Deck 18: The Geography of Soils

Question 1

The organic rich horizon found at the top of the soil profile is which horizon?

A)A)
B)O)
C)Ae.
D)B)

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Soils will develop at faster rates in which of the following environments?

A)Hot and dry.
B)Cold and dry.
C)Warm and humid.
D)In areas where they can develop directly from bedrock,regardless of climate conditions.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The horizon identified as regolith is which horizon?

A)O)
B)Ae.
C)B)
D)C)

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Regarding soil-formation,which of the following best describes the role of climate?

A)Because all soils are ancient,they show the climatic conditions of the period in which they formed.
B)Of the five principle soil-forming factors,climate is the least significant with little correlation between soil and climates worldwide.
C)Temperature and moisture determine the chemical reactions,organic activity,and water movement within soils.
D)Relative humidity and atmospheric pressure are the dormant climatic factors that influence soil development.

Question 5

The horizon in which leached materials from other horizons is accumulated is which horizon?

A)A)
B)O)
C)Ae.
D)B)

Question 6

Which is the branch of soil science that deals with the origin,classification,distribution,and description of soils?

A)Pedology.
B)Edaphology.
C)Geology.
D)Geomorphology.

Question 7

Which of the following is not one of the five primary soil-forming factors?

A)Topography.
B)Climate.
C)Human activity.
D)Biological activity.

Question 8

Which is the basic sampling unit,in soil surveys representing all the characteristics and variability used for classification?

A)Soil profile.
B)Pedon.
C)Soil horizon.
D)Polypedon.

Question 9

Which is a vertical section of soil that is generally organized into distinct horizontal layers?

A)Soil profile.
B)Pedon.
C)Soil horizon.
D)Polypedon.

Question 10

Which of the following is not a physical property used to distinguish soils?

A)Colour.
B)Texture.
C)Porosity.
D)Temperature.

Question 11

The horizon that is commonly called topsoil is which horizon?

A)A)
B)O)
C)Ae.
D)B)

Question 12

Which is the branch of soil science that studies soil as a medium for sustaining the growth of higher plants?

A)Pedology.
B)Edaphology.
C)Geology.
D)Geomorphology.

Question 13

Where would one likely find the deepest soil development?

A)On steep slopes.
B)Level or nearly level grounds.
C)Moderately sloping,south facing hills.
D)Over the oldest geological formations in an area,regardless of slope.

Question 14

Which of the following soil horizon designations is the correct sequence from the surface to the bedrock?

A)O,Ae,C,B,A.
B)A,B,C,O,R.
C)S,O,I,L.
D)O,A,Ae,B,C.

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the role of biological activity in soil development?

A)Broadleaf trees tend to increase the alkalinity of soil,whereas needleleaf trees increase the acidity.
B)Earthworms increase soil porosity and contribute to soil movement and organic content.
C)Plant roots provide channels for air and water movement in soils.
D)All organisms living in,on,and over the soil,influence soil development and characteristics: they can influence the pH,the organic matter,chemical content,and biological content of soils.

Question 16

Which of the following best describes the composition of soil?

A)Soil is primarily mineral matter (approximately 72%),but also consists of organic matter (10%),and water (18%).
B)Soil consists of approximately 45% organic matter,50% mineral matter,and 5% water and/or air.
C)Soil is composed of about 45% mineral matter,5% organic matter,and 50% pore space containing air and water.
D)Soil includes pebbles,gravel,cobbles,and a varying combination of sands,silts,and clays.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes soil?

A)Soil is composed of solely mineral fragments less than 2 mm in size.
B)Soil lacks biological material.
C)Soil is a renewable resource.
D)Soil is a dynamic natural material composed of water,air,mineral fragments,and organic matter.

Question 18

Which of the following is correct regarding the physical property of soil?

A)Dark soils always indicate high organic content.
B)Despite the importance of colour in describing soils,there is no standard method for standardized descriptions.
C)Soil colour is used solely to determine the moisture content of soil-darker soils have a higher moisture content,whereas lighter soils have less water content.
D)Colour reflects composition and chemical makeup of a soil.

Question 19

The horizon in which water moves fine particles downward in a process called eluviation is which horizon?

A)A)
B)O)
C)Ae.
D)B)

Question 20

Which is a vertical cross section of soil extending from the surface to the deepest extent of plant root activity or to the regolith and bedrock?

A)Pedon.
B)Soil profile.
C)Soil horizon.
D)Polypedon.

Question 21

In soil science,which is the term to describe the cohesion of soil particles?

