Deck 11: Soil Resources

Question 1

Which state is NOT part of the dust bowl?

A) Oklahoma
B) Kansas
C) Wyoming
D) New Mexico
E) Texas

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The most critical soil-forming factor is:

A) climate.
B) land relief.
C) parent material.
D) organic material.
E) all are critical.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Soil nutrients are all EXCEPT:

A) nitrogen.
B) helium.
C) potassium.
D) calcium.
E) phosphorous.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following fields defines soil as a medium that can be broken up and moved without blasting?

A) agriculture
B) soil scientists
C) engineers
D) geologists
E) astronauts

Question 5

Soil is used to transfer matter among the Earth systems.

Question 6

The zone where plants grow in an ideal soil profile is called the ________ horizon.

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

Question 7

The layer that is considered an important source of topsoil in an ideal soil profile is called the ________ horizon.

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

Question 8

The layer that typically contains large amounts of clays and iron-oxide minerals in an ideal soil profile is called the ________ horizon.

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

Question 9

Soil can be used in waste management.

Question 10

Soil is rarely used to store water.

Question 11

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-humus

A) orientation of soil with respect to the sun
B) widespread salt contamination in soils
C) variations of soil in different regions as defined by soil scientists
D) layers in the soil
E) gives soil a dark color; product of biological activity in the soil

Question 12

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-horizons

A) orientation of soil with respect to the sun
B) widespread salt contamination in soils
C) variations of soil in different regions as defined by soil scientists
D) layers in the soil
E) gives soil a dark color; product of biological activity in the soil

Question 13

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-soil orders

A) orientation of soil with respect to the sun
B) widespread salt contamination in soils
C) variations of soil in different regions as defined by soil scientists
D) layers in the soil
E) gives soil a dark color; product of biological activity in the soil

Question 14

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-aspect

A) orientation of soil with respect to the sun
B) widespread salt contamination in soils
C) variations of soil in different regions as defined by soil scientists
D) layers in the soil
E) gives soil a dark color; product of biological activity in the soil

Question 15

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-salination

A) orientation of soil with respect to the sun
B) widespread salt contamination in soils
C) variations of soil in different regions as defined by soil scientists
D) layers in the soil
E) gives soil a dark color; product of biological activity in the soil

Question 16

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-aridisols

A) coastal Louisiana, S. Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
B) Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes region, northeast states
C) Grasslands in the central and western states
D) Southwest states

Question 17

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-mollisols

A) coastal Louisiana, S. Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
B) Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes region, northeast states
C) Grasslands in the central and western states
D) Southwest states

Question 18

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-oxisols

A) coastal Louisiana, S. Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
B) Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes region, northeast states
C) Grasslands in the central and western states
D) Southwest states

Question 19

Match the following options to its correct definition.
-spodosols

A) coastal Louisiana, S. Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
B) Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes region, northeast states
C) Grasslands in the central and western states
D) Southwest states

Question 20

Shear strength of soil is

A) a measure of how well the soil resists forces before fracturing internally.
B) a measure of how a soil compacts under applied forces.
C) reflects how soil particles are dispersed over a wide area.
D) a measure of the composition of the soil.
E) a measure of soil pH.

Question 21

All of the following are key compositional properties of soil except:

A) its pH.
B) the proportion of air and water in its pores.
C) its compressibility.
D) the amount of nutrients available for plants.
E) all are key compositional properties.

Question 22

Arid regions will have most likely a soil pH of:

A) 1.0.
B) 2.0.
C) 3.0.
D) 5.0.
E) 9.0.

Question 23

What is soil used for?

A) food production
B) water storage
C) waste disposal
D) fiber production
E) all of the above

Question 24

Which of the following is a type of water erosion?

A) rill erosion
B) gully erosion
C) sheet erosion
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 25

Which of the following does NOT contribute to soil erosion?

A) over-fertilization and improper irrigation
B) overgrazing
C) contour farming
D) off-road vehicles
E) deforestation

Question 26

What is crop rotation?

A) changing the crops grown in a field from year to year
B) planting crops in rows, with close-growing plants alternating with widely spaced ones
C) using special machinery to plant crops in the previous season's residue with minimal disturbance to the land
D) leveling off slopes in staircase-like steps to prevent water from running down it
E) all of the above

Question 27

Which of the following statement is FALSE?

A) Monoculture farming can cause significant nutrient loss in soils.
B) Terracing is desirable because it controls erosion and creates flat lands for agriculture.
C) Soil profiles develop over time, with the O horizon on top, followed by the A, B, and C zones.
D) Soils rich in organic material are lighter in color.
E) Erosion includes the transport of soils.

Question 28

Which of the following is a bad agricultural practice?

A) salinization due to improper draining of irrigated land
B) fertilization that results in acidification of the soil
C) the lack of terraces on tilled, sloping land
D) wind erosion of deforested lands
E) all of the above

Question 29

What controls the rate at which a rock weathers?

A) the composition of the rock
B) climate
C) how large and fractured the rock is
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 30

What would you expect to observe in the O horizon of a soil profile?

A) a lot of rocks grading downward into solid bedrock
B) mineral matter dissolving due to downward percolating water
C) plants growing in a dark soil
D) the accumulation of mineral matter that was dissolved at upper layers
E) all of the above

Question 31

What is largest cause of soil degradation?

A) contamination
B) erosion
C) salination
D) fertilization
E) biodiversity depletion

Question 32

All of the following are practices that can help sustain soil except:

A) contour tilling.
B) terracing.
C) salination.
D) crop rotation.
E) no-till farming.

Question 33

Plants can help clean soil through a process called phytoremediation.

Question 34

Rotation grazing can help preserve soil quality.

Question 35

Describe how soil forms. What are the key factors that contribute to how soil accumulates?

Question 36

Describe the ways in which soils can degrade. How can soil degradation be prevented?

Question 37

Draw an ideal soil profile. Identify and describe each layer in the soil profile.

Question 38

Different types of soil develop in different regions of the U.S. Why is this? What are the differences between aridisols, oxisols, mollisols, and spodosols? Where are these soil types found?

Question 39

Is fertilization a negative process? What elements are present in fertilizer? How can fertilizer help and/or hurt the soil?

Question 40

Are organisms present in soil? If so, what types? Does biological activity in the soil help it develop?