Environment the science behind the stories canadian 3rd edition whitgott test bank

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Environment: Science Behind the Stories, 3e (Withgott et al.)

Chapter 7 Soil Resources 7.1 Graph and Figure Interpretation Questions

Figure 7.1 Use Figure 7.1 to answer the following questions.

1) Prairie dogs living in the pastures burrow numerous holes. This activity most likely ________.

A) compresses topsoil, therefore increasing losses on account of erosion B) makes worse the effects of overgrazing by cattle C) improves the soil by limiting aeration and water infiltration D) counters some effects of overgrazing by cattle E) neither improves nor worsens the condition of the soil Answer: D Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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2) The arrows showing the removal of native grass, the exposure of bare topsoil, and wind and water erosion then point to ________, leading back to the removal of native grasses.

A) a negative feedback loop B) a positive feedback loop C) a self-sustaining circuit D) an ecological spiral E) a systematically decreasing loop Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 3) Based on this figure, you would NOT expect that in the overgrazed areas ________.

A) the cellular respiration in roots increases B) the invasive grass species do better C) the frequency of dust storms increases D) the water table lowers E) the streams become more prone to flash floods Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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7.2 Matching Questions Match the following.

A) rangeland B) weathering C) A horizon D) the A horizon E) profile F) soil G) humus H) formation I) irrigation J) topsoil K) ion exchange L) O horizon M) horizon N) parent material 1) lands used for grazing livestock Diff: 1 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 2) plants obtain many nutrients through this Diff: 2 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 3) the layer below the O horizon in an idealized profile Diff: 2 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 4) the name for an individual layer of soil Diff: 1 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 5) the geological material from which soils in a particular area are formed Diff: 1 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes

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6) the physical, chemical, and biological processes that break down rocks and minerals Diff: 1 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 7) the uppermost mineral horizon Diff: 1 Type: MA Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes Answers: 1) A 2) K 3) C 4) M 5) N 6) B 7) D 7.3 Short Answer Questions 1) How does climate explain the poor soils in the Amazon rain forests?

Answer: The climate of the Amazon is characterized by the enormous amount of the region's rainfall and high temperatures. The rains leach minerals and nutrients out of the topsoil and move them quickly down to the water table, out of reach of most plants' roots. High temperatures speed the decomposition of leaf litter and the uptake of nutrients by plants, so the amounts of humus that remain are small, and the topsoil layer remains thin.

Diff: 3 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 2) What are the three types of weathering and how do they differ?

Answer: Mechanical weathering — weathering by wind, rain, other natural, abiotic physical causes Chemical weathering — chemical interaction of water, atmospheric gases, and other substances with parent material Biological weathering — breakdown through activities of living things Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 3) What is the basis for soil textural determinations? What are the specific components that determine soil texture?

Answer: Soil texture is determined by the size of particles. The relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay determines the soil texture.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes

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4) Climate change may change the patterns of precipitation. In an area with reduced precipitation, crops grown in which type of soil (clay-, silt-, or sand-dominated) will be most vulnerable to drought and why?

Answer: Sand-dominated soil will be the most vulnerable to drought because this type of soil has the largest permeability, and hence is most prone to the loss of water. Water passes quickly through it, beyond the reach of the plant roots.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 5) What is the difference between an open and closed system?

Answer: Open systems receive inputs of both energy and matter and produce outputs of both.

Closed systems receive inputs of both matter and energy, but produce outputs of energy only (matter does not leave the system.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 6) Why is soil formation slow?

Answer: The formation of soil begins when the parent material is exposed to the effects of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Parent material can be lava or volcanic ash; rock or sediment deposited by glaciers; wind-blown dunes; sediments deposited by rivers, in lakes, or in the ocean; or, perhaps most commonly, any type of bedrock, the continuous mass of solid rock that makes up Earth's crust.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 7) What are the five factors that influence soil formation?

Answer: The five factors that influence soil formation are climate, organisms, topography, parent material, and time.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 8) What is ion exchange?