A)Soil texture.
B)Permeability.
C)Consistence.
D)Soil structure.

Question 22

Which is the smallest natural lump or cluster of soil particles?

A)Horizon.
B)Ped.
C)Profile.
D)Separate.

Question 23

Consider the spacing between different shapes of peds.How do rounded peds compare with respect to plant growth?

A)Rounded peds have less space between them than other peds,and are therefore better for plant growth.
B)Rounded peds have less space between them than other peds,and are therefore worse for plant growth.
C)Rounded peds have more space between them than other peds,and are therefore worse for plant growth.
D)Rounded peds have more space between them than other peds,and are therefore better for plant growth.

Question 24

Which refers to the size and shape of the aggregates of particles of soil?

A)Soil texture.
B)Soil consistence.
C)Soil structure.
D)Soil plasticity.

Question 25

Which is the practice of leaving crop residue on the field between plantings to help prevent soil erosion?

A)Slash and burn agriculture.
B)Swidden.
C)Shifting cultivation.
D)No-till agriculture.

Question 26

Which of the following are examples of soil forming factors?

A)Surface relief,worms and bacteria.
B)Worms,bacteria and lithification.
C)Bacteria,lithification and rainfall.
D)Rainfall,lithification and surface relief.

Question 27

How do carbon dioxide concentrations in soil compare to concentrations in the atmosphere?

A)Carbon dioxide in the soil is lower than in the atmosphere because of transpiration.
B)Carbon dioxide in the soil is lower than in the atmosphere because of plant photosynthesis.
C)Carbon dioxide in the soil is higher than in the atmosphere because of ongoing respiration in the ground.
D)Carbon dioxide in the soil is higher than in the atmosphere because of decay of dead plants and animals.

Question 28

Which is a roughly equal mix of sand,silt,and clay?

A)Humus.
B)Regolith.
C)Solum.
D)Loam.

Question 29

Which best describes acidic soils?

A)These are exceptionally rare.
B)These cause more rapid weathering and leaching of nutrients.
C)These tend to be very fertile and excellent for agriculture purposes.
D)These are high in calcium,magnesium,potassium,and sodium ions.

Question 30

Ped formation enhances which of the following?

A)Soil texture.
B)Permeability.
C)Soil horizons.
D)Plasticity.

Question 31

What do recent compilations of soil data from around the world show?

A)That soil erosion under conventional agriculture exceeds both the rates of soil production and geological erosion rates by several orders of magnitude.
B)That soil erosion,once a problem for all,is now under control in many countries.
C)That soil erosion is greatest in arid countries where there are annual water deficits.
D)That the southern hemisphere has learned to manage soil erosion,while in the northern hemisphere it is still a major problem.

Question 32

A plant that is unable to extract needed water from soil has reached which of the following?

A)Field capacity.
B)Permeability.
C)Wilting point.
D)Porosity.

Question 33

Which is a soil that is 40% sand,40% silt,and 20% clay?

A)Loam.
B)Silty clay.
C)Silt loam.
D)Clay loam.

Question 34

Soil structure can be defined by which of the following?

A)Crumb or granular.
B)Blocky or straight.
C)Prismatic or flat.
D)Platy or compressed.

Question 35

Which is the term used to denote the part of a volume of soil that is filled with air,gases,or water?

A)Soil texture.
B)Porosity.
C)Permeability.
D)Soil structure.

Question 36

Which is the multiyear period of severe wind erosion and soil loss that occurred in the Prairies and Great Plains during the 1930s?

A)Desertification.
B)The Grapes of Wrath.
C)The Black Blizzard.
D)The Dust Bowl.

Question 37

Which is a soil that is 20% sand,60% silt,and 20% clay?

A)Sandy clay.
B)Sandy clay loam.
C)Silt loam.
D)Clay loam.

Question 38

To which does "soil separates" refer?

A)Differing soil colours in a pedon.
B)Individual mineral particles,such as sand,silt,and clay.
C)The different soil horizons.
D)Pebbles,gravel,cobble,and other materials greater than 2 mm in diameter found in soils.

Question 39

A thickness of a few centimetres of prime farmland soil may require how many years to form?

A)10.
B)50.
C)100.
D)500.

Question 40

Why is cation-exchange capacity (CEC)an important soil characteristic?

A)CEC is an indication of the soil permeability; the lower the CEC the higher the permeability.
B)CEC is a measure of soil fertility; the higher the CEC the higher the soil fertility.
C)CEC is an indirect way to measure soil pH; it indicates whether the soil is neutral,alkaline,or acidic.
D)CEC is used to infer soil texture without having to use a soil texture triangle.

