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Deciduous Tree

Unit 5 - Soil Systems & Terrestrial Food Production Systems & Societies

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Globe Showing Europe Africa

Unit 1 - Foundations Of Environmental Systems & Societies

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Herb

Unit 2 - Ecosystems & Ecology

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Flexed Biceps

Unit 3 - Biodiversity & Conservation

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Writing Hand

Unit 4 -Water & Aquatic Food Production Systems & Societies

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Cloud

Unit 6 - Atmospheric Systems & Societies

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Thermometer

Unit 7 - Climate Change & Energy Production

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Briefcase

Unit 8 - Human Systems & Resource Use

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Bar-Chart

Internal Assessment

Think of soil as a multi-layered sponge cake! The ingredients (water, minerals, and particles) move through the layers in cool ways! Let&#39;s dive in!

<ul>
	<li>Definition: Leaching is like when you make tea! ☕️ Imagine pouring hot water over tea leaves, and the color and flavor of the leaves trickle down into your cup. Similarly, leaching refers to the downward movement of stuff in the soil, specifically soluble materials and teeny-tiny particles like clay and humus (the organic stuff, not the yummy dip).</li>
	<li>What happens due to leaching?
	<ul>
		<li>🚫 Eluvial Horizon: The &quot;Exit&quot; zone. This is where things like minerals are removed from.</li>
		<li>✅ Illuvial Horizon: The &quot;I&#39;ll-take-it&quot; zone. This is where the materials end up and are deposited.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>
	Arid &amp; Semi-arid Environments (think of places like the Sahara desert):

	<ul>
		<li>The Thirsty Ground Scenario: Here, the rate at which water is lost through evapotranspiration (plants breathing out water + direct evaporation) is greater than the rate of incoming rain. It&#39;s like if you drank a cup of water but sweat out two cups. You&#39;d be thirsty, right? 🥤</li>
		<li>The soil gets creative! Instead of moving water downward (like in leaching), the water goes upwards towards the surface, pulled by the capillary action. It&rsquo;s like using a straw in your drink: the liquid moves up!</li>
		<li>However, the catch? This upward movement often means not much leaching. Only wild, rare storms might cause some significant leaching.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>
	When things get extreme: If the soil is super thirsty (lots of evapotranspiration), things can get crusty. 🍞

	<ul>
		<li>Salinization: Think of when you go swimming in the sea and after drying, you feel the salt on your skin. Similarly, when there&#39;s too much evapotranspiration, sodium or calcium can form a crust on the soil surface.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Arid &amp; Semi-Arid Regions: Imagine the dry regions of Australia or parts of Africa. When there&#39;s less rainfall and scorching sun, the water in the soil starts moving up. But sometimes, after rare intense storms, you&#39;ll see a sudden flush of leaching.</li>
	<li>Salinization: Some farmers over-irrigate their lands without proper drainage. This can lead to waterlogging and then heavy evaporation, leaving the soil saltier than a bag of chips! This makes it super hard for crops to grow and can turn productive land into barren patches.</li>
</ul>

✨ Happy Studying! Soil isn&#39;t just dirt; it&#39;s a fascinating world of its own! 🌱✨

Soil's Water Journey: Leach, Rise & Crust!

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Standard Level

Environmental Systems & Societies SL

Unit 5 - Soil Systems & Terrestrial Food Production Systems & Societies

Soil's Water Journey: Leach, Rise & Crust!

Table of content

Water movement in soils 🌊

1️⃣ Leaching 🚿

Unlock the Full Content!

Unit 5 - Soil Systems & Terrestrial Food Production Systems & Societies

Soil's Water Journey: Leach, Rise & Crust!

Table of content

Water movement in soils 🌊

1️⃣ Leaching 🚿

Unlock the Full Content!