Deck 4: The Terrestrial Environment

Question 1

Particles of ________ control the water-holding capacity of soil and ion exchange.

Answer 1

clay

Question 2

Distinct layers in the soil that are created by localized chemical and physical processes are called ________.

Answer 2

horizons

Question 3

When the amount of water in a soil exceeds what the pore space can hold,the soil is ________.

Answer 3

saturated

Question 4

The wavelengths that make up the visible light spectrum are referred to as ________ radiation.

Question 5

Animal life depends on the ________ within a region to provide the essential resources of food and cover.

Question 6

The process of mineral particles such as clay and salts accumulating in the B layer of soils is referred to as ________.

Question 7

The largest particles of soil are referred to as ________.

Question 8

The two physical factors that vary most in terrestrial environments are ________ and ________.

Question 9

The movement of solutes through the soil is known as ________.

Question 10

The parent material of soils originating from sand and silt carried by the wind is referred to as ________.

Question 11

________ is a property of soils that is determined by the different sizes and types of particles in soils.

Question 12

________ matter (particularly humus)makes soil dark or black.

Question 13

Soil formation begins with the ________ of rocks and their minerals.

Question 14

In the temperate regions of the world,many forest tree species are ________,shedding their leaves during the winter months.

Question 15

About 75%-95% of living cells,both plant and animal,is composed of ________.

Question 16

The ________ point is the stage at which the moisture level in soil decreases to a level at which plants can no longer extract water.

Question 17

A sequence of horizontal layers of soil is referred to as a soil ________.

Question 18

The amount of light at any depth in the canopy is affected by the number of ________ above.

Question 19

A rock that is broken into smaller fragments as a result of freezing and thawing has experienced ________ weathering.

Question 20

A collection of natural bodies of earth,composed of mineral and organic matter and capable of supporting plant growth,is referred to as ________.

Question 21

Soils with a pH greater than 7 are considered to be ________.

Question 22

The mechanical destruction and/or chemical modification of rock into smaller particles is called

A)leaching.
B)mineralization.
C)percolation.
D)weathering.

Question 23

The ________ exchange capacity is a basic measure of soil quality and increases with higher clay and organic matter content.

Question 24

A waxy layer coating the aerial parts of most plants,such as stems and leaves,which reduces water loss is referred to as the

A)meristem.
B)vascular cambium.
C)cuticle.
D)xylem.

Question 25

________ is a process common to soils found in humid environments in the tropical and subtropical regions.

Question 26

If a tree 50 meters (m)high has 30,000 leaves,the surface area of the leaves is 300 m2,and the amount of ground covered by the tree's canopy is 75 m2.The leaf area index (LAI)is

A)4)
B)6)
C)100.
D)400.

Question 27

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A)Topography affects the erosion of parent material.
B)Soil develops very rapidly,within several years.
C)Plants move nutrients from deep in the soil to the surface.
D)Plant roots stabilize the soil surface.

Question 28

The amount of water retained by the soil between field capacity and wilting point is the available water ________.

Question 29

Soils developing from sand and silt carried by the wind are referred to as

A)till.
B)eolian.
C)colluvium.
D)fluvial.

Question 30

Regions that are subjected to heavy volcanic activity have dark soils called ________.

Question 31

In low-lying areas with poor drainage,________ results in a black or bluish-gray soil with a high organic content.

Question 32

________ are positively charged particles in the soil that attract anions.

Question 33

Which wavelength of light penetrates through plant cover the farthest?

A)violet (400 nm)
B)green (500 nm)
C)red (660 nm)
D)far-red (730 nm)

Question 34

Each of the following is a challenge faced by a terrestrial plant except

A)buoyancy.
B)desiccation.
C)cells and tissues to maintain structure.
D)variability in air temperature.

Question 35

Soil is formed from the layer of unconsolidated debris overlaying hard,unweathered rock referred to as

A)regolith.
B)topsoil.
C)till.
D)loam.

Question 36

Organisms that live in aquatic systems experience limited temperature fluctuations due to water's

A)high specific heat.
B)high viscosity.
C)high surface tension.
D)covalent nature.

Question 37

The leaf area index (LAI)of a temperate deciduous forest is highest during

A)fall.
B)spring.
C)summer.
D)winter.

Question 38

Under which conditions are the processes of weathering,leaching,and input of organic material from plants into soil maximized?

A)warm temperatures and abundant water
B)cool temperatures and abundant water
C)cool temperatures and scarce water
D)warm temperatures and scarce water

Question 39

All the following factors affect the attenuation of light in water,except

A)phytoplankton.
B)water itself.
C)intensity of light.
D)dissolved substances.

Question 40

Light availability within a forest is lowest in the

A)canopy layer.
B)midstory layer.
C)understory layer.
D)ground layer.

Question 41

Generally,an ion with a ________ positive charge and ________ size will bind most strongly to a soil particle.

A)greater; smaller
B)smaller; larger
C)smaller; smaller
D)greater; larger

Question 42

Soils rich in iron oxide are

A)blackish.
B)yellowish-brown or reddish.
C)whitish or grayish.
D)greenish.