Question 41

Where is calcification likely to occur?

A)In areas with Vertisolic soils.
B)In areas with Chernozemic soils.
C)In tropical climate regions.
D)In areas characterized by coniferous forests.

Question 42

In terms of pedogenic regimes,which process results in an accumulation of humus overlaying a thick,water saturated layer of clay in cold,wet climates with poor drainage conditions?

A)Podsolization.
B)Salinization.
C)Calcification.
D)Gleysation.

Question 43

In terms of pedogenic regimes,which is the process that produces an illuviated accumulation of calcium carbonate in continental climates?

A)Laterization.
B)Salinization.
C)Calcification.
D)Podzolization.

Question 44

Which is the phenomenon of desert expansion along the margins of semiarid and arid lands?

A)Deflation.
B)Desertification.
C)Erosion.
D)Permeability.

Question 45

Which type of soil is the least developed?

A)Gleysolic.
B)Regosolic.
C)Brunosolic.
D)Organic.

Question 46

In terms of pedogenic regimes,which is the process that concentrates salts in soils in climates with high evapotranspiration?

A)Laterization.
B)Salinization.
C)Calcification.
D)Podzolization.

Question 47

Where do Luvisolic soils dominate?

A)In floodplains.
B)In deciduous-coniferous forests.
C)In tundra.
D)On hillslopes.

Question 48

With which are Chernozemic soils associated?

A)The greatest timber harvests in the world.
B)The greatest grain harvests in the world.
C)Floodplains.
D)Intense leaching.

Question 49

Which are recent,undeveloped soils?

A)Vertisolic.
B)Solonetzic.
C)Regosolic.
D)Gleysolic.

Question 50

Where is salinization likely to occur?

A)In the tropics.
B)In areas of high potential evapotranspiration rates.
C)In humid climate regions.
D)In areas characterized by coniferous forests.

Question 51

Worldwide,desertification is affecting an estimated how many people.

A)100 000.
B)1 000 000.
C)5 000 000.
D)1 000 000 000.

Question 52

Which of the following factors contribute to desertification?

A)Overgrazing,no-till agriculture,and salinization.
B)No-till agriculture,salinization,and climate change.
C)Salinization,climate change,and overgrazing.
D)Climate change,overgrazing,and no-till agriculture.

Question 53

Which of the following best describes the Canadian System of Soil Classification?

A)Soil variation is too complex for a single classification system,so many regional classification systems are used within the Canada.
B)The Canadian System of Soil Classification was developed specifically for the variations that exist across the extremes of the country.
C)The system was finalized in 1975 and no additional changes to it will be made.
D)It is primarily based on pedogenic regimes in which each soil-forming process is attached to a climatic region.

Question 54

Which of the following areas has the highest risk of desertification?

A)The Sahel (Sub-Saharan Africa).
B)Northeastern Australia.
C)Central Asia.
D)Venezuela.

Question 55

In terms of pedogenic regimes,which is soil acidification associated with forest soils in cool climates?

A)Laterization.
B)Salinization.
C)Calcification.
D)Podzolization.

Question 56

In terms of pedogenic regimes,which is the leaching process in humid and warm climates?

A)Laterization.
B)Salinization.
C)Calcification.
D)Podzolization.

Question 57

Which are the great grassland soils of the world?

A)Podzolic (Spodosols).
B)Brunisolic (Gelisols).
C)Vertisolic (Vertisols).
D)Chernozemic.(Mollisols).

Question 58

Where is podzolization likely to occur?

A)In the tropics.
B)In areas with broadleaf forests.
C)In humid climate regions.
D)In areas characterized coniferous forests.

Question 59

Which is the lowest and most precise level of the Canadian System of Soil Classification?

A)Soil family.
B)Soil order.
C)Soil series.
D)Soil group.

Question 60

Where is laterization likely to occur?

A)In the tropics.
B)In areas of high potential evapotranspiration rates.
C)In humid climate regions.
D)In areas characterized by sandy soils and coniferous forests.

Question 61

In a transect across the Chernozems of the southern Prairies,from west to east,which of the following gives the correct sequence?

A)Black,Dark Brown,Brown.
B)Dark Brown,Black,Brown.
C)Black,Brown,Dark Brown.
D)Brown,Dark Brown,Black.

Question 62

Contrast the soil beneath broadleaf trees with that beneath conifers.How do the soils compare?

