compost - decaying plant and animal material mixed with soil and becomes a source of food for plants.
decompose - when small organisms (ex.–earthworms, voles, moles) in the soil feed on dead plants and animal matter and make simpler materials
earthworms - living creatures in soil which are eat dead and decayed matter to produce rich soil and whose movement in the soil allows for the aeration the roots of plants so they can grow
moles and voles - small mammals with powerful claws for digging and tunneling through soil, which allows for oxygen to reach roots of plants
weathered rock - rock broken down by various forms of weather to help form soil
properties of soil - color, texture, capacity to hold water
sand - a basic component of soil composed of large grains with large spaces between the grains which allows water to pass through it quickly
clay - a basic component of soil with small, closely packed grains which traps water easily causing it to become sticky when wet, and form hard clods when dry
humus - a rich brown or black substance in soil which is partially or completely decayed vegetable or animal matter which provides nutrients for plants and increases the ability of soil to retain water
loam - a type of top soil containing large and small grains with lots of humus and air which allows it to hold water for plants yet drain well
absorb - the different rates at which different soils take up and use water
resource - Material found in nature that living things use
settling - the degree to which soil and water separate from each other after they have been mixed
smear - rubbing a small amount of a moist substance on a flat surface to observe the characteristics of the substance and then determine the type of soil being tested
Plant Growth and Development Vocabulary
botanist - a scientist who studies plants and plant growth
cotyledon - food for the plant to begin to grow
embryo - a tiny underdeveloped plant
seed coat - protects the embryo and cotyledon
germinate - the process by which seeds swell up, begin to sprout and develop a stem and roots