Answer: Ion exchange is a process in which positively charged particles (cations) and negatively charged particles (anions) are exchanged between the soil and the soil solution. Nutrients are held on exchange sites, along the positively or negatively charged edges of soil particles; in clay and humus particles, negatively charged sites prevail.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.2 Characterize the role of soils in biogeochemical cycling and in supporting plant growth

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9) What is the difference between nitrogen fixation and nitrification?

Answer: To become biologically available, inert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere must be "fixed"—that is, combined with hydrogen to form ions of ammonium (NH ). This transformation, called nitrogen fixation, can be accomplished when air in the top layer of soil comes in contact with various specialized nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Once atmospheric N2 has been converted into ammonium, other specialized bacteria perform a process known as nitrification. In this process, ammonium ions are first converted into nitrite ions (NO ), then (by yet another group of specialized microorganisms) into nitrate ions (NO ).

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.2 Characterize the role of soils in biogeochemical cycling and in supporting plant growth 10) How have soils become eroded and degraded?

Answer: Damage to or loss of soil worldwide has resulted from erosion caused by roughly equal parts forest removal, poorly managed cropland agriculture, and overgrazing of livestock, with a much smaller (but still significant) contribution from industrial contamination. Additional causes of soil degradation include mining, construction, acid rain, and other sources of chemical contamination.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 11) What is the difference between desertification and accelerated desertification?

Answer: Desertification, in principle, is a natural process by which formerly productive land becomes a desert as a result of climatic change or prolonged drought. Accelerated desertification is a type of land degradation that occurs in arid and semi-arid areas and is brought on by human activities. This term generally is used to describe a loss of more than 10% productivity as a consequence of erosion, soil compaction, forest removal, overgrazing, drought, salinization, climate change, depletion of water sources, and other factors.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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12) What is contour farming?

Answer: Contour farming consists of ploughing furrows sideways across a hillside, perpendicular to its slope, to help prevent formation of rills and gullies. The technique is so named because the furrows follow the natural contours of the land. In contour farming, the downhill side of each furrow acts as a small dam that slows runoff and catches soil before it is carried away.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.4 Outline the history and explain the basic principles and methods of soil conservation 13) How could the climatograph describing the biome found in the Amazon explain the high or low fertility of the soils there?

Answer: The biome of the Amazon is tropical rainforest,the climatograph for which is characterized by the enormous amount of rainfall and high temperatures throughout the year. The heavy rains leach minerals and nutrients out of the topsoil and move them quickly down to the water table, out of reach of most plants' roots. High temperatures speed the decomposition of leaf litter and the uptake of nutrients by plants, so amounts of humus remain small and the topsoil layer remains thin.

Diff: 3 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 7.4 Multiple-Choice Questions 1) Humus is ________.

A) the artificial fertilizer applied to monocultures B) composed of organic compounds and is necessary for fertile soils and for holding soil moisture C) a layer sometimes found in a soil horizon that is created by eluviation; it causes serious problems in agricultural fields in climates with high humidity D) caused by agricultural runoff into waterways or into the water table E) one of the primary causes of desertification if it is present in excess Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes

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2) Currently, the main reason for the loss of productive cropland is ________.

A) conversion of agricultural land to forest by replanting B) erosion, over-irrigation, and other factors C) climate change increasing temperature and limiting precipitation, and other factors D) subsidization and other factors E) abandonment, feralization, and other factors Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 3) As a result of acid rains, the soil may supply plants with cations of ________.

A) aluminium B) calcium C) potassium D) ammonium E) magnesium Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 4) The nineteenth-century peasant immigrants to Canada looking for the most fertile soil to settle and grow crops would have looked for soil characterized by an abundance of ________.

A) clay particles and humus B) clay and silt particles C) clay and sand particles D) silt particles and humus E) sand particles and humus Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 5) The breakdown of large rocks into smaller pieces is ________.

A) mineralization B) affected by rainfall and freezing and thawing C) unaffected by winds D) a major cause of topsoil erosion E) primarily caused by topsoil erosion Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes

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6) Leaching ________.

A) can help plant growth only if done properly B) is caused by movement of water upward through soil from the water table C) adds nutrients to soil naturally D) is increased in low pH conditions E) is a common agricultural practice to improve soil Answer: D Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 7) The O horizon is ________.

