Soil Systems Quiz

What is the narrow region of soil directly associated with plant roots and the accompanying microbiological ecosystem?

• Stratosphere

• Rhizosphere

• Mesophere

• Lithosphere

Which type of soil has the highest drainage and air spaces but the lowest water-holding capacity?

• Clay

• Loam

• Sand

• Silt

What is an emergent property of a healthy soil ecology that gives soil its tilth, porosity, and water-holding capacity?

• Weathering

• Aggregates

• Leaching

• Decomposition

Which of the following is NOT a storage component of the soil system?

• Precipitation

• Minerals

• Nutrients

• Organic matter

What is the primary role of microorganisms living in the rhizosphere?

• Prevent erosion

• Aerate the soil

• Increase soil salinity

• Break down organic matter

Which soil texture has the highest potential to hold organic matter and is linked to the highest primary productivity?

• Loam

• Sand

• Silt

• Clay

What is the main factor that determines the dominant direction of water movement in the soil system?

• Organisms

• Relief

• Parent material

• Climate

What is the process that involves the breakdown of organic, formerly living matter in the soil?

• Leaching

• Weathering

• Decomposition

• Nutrient cycling

Which type of soil has the lowest drainage, water-holding capacity, and air spaces?

• Clay

• Silt

• Sand

• Loam

What is the primary role of soil in the carbon cycle?

• Carbon degradation

• Carbon fixation

• Carbon sequestration

• Carbon emissions