1) Soil Science Ss 121 Dr. Will Cal Poly Final Quiz Questions

Front 1

T/F Liebig's law of the minimum states that plant growth can be no greater than that level allowed by the growth factor present in the highest amount

Back 1

False

Front 2

T/F Cold temperatures reduce plant nutrient uptake because of reduced water uptake by plant

Back 2

true

Front 3

T/F The element potassium helps plants adapt to environmental stresses

Back 3

true

Front 4

T/F Mineralization is the conversion of NH4+ ions to organic forms in microbial and plant cells

Back 4

False

Front 5

Which of these is not a 2:1 clay?
-Kaolinite
-Montmorrillonite
-Vermiculite
-Illite

Back 5

Kaolinite

Front 6

What is not a way of measuring the salts in a soil?
-ESP
-SAR
-GSD
-EC

Back 6

GSD

Front 7

What is not a method for salt remediation?
-adding gypsum
-varying management practices
-irrigating with clean water
-using fertilizers such as CAN

Back 7

using fertilizers such as CAN

Front 8

Which colloid has the highest CEC?
-sesquioxide
-Vermiculite
-Montmorillonite
-Humus
-Hydrous Oxide

Back 8

Humus

Front 9

An autotroph is:
-An organism that gets energy from the sun
-An organism that gets energy from decomposition
-A microbe that feeds on roots
-A nematode that eats protozoa

Back 9

An organism that gets energy from the sun

Front 10

Fungi are predominantly found in:
-grasslands
-forests
-Rangeland
-Steppe systems

Back 10

Forests

Front 11

What does an earthworm not do for the soil?
-add topsoil
-Enhance plant yield
-Decompose surface litter
-Excrete ethylene

Back 11

Excrete ethylene

Front 12

Which is not true about the Rhizosphere?
-Exude organic matter
-Site of concentrated microflora
-Only area in which roots can grow
-Area of influence from the roots to the soil

Back 12

-Only area in which roots can grow

Front 13

Which is a factor not effecting soil microorganisms?
-Temperature
-Moisture
-A person standing on a soil
-Oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane gas ratios

Back 13

-a person standing on a soil

Front 14

Which is a mycorrhizae fungi?
-Borathean
-Heliuumth
-Ectomycorrhiza
-Rhizobium

Back 14

-Ectomycorhiza

Front 15

Soil factor that does not reduce plant nutrient uptake.
-Compaction
-tillage
-Moisture
-Temperature

Back 15

-Tillage

Front 16

The principle climatic factors influencing soil formation are _________ and _________.
-Air currents, hours of sunlight
-Burrowers, insects
-Temperature, precipitation
-Organic matter, foliage

Back 16

-Temperature, precipitation

Front 17

Soils become acid because ___________ is continuously being formed in the soil.
-Methane
-Carbonic acid
-Root hairs
-Sulfate

Back 17

-Carbonic acid

Front 18

When soil temperature increases, the rate of biochemical reactions in the soil.
-Is not influenced
-Decreases
-Increases

Back 18

-Increases

Front 19

The process by which earthworms, ants move soil up and down in the soil profile is called.
-Cryoturbation
-Pedoturbation
-Geochemical weathering
-transformation
-None of the above

Back 19

Pedoturbation

Front 20

Hydrogen bonding that links water molecules to surfaces of soil particles is called.
-Coehesion
-Polarity
-Cation exchange capacity
-Adhesion

Back 20

Adhesion

Front 21

T/F Fine-textured soils have lower total pore space than coarse-textured soils.

Back 21

False

Front 22

T/F The more water in the soil, the lower potential energy it has, and the greater is its ability to move.

Back 22

False

Front 23

Which is not typical of a phosphorus deficiency?
-Stunted growth
-Weak stems
-Bluish green coloring
-Sparse flowering

Back 23

-Weak stems

Front 24

Which of these processes does not come from or go into a nitrogen gas form?
-Denitrification
-N-Fixation
-Nitrification
-Volatilization

Back 24

-Nitrification

Front 25

What is not a form of readily available potassium?
-K+ in between 2:1 sheets
-K+ ions in water
-K+ on CEC sites

Back 25

-K+ in between 2:1 sheets

Front 26

T/F Liebig’s law of the minimum states that plant growth can be no greater than that level allowed by the growth factor present in the highest amount

Back 26

False

Front 27

T/F Cold temperatures reduce plant nutrient uptake because of reduced water uptake by plant

Back 27

True

Front 28

T/F The element potassium helps plants adapt to environmental stresses

Back 28

True

Front 29

T/F Mineralization is the conversion of NH4+ ions to organic forms in microbial and plant cells

Back 29

False

Front 30

Sulfate is leached from the soil unless there is _______ exchange capacity

Back 30

anion

Front 31

The conversion of NO3- ions to gaseous forms of N by facultative anaerobic bacteria is called __________

Back 31

Denitrification

Front 32

Excess nutrient levels in lakes and slow moving streams may result in _________

Back 32

Eutrophication

Front 33

The element _________ is found in ATP, DNA, RNA, and cellular membranes of plants

Back 33

Phosphorus

Front 34

The plants nutrient ________ comes from weathering of carbonate minerals and liming materials

Back 34

Calcium

Front 35

________ is the most commonly deficient micronutrient, is more available under acid conditions, and is absorbed by humus

Back 35

boron

Front 36

H ions that cuase soil acidity come from
-Carbonic acid formed in soil and in rain
-Organic acids from microbial breakdown of OM
-Oxidation of ammonium (nitrification)
-All of the above

Back 36

-all of the above

Front 37

T/F Al toxicity is the most common and severe problem for plants and microoorganisms in soil with pH 5 and below

Back 37

true

Front 38

T/F Plant nutrients are most available between pH 6.5 and 7.5

Back 38

-false

Front 39

Two anions added in liming materials to consume H ions are _______ and ______.

Back 39

CO3- and OH-, SiO3(2-)

Front 40

T/F Soils with a higher buffer capacity require more lime to change the pH

Back 40

True

Front 41

T/F Under natural conditions, when the precipitation-to-ET ration is 2.75 or more, salts will accumulate in the soil

Back 41

False

Front 42

T/F In saline soils, plant growth restrained by problems with water uptake

Back 42

True

Front 43

T/F in sodic soils, the dominant cation is Ca

Back 43

False

Front 44

T/F In order to reclaim salt-affected soil it is critical to establish internal drainage if possible

Back 44

true

Front 45

Mechanisms of salt tolerance in plants include
-Exclusion of salt ions from uptake by plant root cells (wheat, barley, rye)
-Excretion of absorbed salts from plant by means of salt glands
-Isolation of salts in cell vacules
-All of the above

Back 45

all of the above