Soil Around the World

Question 1

Which of the following is not a characteristic of desert soils (aridisols)?a.accumulation of mineralsb.little organic matterc.sparse vegetationd.none of the above

Revolt · Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

Explain how the use of heavy machinery in an area can lead to an increase in the severity of flooding.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Soil compaction results from human activities that press down on soil and eliminate much of the pore space between soil particles. This compaction and the loss of pore space reduces the soil’s ability to store water meaning that less water is absorbed by the soil when it rains. Instead the water flows as runoff, increasing the severity of flooding and erosion in the area.

Question 3

Explain why the presence of large amounts of organic matter alone does not result in fertile soil.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Soil fertility comes from a balance of the organic matter and mineral nutrients in a soil. The histosols of peat pogs are soils rich in organic material but poor in mineral nutrients, and are not fertile. Conversely, aridosols (desert soils) have an abundance of mineral nutrients but a dearth of organic matter and are also not fertile.

Question 4

Permafrost soil (gelisol) is _______.a.resistant to erosionb.fragilec.rich in microorganismsd.a fast developing soil

Revolt · Accepted Answer

B

Question 5

Explain why volcanic soil (andisol) is fertile.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Volcanic soil is rich in minerals from the volcanic deposits laid during eruptions and the lush plant life that adds necessary organic matter. The soil has not been leached of the minerals so it retains high fertility.

Question 6

Which of the following is true about soil color?a.A dark color indicates that the soil is poor in organic matter.b.Bright yellow and red colors indicate large amounts of organic matter.c.Yellow or red hues in the soil indicate the presence of iron or aluminum.d.Yellow or red hues in the soil indicate the presence of calcium or magnesium.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

C

Question 7

Soils in different regions differ based on the _______.a.local climateb.topography of the landc.native organismsd.all of the above

Revolt · Accepted Answer

D

Question 8

Prairie soils (mollisols) are _______.a.poor in organic matterb.easy to cultivate and fertilec.poor in mineral nutrientsd.difficult to cultivate but fertile

Revolt · Accepted Answer

B

Soil Around the World Answers

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