B horizon
- noun
- Specialized
- The B horizon often contains more clay than the layers above it.
Examples
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Organic matter is sometimes transported from the topsoil down into the B horizon.
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Farmers study the B horizon to understand drainage and soil fertility.
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The B horizon is crucial for soil fertility.
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Farmers often analyze the B horizon for nutrient content.
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Farmers study the B horizon to understand drainage and soil fertility.
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Organic matter is sometimes transported from the topsoil down into the B horizon.
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The B horizon often contains more clay than the layers above it.
Synonyms
1
5.4
A layer of soil under the topsoil and above the rock that has less plant material and more minerals
1
6.7
A layer of soil below the topsoil and above the rock under the ground
A soil layer below the top layer that holds minerals and dead plant material carried down
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase simply combines the letter label 'B' with 'horizon' (a soil layer), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a particular labeled soil layer. However, the detailed sense—that it lies beneath the A horizon and is characterized by mineral/organic accumulation—relies on disciplinary convention (soil-profile labeling) and is not fully predictable from the constituents alone.
Etymology
B horizon comes from the way people study soil: they see soil as layers and use the letter B for the second layer while horizon was used like the word 'layer'. So B horizon means the soil layer under the topsoil where minerals and organic matter collect.