Why Is the Humus Layer Typically Thicker in a Cool

question 52

Multiple Choice

Why is the humus layer typically thicker in a cool, temperate, forest soil than in a tropical rainforest soil?

• A)Less humus is produced in the tropical rainforest because the B horizon is so poorly developed.
• B)Less humus is produced in the cool, temperate forest but the rate of decay and oxidation is slower than in a tropical rainforest.
• C)More humus is produced in the tropical rainforest, but it is quickly washed away by the heavy rains.
• D)In a tropical rainforest, the forest-floor litter is often burned during the dry season.

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Definitions:

James Hutton

Often referred to as the "Father of Modern Geology," he was an 18th-century Scottish scientist who proposed the principle of uniformitarianism.

Siccar Point

Siccar Point is a prominent geological site in Scotland known for its angular unconformity between older, tilted layers of rock and younger, horizontal layers.

Unconformity

A boundary where two different layers of rock meet, signifying a time when erosion occurred or new layers were not formed.

Original Horizontality

The principle that most sediments and many volcanic units are deposited in layers that originally are more or less horizontal.