A) composed primarily of bedrock B) composed of equal amounts of bedrock and organic material C) primarily loam D) usually more sand than silt or clay E) primarily composed of organic materials Answer: E Diff: 1 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 8) The zone beneath the A horizon, where leaching has deposited materials, is called the ________.

A) O horizon B) B horizon C) C horizon D) E horizon E) Leaching removes, rather than deposits, materials.

Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 9) Oxidation of minerals, warm and wet conditions, and reactions of water with parent material are all components of ________.

A) chemical weathering of soils B) erosion C) leaching D) physical/mechanical weathering of soils E) humus formation Answer: A Diff: 1 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes

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10) Farmer John bought a field in which the soil has lots of sand particles. This suggest that this soil will have ________.

A) high permeability B) high capacity to hold water C) high fertility D) high cation exchange capacity E) low interconnectedness Answer: A Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 11) Acidity of precipitation is likely to influence ________.

A) cation retention B) nitrogen fixation C) soil compaction D) the number of soil horizons E) soil clumpiness Answer: A Diff: 1 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 12) The loss of more than 10% productivity in arid areas because of erosion, soil compaction, forest removal, and an array of other factors is called ________.

A) climatization B) global change C) accelerated desertification D) salinization E) waterlogging Answer: C Diff: 1 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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13) The frequent negative side effect of irrigation in arid climates on the quality of soil is ________.

A) salinization B) nutrient leaching C) wind erosion D) water erosion E) evaporation Answer: A Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 14) A farmer has a nitrogen-depleted field. To address this shortage, he plants beans to take advantage of ________.

A) denitrification B) nitrification C) nitrogen fixation D) nitrogen defixation E) the Haber-Bosch reaction Answer: C Diff: 1 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 15) The consequences of overfertilization can include ________.

A) very large fruits and vegetables B) eutrophication in nearby waters C) large crop yields per acre D) crops spreading rapidly into nearby areas E) very fertile soils in future years Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 16) The Soil Conservation Council encourages farmers to ________.

A) grow native crops such as corn and beans B) stop cultivating highly erodible cropland C) grow cattle feed instead of commercial crops D) stop growing mustard plants E) grow soybeans Answer: B Diff: 1 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 11 © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.

17) What organisms can fix nitrogen gas?

A) symbiotic and free-living bacteria B) symbiotic bacteria C) free-living bacteria D) symbiotic and free-living bacteria, and symbiotic algae E) free-living bacteria and symbiotic algae Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 18) ________ describes the physical, chemical, and biological processes that break down rocks and minerals.

A) Weathering B) Bedrock C) Formation D) Flowing Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 19) Each layer of soil is known as a horizon and the cross-section as a whole, from surface to bedrock, is ________.

A) the soil profile B) humus C) leaching D) peat Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 20) ________ is chemically inert and must undergo a series of chemical changes in order to become biologically available.

A) Nitrogen B) Hydrogen C) Iron D) Calcium Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.2 Characterize the role of soils in biogeochemical cycling and in supporting plant growth

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21) ________ protect against wind erosion.

A) Shelterbelts B) No-till farming C) Contour farming D) Terracing Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 22) ________ is the practice of alternating the kind of crop grown in a particular field from one season or year to the next.

A) Crop rotation B) Contour farming C) Agroforestry D) Terracing Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.4 Outline the history and explain the basic principles and methods of soil conservation 23) ________ occurs when bacteria convert nitrates in soil or water into gaseous forms of nitrogen.

A) Denitrification B) Nitrification C) Nitrogen fixation D) Ion exchange Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.2 Characterize the role of soils in biogeochemical cycling and in supporting plant growth 24) Most of the world's soil degradation results from ________.

A) overgrazing B) cropland agriculture C) deforestation D) industrialization Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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25) ________ considers the type and density of vegetative cover as well as all related management practices such as tillage, fertilization, and irrigation.

A) Vegetative cover and management factor B) Erosivity factor C) Soil erodibility factor D) Erosion control practices factor Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 26) When soil becomes waterlogged for an extended time, it tends to ________.

