Topic Test Answers

How do organic farming practices relate to soil health?a.Organic farmers rely on soil health for good crop production.b.Organic farmers rely on the interaction between soil microbes and organic matter.c.Organic farmers avoid the use of pesticides and chemicals.d.all of the above

Dutch agriculture is one of the most labor intensive types of agriculture in the world.

Why might soils rich in organic matter not be fertile?a.Soil fertility comes from a balance of organic matter and other mineral nutrients.b.Large amounts of organic material make soil retain too little water.c.Soil fertility is a result of the inorganic minerals present.d.Soils rich in organic material are always highly fertile.

Which of the following is the most damaging method of soil remediation?a.soil excavation and disposalb.soil aerationc.heating and vapor extractiond.microbial digestion

Which of the following is not a component of soil?a.organic materialb.mineralsc.gasesd.none of the above

Which of the following properties of soil has the greatest effect on plant and microorganism growth?a.soil textureb.soil colorc.soil reactiond.soil consistency

Why is volcanic soil (andisol) very fertile?a.It is rich in minerals from volcanic deposits.b.It is a young soil with low water retention.c.It has been leached of mineral nutrients.d.Volcanic activity warms the soil.

Which layer of soil is least likely to be penetrated by plant roots?a.O (organic matter)b.A (topsoil)c.B (subsoil)d.C (parent rock)

Soil composition is not subject to change.

Plants would thrive in soil void of microorganisms.

Salinization increases the concentration of _______ in soil.a.plantsb.nutrientsc.saltd.water

Microorganisms in soil _______.a.are critical to soil healthb.carry out decompositionc.make nutrients available to plantsd.all of the above

Which of the following is not true concerning crop rotation?a.It reduces soil compaction by turning the soil.b.It grows different, dissimilar crops in series.c.It prevents the depletion of nutrients by any single crop variety.d.It improves soil structure and fertility.

Which of the following is a way that climate affects soil formation?a.increased precipitationb.warmer temperaturesc.increased windsd.all of the above

Explain how Dutch agriculture uses technology to fully control the growing environment of crops.