Question 1

Which of the following best describes the general role of micronutrients in plants?

Accepted Answer

A) They are cofactors in enzymatic reactions. 
B) They are necessary for essential regulatory functions. 
C) They prevent chlorosis. 
D) They are components of nucleic acids. 
E) They are necessary for the formation of cell walls. 
A) They are cofactors in enzymatic reactions. 
B) They are necessary for essential regulatory functions. 
C) They prevent chlorosis. 
D) They are components of nucleic acids. 
E) They are necessary for the formation of cell walls.

Question 2

Which of the following soil minerals is most likely leached away during a hard rain?

Accepted Answer

A) Na⁺ 
B) K⁺ 
C) Ca⁺⁺ 
D) NO₃⁻ 
E) H⁺ 
A) Na⁺ 
B) K⁺ 
C) Ca⁺⁺ 
D) NO₃⁻ 
E) H⁺

Question 3

A soil well suited for the growth of most plants would have all of the following properties except

Accepted Answer

A) abundant humus. 
B) air spaces. 
C) good drainage. 
D) high cation exchange capacity. 
E) a high pH. 
A) abundant humus. 
B) air spaces. 
C) good drainage. 
D) high cation exchange capacity. 
E) a high pH.

Question 4

A researcher analyzes the mineral content of a particular grass and is surprised to find substantial levels of uranium in both leaf and root tissues. The most likely explanation for this finding is that

Accepted Answer

A) uranium is an essential nutrient for this grass. 
B) the plant has a mutation in its active transport proteins. 
C) there is a higher than usual concentration of uranium in the soil. 
D) uranium is substituting for some other essential nutrient. 
E) uranium is being supplied by mycorrhizae. 
A) uranium is an essential nutrient for this grass. 
B) the plant has a mutation in its active transport proteins. 
C) there is a higher than usual concentration of uranium in the soil. 
D) uranium is substituting for some other essential nutrient. 
E) uranium is being supplied by mycorrhizae.

Question 5

Which soil type or habitat would be least likely to have high populations of mycorrhizae?

Accepted Answer

A) acidic bogs and fens 
B) loamy soils 
C) sandy soils 
D) tropical forests 
E) desert soils 
A) acidic bogs and fens 
B) loamy soils 
C) sandy soils 
D) tropical forests 
E) desert soils

Question 6

If you wanted to increase the cation exchange and water retention capacity of loamy soil, what should you do?

Accepted Answer

A) adjust the soil pH to 7.9 
B) add clay to the soil 
C) practise no-till agriculture 
D) add fertilizer containing potassium, calcium, and magnesium to the soil 
E) increase the number of sand particles in the soil 
A) adjust the soil pH to 7.9 
B) add clay to the soil 
C) practise no-till agriculture 
D) add fertilizer containing potassium, calcium, and magnesium to the soil 
E) increase the number of sand particles in the soil

Question 7

The bulk of a plant's dry weight is derived from

Accepted Answer

A) soil minerals. 
B) CO₂. 
C) the hydrogen from H₂O. 
D) the oxygen from H₂O. 
E) the uptake of organic nutrients from the soil. 
A) soil minerals. 
B) CO₂. 
C) the hydrogen from H₂O. 
D) the oxygen from H₂O. 
E) the uptake of organic nutrients from the soil.

Question 8

For this pair of items, choose the option that best describes their relationship. I. the amount of molybdenum in a gram of dried plant material
II. the amount of sulphur in a gram of dried plant material

Accepted Answer

A) Item I is greater than item II. 
B) Item I is less than item II. 
C) Item I is exactly or very approximately equal to item II. 
D) There is not enough information to make a meaningful comparison. 
A) Item I is greater than item II. 
B) Item I is less than item II. 
C) Item I is exactly or very approximately equal to item II. 
D) There is not enough information to make a meaningful comparison.