A) increase its contribution to climate change by emitting methane, which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2) B) increase its contribution to climate change by emitting CO2, which is a more potent greenhouse gas than methane C) decrease its contribution to climate change by emitting methane, which is a less potent greenhouse gas than CO2 D) decrease its contribution to climate change by emitting CO2, which is a less potent greenhouse gas than methane E) maintain its previous contribution to climate change, because any change in methane emission would be compensated by the change in CO2 emission having the opposite effect Answer: A Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 7.5 True/False Questions 1) Many permafrost soils in the Arctic are peat soils.

Answer: TRUE Diff: 1 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 2) Soil particle surfaces that are positively charged hold on to the biologically important cations such as magnesium and potassium ions.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 2 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 2 - Understanding Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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3) Soil profiles in all ecosystems contain O, A, E, B, C, D, E, and R horizons.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 2 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 4) The practice of alternating the kind of crop grown in a particular field from one season or year to the next is called contour farming.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 2 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.4 Outline the history and explain the basic principles and methods of soil conservation 5) Accelerated desertification is a natural process.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 2 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 6) Soil is an important terrestrial reservoir for carbon.

Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 7) Tropical rain forest has the most fertile soil of all major terrestrial biomes.

Answer: FALSE Diff: 1 Type: TF Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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7.6 Essay Questions 1) Define the term soil profile. What are the influences on the development of a soil profile and how do profiles differ?

Answer: The layers of soil found in a particular location are known as that area's soil profile.

The process of soil formation can lead to characteristic features of soil structure. Once mechanical, chemical, and biological weathering have produced a layer of smaller particles between the parent material and atmosphere, wind and water begin to move and sort them.

Organisms migrate in and move soils as well. Eventually, distinct zones and patterns appear. Soil profiles differ from location to location because of variations in parent material, climate, and other factors.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 1 - Remembering Objective: 7.1 Describe important properties of soil and soilforming processes 2) Discuss the practices used by farmers to protect their soils.

Answer: There are numerous practices used by farmers to protect their soils. Crop rotation can return nutrients to the soil and can be used as an alternative to letting fields lie fallow, which exposes soils to erosion. Contour farming protects soils against erosion by shaping agricultural fields to minimize the possibility of water running down a hillside. Intercropping is the planting of two types of vegetation in the same field, either overlapping the crops or planting them in alternating rows. It provides a more complete land cover by decreasing bare areas between rows.

Shelterbelts provide windbreaks that slow ground wind speed across a field. No-till or conservation tillage decreases the ploughing of soil and provides less exposure of soils to wind and water for erosion. Finally, use of irrigation can prevent wind erosion, although used incorrectly it can cause water erosion. The final way to protect soils is to prevent salinization or the salt buildup on the surface that often accompanies over-irrigation.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 3) Discuss how specific land-use management strategies, such as management of rangelands and forests, can result in degradation of soils.

Answer: As long as livestock populations do not exceed a range's carrying capacity and do not consume grasses faster than they can be replaced, then grazing is sustainable. When overgrazing occurs, it exposes soils to erosion by wind and water. Native vegetation has a difficult time growing, causing a positive feedback loop that increases erosion. Overgrazing can also lead to the compression of soils, which damages soil structure. Forestry practices, such as clear-cutting, can lead to severe erosion because of the sudden exposure of soil to wind and rain. Road building to access logging areas also causes erosion and compaction.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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4) Differentiate between splash, sheet, rill, and gully erosion. Of these four types, list all that can be prevented, or at least limited, by contour farming.

Answer: Splash erosion occurs when rain strikes the soil surface with enough force to dislodge small amounts of soil. Sheet erosion is when surface water flows downhill and removes topsoil in uniform layers. Rill erosion takes place when surface water runs into rills or small channels that carry topsail away. Gully erosion is when gullies are formed by water, enlarging rills to form larger and deeper channels. Contour farming limits all types of erosion discussed here, with the exception of splash erosion.

Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 5) Discuss the factors that affect the severity of soil loss to water erosion.