A)Broadleaf trees tend to make the soil more acidic; conifers tend to make it more alkaline.
B)Broadleaf trees tend to make the soil more alkaline; conifers tend to make it more acidic.
C)Broadleaf trees tend to make the soil more acidic; conifers tend to make it more neutral.
D)Broadleaf trees tend to make the soil more neutral; conifers tend to make it more acidic.

Question 63

In which would a particle .07 mm in diameter be classified?

A)Cobble.
B)Sand.
C)Silt.
D)Clay.

Question 64

How is the soil at the base of a hillslope likely to compare to the soil on the slope?

A)Soil at the base is thinner.
B)Soil at the base is drier.
C)Soil at the base is nutrient-rich.
D)Soil at the base is more compacted.

Question 65

Where are Cryosolic soils most likely to be found?

A)Northern Canada.
B)Arizona.
C)Panama.
D)Greece.

Question 66

Which are heavy,expandable clay soils?

A)Podzolic soils.
B)Organic soils.
C)Vertisolic soils.
D)Chernozemic soils.

Question 67

Which are soils characteristic of the northern coniferous forests?

A)Podzolic.
B)Chernozemic.
C)Solonetzic.
D)Vertisolic.

Question 68

Warming temperatures have accelerated the thawing of Cryosols (Gelisols).Why is this of particular concern?

A)Cryosols (Gelisols)contain about half of the pool of global carbon and this release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere could further affect warming climate.
B)As the permafrost melts,the meltwater will runoff,further contributing to global sea-level rise.
C)Cryosols (Gelisols)are important soils for growing specialty cold weather crops.The thawing of these will adversely impact this lucrative market.
D)Cryosols (Gelisols)are the youngest,least developed soils on the planet.Warming will further stifle the horizontal development of these soils.

Question 69

Which best describes the principal natural soil-forming factors?

A)These are static in nature.
B)These include climate,parent material,topography,biotic processes,and time.
C)These are all inorganic.
D)These include peds,separates,solums,and horizons.

Question 70

Because podzolic soils are associated with sandy soils and coniferous trees,which best describes these?

A)Acidic.
B)Alkaline.
C)Neutral in pH.

Question 71

Which soils result from accumulations of thick organic matter,such as in the beds of former lakes or bogs?

A)Regosolic.
B)Organic.
C)Vertisolic.
D)Chernozemic.

Question 72

Which of the following soils would have limited horizon development and would be destructive of buildings and roads?

A)Brunisolic.
B)Vertisolic.
C)Chernozemic.
D)Solonetzic.

Question 73

In Russia and Ukraine which describes the grassland soils of the "fertile triangle"?

A)Chernozems (Mollisols).
B)Too cool,too dry,too rugged,and poor soil fertility.
C)Highly weathered forest soils.
D)Recent,or undeveloped soils.

Question 74

A clay-rich bottomland is likely to experience which of the following?

A)Salinization.
B)Laterization.
C)Water-logging.
D)Gypsum formation.

Question 75

Which is the most recent addition to Soil Classification System?

A)Luvisolic.
B)Vertisolic.
C)Cryosolic.
D)Chernozemic.

Question 76

Which of the following is true regarding soil erosion?

A)Soil losses in North America have improved by 38% since 1950.
B)Less than half of the cropland in Canada and the United States is experiencing excessive rates of soil erosion.
C)Soil erosion cannot be controlled by planting on the contour.
D)Thirty-five percent of farms worldwide are losing soil faster than it is being formed.

Question 77

Evaporites,common where salinization occurs,are mined commercially from lakebeds in which of the following?

A)Chaplin,Saskatchewan.
B)Abbotsford,B.C.
C)Red Deer,Alberta.
D)Brandon,Manitoba.

Question 78

Selenium contamination of western soils is related to which of the following?

A)The application of chemicals by farmers.
B)Reliance of natural precipitation with no irrigation.
C)Concentration of a natural element in the soil through irrigation drainage collection.
D)Drainage of industrial runoff into agricultural areas.

Question 79

Which best describes Cryosolic soils?

A)These form quickly.
B)These are one of the oldest recognized soil orders.
C)These are known for their high fertility.
D)These are often in the location of permafrost.

Question 80

Consider soil erosion.Which of the following is true?

A)Both the direct and indirect costs of soil erosion are estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars worldwide.
B)Soil that has eroded could take decades to be replaced.
C)Loss of soil,combined with exponential population growth,could lead to serious food shortages.
D)In most of the densely inhabited regions of the world,soil erosion is not a problem.