Topsoil and Food Security Quiz

What percentage of the world's food is grown in the uppermost layer of soil?

• 95%

• 80%

• 100%

• 90%

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

How much of the most productive soil has disappeared in the world in the last 150 years?

• One-third

• One-half

• Two-thirds

• Three-quarters

According to Maria-Helena Semedo of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, how long until the world could run out of topsoil if the current degradation continues?

• 60 years

• 50 years

• 40 years

• 30 years

What is the main benefit of no-till farming, as mentioned in the article?

• More nutritious food

• Faster crop growth

• Increased carbon emissions

• Higher water usage

What is the purpose of planting cover crops between harvests, as mentioned in the article?

• To deplete the soil

• To reduce erosion

• To increase pesticide use

• To speed up soil degradation

What is the main concern about the loss of topsoil in relation to the planet's projected population growth?

• Faster crop growth

• Inability to feed the population

• Higher water usage

• Increased carbon emissions

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

What is the estimated time it takes for healthy topsoil to develop and degrade, as mentioned in the article?

• 300 years to develop, 200 years to degrade

• 200 years to develop, 300 years to degrade

• 500 years to develop, 100 years to degrade

• 100 years to develop, 500 years to degrade

What did a 2004 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition find about the nutrients in crops grown in 1999 compared to those grown in 1950?

• Increased iron and vitamin C

• Decreased protein and calcium

• Increased protein and calcium

• Decreased iron and vitamin C

What is the main reason for the degradation of soil, according to the article?

• Planting diverse crops

• Use of organic fertilizers

• Intensive tilling and lack of cover crops

• Reduced water usage

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

What is the main challenge for farmers in investing in topsoil health, as mentioned in the article?

• Resistance from other farmers

• Lack of government support

• Low awareness

• May take years to see results