Question 43

As soil acidity increases,the concentration of ________ increases.

A)Ca2+
B)Al3+
C)Na+
D)NH4+

Question 44

Aluminum is toxic to plants because it

A)destroys chlorophyll in the leaves,reducing the rate of photosynthesis.
B)inhibits production of pollen,reducing the rate of reproduction.
C)damages the roots,reducing nutrient uptake.
D)inhibits mitosis within the meristem tissues,reducing growth of the stems.

Question 45

Leaching is

A)the movement of solutes through soil.
B)the breakdown of parent material.
C)the gain of cations.
D)the loss of leaves from a plant.

Question 46

The E horizon of soils is characterized by the maximum amount of

A)biological activity.
B)decomposition.
C)leaching of mineral particles.
D)accumulation of leached mineral particles.

Question 47

A soil that is 10% silt,80% sand,and 10% clay would be considered

A)clay loam.
B)sandy clay.
C)slit loam.
D)loamy sand.

Question 48

Which of the following soils holds the most water?

A)clay loam on a ridgetop
B)sandy loam in a valley
C)clay loam in a valley
D)sandy loam on a ridgetop

Question 49

The soil horizon in which leached mineral particles such as clay and salts tend to accumulate is the

A)A horizon.
B)B horizon.
C)C horizon.
D)O horizon.

Question 50

Which of the following is a common soil anion?

A)NH4+
B)Ca2+
C)NO3-
D)Mg2+

Question 51

The smallest particles occurring in soil are referred to as

A)clay.
B)gravel.
C)sand.
D)silt.

Question 52

The most shallow soils occur in or on

A)steep slopes.
B)native grasslands.
C)valleys.
D)floodplains.

Question 53

The amount of water a soil holds at field capacity is greatest for

A)clay.
B)sand.
C)silt.
D)loam.

Question 54

The available water capacity is highest for

A)clay soils.
B)silty soils.
C)sandy soils.
D)intermediate clay loam soils.

Question 55

When the amount of water in soil exceeds what the pore space can hold,the soil is

A)at field capacity.
B)at the wilting point.
C)saturated.
D)desiccated.

Question 56

Soil particles are classified on the basis of

A)age.
B)color.
C)water content.
D)size.

Question 57

Dark clay soils that show significant expansion and contraction due to wetting and drying are referred to as

A)mollisols.
B)vertisols.
C)spodosols.
D)andisols.

Question 58

The rocky area at the bottom of the photo would be considered which section of a soil profile?

A)unconsolidated material
B)subsoil
C)topsoil
D)organic layer

Question 59

Negatively charged particles in the soil are referred to as

A)mollisol.
B)entisol.
C)cations.
D)colloids.

Question 60

The surface layer of soils is referred to as the

A)A horizon.
B)B horizon.
C)C horizon.
D)O horizon.

Question 61

The greater the leaf area index (LAI)above the forest floor,the lower the quantity of light reaching the forest floor.

Question 62

Soil in regions with high rainfall or in low-lying areas associated with poor drainage form through the process of

A)laterization.
B)calcification.
C)gleization.
D)podzolization.

Question 63

Soil formed by water seeping into rock crevices,freezing,and expanding is an example of chemical weathering.

Question 64

Trees allocate most of their tissue mass to supportive and conductive tissues in the trunk.

Question 65

No till farming is advantageous because it

A)reduces soil erosion.
B)increases yield.
C)decreases need for pesticide use.
D)decreases plant cover.

Question 66

Poorly drained soils or soils saturated by water tend to be yellowish-brown or reddish.

Question 67

The soil in a particular area is arranged in layers called horizons that vary in texture,structure,and consistency from one another.

Question 68

The soil-forming process that occurs naturally in desert basins and along the coast and is a problem in agricultural areas where irrigation is practiced is

A)calcification.
B)gleization.
C)laterization.
D)salinization.

Question 69

In forests,most of the organic matter that enters the soil comes from plant roots.

Question 70

The greater the depth of water percolation,the greater the depth of weathering and soil development.

Question 71

Temperature fluctuation is greater in aquatic environments than in terrestrial environments.

Question 72

More rainfall enters the soil on steep slopes than on level land.

Question 73

In temperate deciduous forest,light penetration to the ground is greater during summer than during winter.

Question 74

Soil is an abiotic environment.

Question 75

The general relationship between available light and leaf area index (LAI)is described by

A)Bohr's law.
B)Beer's law.
C)Leibig's law.
D)the Central Limit Theorem.

Question 76

The Dust Bowl occurred

A)in the Central Valley of California.
B)in the Great Plains.
C)on the Eastern Seaboard.
D)in Southern Texas.

Question 77

In high-latitude habitats,forest canopies that have leaves positioned at an angle will absorb light more effectively.

Question 78

The soil-forming process occurring in cool,moist climates of midlatitude regions where coniferous vegetation dominates is referred to as

A)laterization.
B)podzolization.
C)gleization.
D)calcification.

Question 79

Microorganisms contribute to the formation of soils.

Question 80

The greatest limitation faced by terrestrial organisms is desiccation.