Answer: Erosivity - amount of rainfall and its intensity; affects erosive energy of rainfall and runoff Soil erodibility - the ease with which a soil is eroded; based on the cohesiveness of a soil and its resistance to detachment and transport Slope length and steepness - steeper slopes lead to higher flow velocities; longer slopes accumulate runoff from larger areas and result in higher flow velocities Vegetative cover and management - cover's protective ability depends on the type and density and on management practices affecting the cover (tillage, fertilization, and irrigation) Erosion control practices - use of these practices, such as contour planting, strip cropping, grassed waterways, and terracing, relative to the erosion potential of simple up–down slope cultivation Diff: 2 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 6 - Synthesizing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 6) Discuss the factors that affect the severity of soil loss to wind erosion.

Answer: Soil erodibility - the ease with which soil is eroded by the abrasive action of windcarried particles; depends on soil texture and aggregation Local wind erosion climate - amount of wind energy available to erode soil; depends on moisture, wind speed, and wind direction. Wind erosion is most common in arid and semi-arid regions Surface roughness of the soil - greater roughness indicates greater resistance to erosion Length of field - longer unsheltered field will have higher wind velocities and thus greater erosion potential Vegetative cover - erosion risk is greatest where there is the least vegetative cover; depends on cover type and density, including cover from crop residues Diff: 3 Type: ES Bloom's Taxonomy: 6 - Synthesizing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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7.7 Scenario-Based Questions Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.

Large stretches of mountains on the Pacific Coast of British Columbia are covered with ancient mist-enshrouded old-growth forest, growing in the valleys and on the slopes of coastal mountains. When the moisture-laden ocean air is pushed up a mountain, the air cools and can no longer hold its moisture, which then precipitates as rains and mist, creating a rare biome: temperate rainforest. Most of Canada's old growth temperate rainforest was opened by the government to logging and has been already logged. The logging method of choice has been clear-cutting, in which all trees are removed from an area. The logging companies claim that the forest will regrow. Environmentalists point out that the new forest will not be the same as the one that was cut because the old-growth forest grew to its current state over many hundreds of years.

Furthermore, the clear-cutting may do irreversible damage to the soil, so there won't be enough good soil left to nurture the majestic cedars, sky-high Douglas firs, hemlocks, and other trees of the old-growth temperate rainforest.

1) The soil in the clear-cut areas of the forest described in this scenario is prone to degradation because of ________.

A) strong winds, mainly B) heavy rains, mainly C) heavy rains and steep mountain slopes (of equal importance) D) strong winds and heavy rains (of equal importance) E) strong winds and steep mountain slopes (of equal importance) Answer: C Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation 2) Which of the following would NOT increase the degradation of soil after a clear-cut?

A) more rain B) steeper slopes C) longer slopes D) leaving forest undergrowth E) logging roads down the mountain Answer: D Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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3) If the clear-cut slopes were converted into agricultural land, which agricultural erosionprevention techniques would be LEAST effective in this ecosystem?

A) contour farming B) shelterbelts C) terracing D) reduced tillage E) agroforestry Answer: B Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.4 Outline the history and explain the basic principles and methods of soil conservation 4) A logging company operating in the area was told by the provincial forest department to build its logging roads perpendicular to the slope of the mountains. Such a practice would resemble what erosion prevention strategy used in agriculture?

A) shelterbelts B) contour farming C) intercropping D) reduced tillage E) agroforestry Answer: B Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.4 Outline the history and explain the basic principles and methods of soil conservation 5) Clear-cutting on these mountain slopes increases which of the terms in the Universal Soil Loss Equation?

A) erosivity factor R B) vegetative cover and management factor C C) slope length and steepness factor LS D) erosion control practices factor P E) None of the above because clear-cutting is no longer allowed in British Columbia.

Answer: B Diff: 3 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 3 - Applying Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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6) Soils in this forest are vulnerable to ________.

A) salinization from the evaporated salt blown over from the ocean B) loss of the topsoil C) desertification D) denitrification E) waterlogging Answer: B Diff: 2 Type: MC Bloom's Taxonomy: 4 - Analyzing Objective: 7.3 Identify the causes and predict the consequences of soil erosion and soil degradation

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