of bog “soil” (peat) as a low-grade fuel.
16. Describe the podsolization process occurring in northern coniferous forests. What are the surface horizons like? What management strategies might enhance productivity in these soils? Name the soil order for these areas.
17. Compare and contrast Interior Plains soils with those of the southeastern Canadian Shield.
18. What processes inhibit soil development in the ex- treme north? Explain.
19. Briefly describe what you found on the Soil Land- scapes of Canada (SLC) Web site. Try the SLC Inter- net Mapping feature for your specific area or region (atlas.agr.gc.ca/agmaf/index_eng.html#context= soil-sol_en.xml).
20. Which of the 10 soil orders is characteristic of the area where you live?
Chapter 18 The Geography of Soils 603
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visualanalysis 18 Soil as a fuel
An Organic soil profile (Histosol in the U.S. Soil Taxonomy) on Mainland Island in the Orkneys, north of Scotland. The inset photo shows drying blocks of peat, used as fuel. Note the fibrous texture of the sphagnum moss growing on the surface and the darkening layers with depth in the soil profile as the peat is compressed and chemically altered. Peat beds, often more than 2 m thick, can be cut by hand with a spade into blocks, which are then dried, baled, and sold as a soil amendment. Once dried, the peat blocks burn hot and smoky. Peat is the first stage in the natural formation of lignite, an interme- diate step toward coal. The Histosols that formed in lush swamp environments in the Carboniferous Period (359 to 299 million years ago) eventually un- derwent coalification to become coal deposits.
1. Describe what you see in the soil horizon in
the photo. What are the apparent texture and structure, coloration, and markings from cutting blades? What are the bricks cut from the peat bed? What is peat?
2. Based on the information, would you consider this a satisfactory fuel?
3. How do soil profiles like this relate to coal?
[Bobbé Christopherson.]