Deck 10: Global Soils

Question 1

Which of the following types of soil particle is the smallest in size?

A)sand
B)gravel
C)colloids
D)clays
E)silt

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following soils is characterized by high acidity?

A)aridisol
B)inceptisol
C)entisol
D)spodosol
E)vertisol

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Ustolls are a particular type of which of the following soils?

A)mollisol
B)inceptisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following soils would be best described as "poorly developed"?

A)oxisol
B)alfisol
C)vertisol
D)ultisol
E)entisol

Question 5

In which type of soil would you find laterite?

A)ultisol
B)oxisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol

Question 6

Finely divided,partially decomposed organic matter is referred to as:

A)colloids
B)humus
C)sesquioxides
D)regolith
E)litter

Question 7

The proportion of sand,silt and clay in a soil is referred to as the:

A)soil profile
B)soil configuration
C)soil enrichment
D)soil structure
E)soil texture

Question 8

Which of the following types of soil particle is the largest in size?

A)sand
B)gravel
C)colloids
D)clays
E)silt

Question 9

The accumulation of clays in the B horizon is the direct result of which of the following processes?

A)illuviation
B)eluviation
C)salinization
D)humification
E)transformation

Question 10

A soil that has equal parts of sand and silt with a smaller proportion of clay is referred to as a:

A)sandy loam
B)clay loam
C)loam
D)silty clay
E)silt loam

Question 11

Which of the following features differentiates the different forms of Alfisols?

A)degree of development
B)prevailing climate
C)degree of use by humans
D)fertility
E)development of the B horizon

Question 12

Large masses in a soil that are grouped together to form the soil structure are referred to as:

A)epipedons
B)bases
C)colloids
D)peds
E)horizons

Question 13

Which of the following rock types as a parent material would be associated with the process of calcification?

A)granite
B)basalt
C)limestone
D)sandstone
E)conglomerate

Question 14

A soil may be said to be saturated under which of the following conditions?

A)potential evapotranspiration exceeds soil water recharge
B)potential evapotranspiration exceeds actual evapotranspiration
C)actual evapotranspiration exceeds potential evapotranspiration
D)actual evapotranspiration equals potential evapotranspiration
E)actual evapotranspiration is less than potential evapotranspiration

Question 15

Which of the following is not an example of a soil secondary mineral?

A)mineral oxides
B)silicate minerals
C)sesquioxides
D)clay minerals
E)limonite

Question 16

The development of a light-colored,mineral rich A horizon is the direct result of which of the following processes?

A)illuviation
B)eluviation
C)salinization
D)humification
E)transformation

Question 17

A layer of weathered rock upon which a soil may form is referred to as the:

A)bedrock
B)humus
C)colloids
D)litter
E)regolith

Question 18

Which of the following describes the order of soil horizons from the surface downwards?

A)A,E,O,C,B
B)A,O,E,B,C
C)O,A,E,B,C
D)O,E,A,B,C
E)O,A,B,E,C

Question 19

Which of the following features characterizes an argillic horizon?

A)salts
B)calcium carbonate
C)clays
D)sesquioxides
E)silicate minerals

Question 20

An acidic soil would have a pH of ____________;an alkaline soil would have a pH of ___________;a neutral soil would have a pH of ____________.

A)5;9;7
B)6;8;9
C)9;8;7
D)3;4;5
E)1;2;3

Question 21

The term _______________ describes all forms of mineral matter that are suitable for transformation into soil.

A)wasted material
B)rock and gravel
C)parent material
D)bedrock
E)sill

Question 22

In which of the following soils is the original parent material comprised largely of volcanic ash?

A)vertisol
B)entisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol

Question 23

Which of the following soils lacks distinctive horizons,is found in tropical regions and has a marked red color?

A)inceptisol
B)vertisol
C)histosol
D)oxisol
E)spodosol

Question 24

Which of the following soils is most similar to an oxisol

A)entisol
B)inceptisol
C)histosol
D)ultisol
E)spodosol

Question 25

Colloids are important to soil formation because ____________________.

A)they allow for easy transportation of water
B)they allow for breaks in the soil so that water and gases can travel through it
C)they attract base ions which act as nutrients for plants
D)of their positive charge which allows them to attract acidic compounds
E)they are a key source of moisture

Question 26

_________________ are quite closely related to the Oxisols in outward appearance and environment of origin.But lacking in mineral content and high in clay.

