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Chapter 8

Multiple Choice

Multiple Choice

This activity contains 15 questions.

	Which of the following statements is true? As the average size of the soil particles decreases,   workability will increase. nutrient-holding capacity will decrease. aeration will decrease. water-holding capacity will decrease. infiltration will increase.

	According to the USDA classification of soil particles, the particles with the smallest diameter are what?   clay pebbles rocks sand silt

	The dark brown or black, soft, spongy material that remains after a pile of leaves has decomposed is what?   castings humus mycorrhizae loam topsoil

	The process of topsoil and underlying soil being washed and/or blown away is called what?   aeration leaching erosion weathering percolation

	Desertification is caused primarily by   human factors that are not preventable. climatic factors that are not preventable. human factors that are preventable. climatic factors that are preventable.

	Which of the following will not result in reduced soil erosion?   minimum-tillage or no-tillage practices restricting the number of animals grazing on the land traditional plowing and cultivation by heavy machinery planting of trees in shelterbelts to act as wind breaks terracing to produce small earthen embankments on sloped land

	The best general description of desertification is   forests being clearcut. leaching of soil nutrients because of acid rain. changing weather patterns because of the greenhouse effect. productive land becoming more and more desert-like. soil becoming more and more salty.

	Of the following, the most important resource for supporting human civilization is what?   coal iron ore fertile soil aluminum ore crude oil

	A soil profile typically reveals four soil horizons. What are they?   humus, organic-mineral soil, mineral soil, and volcanic ash the O Horizon, the A Horizon, the B Horizon, and the C Horizon humus, silt, sand, and gravel the A Horizon, the B Horizon, the C Horizon, and the X Horizon

	Three attributes of a soil's ability to hold water are its   nutrient-holding capacity, ion exchange capacity, and water-holding capacity. depth, particle size, and organic content. infiltration capacity, water-holding capacity, and evaporative water loss. evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation. irrigation, infiltration, and salinization.

	Which of the following is not important for a soil to support a good crop?   a pH near neutral a uniform particle size a good supply of water a porous structure a good supply of nutrients

	The three types of soil erosion are   uniform, differential, and varied. vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. splash, sheet, and gully. wet-weather erosion, dry-weather erosion, and mixed-condition erosion.

	Salinization is   the accumulation of salts in irrigation water. the accumulation of salt in subsurface soil layers. the accumulation of salts in and on soil, to the point that plant growth is suppressed. the accumulation of salt on the surface of the soil. the accumulation of salts in local receiving waters.

	Desertification   can easily be reversed using appropriate land management techniques. occurs only in desert areas, such as the Sahel in Africa. can be reversed only with difficulty, because it is caused primarily by human behavior. can never be reversed.

	What is the goal of sustainable agriculture?   maintain productive topsoil keep food safe and wholesome reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides keep farms economically viable all of the above

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