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What you should know by the end of this lesson:
What you should know by the end of this lesson:
Understand the factors affecting the formation of Gley Soil
Be able to draw a fully annotated Gley Profile
Digital Workbook and Paper Jotter
Collect the Gley A4 Sheet
This can be used as a template and completed in your jotter or written on
Use the information to complete this sheet with an
The annotated diagram on one side
Soil formation factors on the other.
Complete the Check Your Learning section at the end
Where are Gleys found?
Where are Gleys found?
Gley soils account for around 34% of soil coverage in Scotland. Gley soils are found in permafrost regions of Europe, with large formations in parts of Russia, Greenland and Canada.
Gley - soil formation
Gley - soil formation
Vegetation: Cold temperatures & waterlogging mean there is limited vegetation, mostly mosses and lichens. This will only decay partially creating a black acid humus
Organisms (Biota): Cold temperatures means very few worms or organisms exist allowing for very little bacterial action
Relief: Normally found at the base of slopes where large amounts of water runoff creating waterlogging
Climate:
Temperatures are rarely above 0oC, this means the soil remains frozen for most of the year. In summer the surface thaws due to temperatures above 0oC but meltwater cannot drain due to permafrost
Alternative freezing/thawing mixes soil, less defined horizons
Parent Material: Variable coastal sand/glacial till creating blue/grey layer
Drainage: Permafrost prevents drainage creating marshy waterlogged conditions
Annotated Soil Profile
Annotated Soil Profile
Annotated Soil Profile
Annotated Soil Profile
Precipitation > Evaporation
Found at the bottom of gentle slopes creates waterlogging
Location - Most extensive soil cover in Scotland.
Grasses/shrubs with short roots or grasses no soil mixing
Climate – relatively cold. Precipitation > evaporation so some leaching.
Found on gentler slopes where the water does not drain away readily. Gley soil is waterlogged for all or most of the year. Poor drainage giving anaerobic conditions.
Waterlogging creates a chemical reaction and ferrous iron is formed due to the lack of oxygen, creating a bluish-grey colour in the B horizon.
Waterlogging denies the soil the oxygen that the soil organisms need to survive. Very little soil biota.
The organisms left in the soil extract the oxygen they need to survive from the iron compounds and the soil gradually turns grey, blue or green as the oxygen is depleted.
Horizons – well defined Ao, A and B horizons.
A horizon, dark brown/grey colour – B horizon, blue-grey with red mottling (iron compounds).
Parent Material – coastal sand, glacial till, impermeable clay.
Well done you have finished lesson 5 of Biosphere
Well done you have finished lesson 5 of Biosphere
Return to the topic launch page and attempt the lesson quiz
Return to the topic launch page and attempt the lesson quiz
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