A)Spodosols
B)Ultisols
C)Mollisols
D)Aridisols
E)Andisols

Question 27

Which of the following soils is dominated by clays that as they swell and contract mix the soil from within?

A)entisol
B)histosol
C)vertisol
D)ultisol
E)spodosol

Question 28

________,soils of the desert climate,are dry for long periods of time.

A)Spodosols
B)Mollisols
C)Vertisols
D)Aridisols
E)Histosols

Question 29

Colloid surfaces tend to be positively charged and thus attract negatively charged ions.

Question 30

If clay minerals can hold abundant base ions,the soil is of low base status and is generally less fertile.

Question 31

Which of the following soils would you find associated with the extensive grasslands of the Prairies?

A)mollisol
B)inceptisol
C)ultisol
D)spodosol
E)entisol

Question 32

Which of the following soils would be most likely to accumulate calcium and salts?

A)vertisol
B)entisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol

Question 33

______________ typically form under grass and savanna vegetation in subtropical and tropical climates with a pronounced dry season.

A)Vertisols
B)Spodosols
C)Mollisols
D)Aridisols
E)Ultisols

Question 34

Which of the following soils would you find associated with a peat bog

A)mollisol
B)inceptisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol

Question 35

Which of the following soil has a very high content of organic matter in a thick,dark upper layer?

A)vertisol
B)entisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol

Question 36

Which of the following soils would you expect to find in a constantly changing environment such as floodplain?

A)inceptisol
B)oxisol
C)histosol
D)ultisol
E)spodosol

Question 37

_____________ are soils in which more than half of the parent mineral matter is volcanic ash.This soil has a high carbon content so appears very dark in color.

A)Oxisols
B)Andisols
C)Alfisols
D)Enitsols
E)Spodisols

Question 38

The display of horizons on a cross section through the soil is termed a _________________.

A)soil profile
B)soil strata chart
C)soil layer
D)soil condition
E)none of the above

Question 39

Which of the following soils is normally the least fertile?

A)mollisol
B)inceptisol
C)ultisol
D)spodosol
E)entisol

Question 40

Red soils generally are created by the presence of _________.

A)silica
B)alumina
C)magnesium
D)iron oxide
E)peat

Question 41

The epipedon and a subsurface horizon formed by the accumulation or removal of matter are referred to as the diagnostic horizons.

Question 42

Using an annotated graph,describe the general soil water budget of your location.Identify the times of the year when water shortages and water surpluses occur.

Question 43

Describe the nature of soil texture and explain its role in a soil water budget

Question 44

Entisols and inceptisols are two examples of soils with well-developed horizons.

Question 45

Although undeveloped entisols and inceptisols may in some cases be quite fertile.

Question 46

Humus is finely divided,partially decomposed organic matter that either rests on the soil surface or is mixed through the soil.

Question 47

The higher the temperature the slower the decay process of organic soil components.

Question 48

Compare and contrast the different orders of poorly developed soils,and examine the reasons for their differences.

Question 49

A subsurface horizon in an ultisol has yet to be exposed at the surface and hardened is referred to as plinthite.

Question 50

Using an annotated diagram,describe a generalized soil profile and label the horizons.Point out the parts of the profile where various soil processes dominate,such as eluviation,illuviation and humification.

Question 51

Vertisols tend to have a neutral pH,and are high in base status with organic matter distributed evenly through the soil.

Question 52

Argillic horizons are characteristic of oxisols,alfisols and mollisols.

Question 53

Describe the soils most commonly in equatorial regions and explain the reasons for their differences.

Question 54

Storage withdrawal in a soil water budget is represented by the difference between the water-use curve and the precipitation curve.

Question 55

Using examples,compare and contrast the characteristics and origins of B horizons in a selection of tropical and mid-latitude soils.

Question 56

Using an annotated diagram,describe the soil common to your location in its natural state.How has agriculture changed these soils?

Question 57

Describe and explain the role of colloids and soil pH in the retention of soil nutrients.

Question 58

Soils that form from parent material that is comprised largely of volcanic ash are referred to as vertisols.

Question 59

Describe and explain the problems associated with agricultural irrigation of aridisols.What safeguards are necessary to prevent damage to the soil.

Question 60

Describe the major factors in soil and soil development,and explain their differing role in a selection of soil orders.