Question 9

A greenhouse experiment to test growth rates in tomato cultivars was conducted using sterile soil mix and watering with sterile solutions of water and fertilizer. Following germination, half of the plants in each group were transplanted into soil that was obtained from a nearby agricultural field (nonsterile), the other half into sterile soil. After several weeks the plants that were transplanted into nonsterile soil exhibited a much higher growth rate compared to the plants transplanted into sterile soil. The most likely explanation for this result is

Accepted Answer

A) the plants transplanted into the nonsterile soil were inoculated with mycorrhizae. 
B) the plants transplanted into the nonsterile soil received more fertilizer. 
C) the plants transplanted into the sterile soil were stunted due to overfertilization. 
D) the plants transplanted into sterile soil suffered anoxia from improper water drainage. 
A) the plants transplanted into the nonsterile soil were inoculated with mycorrhizae. 
B) the plants transplanted into the nonsterile soil received more fertilizer. 
C) the plants transplanted into the sterile soil were stunted due to overfertilization. 
D) the plants transplanted into sterile soil suffered anoxia from improper water drainage.

Question 10

In west Texas, cotton has become an important crop in the last several decades. However, in this hot, dry part of the country there is little rainfall, so farmers irrigate their cotton fields. They must also regularly fertilize the cotton fields because the soil is very sandy. The figure below shows the record of annual productivity (measured in kilograms of cotton per hectare of land) since 1960 in a west Texas cotton field. Use these data to answer the following questions.
  
-Based on the information provided in the above figure, what is the most likely cause of the decline in productivity?

Accepted Answer

A) The farmer used the wrong kind of fertilizer. 
B) The cotton is developing a resistance to the fertilizer and to irrigation water. 
C) Water has accumulated in the soil due to irrigation. 
D) The soil water potential has become more negative due to salination. 
E) The rate of photosynthesis has declined due to irrigation. 
A) The farmer used the wrong kind of fertilizer. 
B) The cotton is developing a resistance to the fertilizer and to irrigation water. 
C) Water has accumulated in the soil due to irrigation. 
D) The soil water potential has become more negative due to salination. 
E) The rate of photosynthesis has declined due to irrigation.

Question 11

How do macronutrients differ from micronutrients?

Accepted Answer

A) They differ in whether they are essential for plant growth and survival. 
B) They differ in their availability in soil. 
C) They differ in how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are present. 
D) They differ in the amount of the nutrient that plants require. 
A) They differ in whether they are essential for plant growth and survival. 
B) They differ in their availability in soil. 
C) They differ in how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are present. 
D) They differ in the amount of the nutrient that plants require.

Question 12

Which of the following is a true statement about nitrogen fixation in root nodules?

Accepted Answer

A) The plant contributes the nitrogenase enzyme. 
B) The process is relatively inexpensive in terms of ATP costs. 
C) Leghemoglobin helps maintain a low O₂ concentration within the nodule. 
D) The process tends to deplete nitrogen compounds in the soil. 
E) The bacteria of the nodule are autotrophic. 
A) The plant contributes the nitrogenase enzyme. 
B) The process is relatively inexpensive in terms of ATP costs. 
C) Leghemoglobin helps maintain a low O₂ concentration within the nodule. 
D) The process tends to deplete nitrogen compounds in the soil. 
E) The bacteria of the nodule are autotrophic.

Question 13

Mycorrhizae enhance plant nutrition mainly by

Accepted Answer

A) absorbing water and minerals through the fungal hyphae. 
B) providing sugar to root cells, which have no chloroplasts. 
C) converting atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. 
D) enabling the roots to parasitize neighbouring plants. 
E) stimulating the development of root hairs. 
A) absorbing water and minerals through the fungal hyphae. 
B) providing sugar to root cells, which have no chloroplasts. 
C) converting atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. 
D) enabling the roots to parasitize neighbouring plants. 
E) stimulating the development of root hairs.

Question 14

Hyphae form a covering over roots. These hyphae create a large surface area that helps to do which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) aid in absorbing minerals and ions 
B) maintain cell shape 
C) increase cellular respiration 
D) anchor a plant 
E) protect the roots from ultraviolet light 
A) aid in absorbing minerals and ions 
B) maintain cell shape 
C) increase cellular respiration 
D) anchor a plant 
E) protect the roots from ultraviolet light

Question 15

A woodlot was sprayed with a fungicide. What would be the most serious effect of such spraying?

Accepted Answer

A) a decrease in food for animals that eat mushrooms 
B) an increase in rates of wood decay 
C) a decrease in tree growth due to the death of mycorrhizae 
D) an increase in the number of decomposing bacteria 
E) a decrease in food for animals that eat mushrooms, and an increase in rates of wood decay 
A) a decrease in food for animals that eat mushrooms 
B) an increase in rates of wood decay 
C) a decrease in tree growth due to the death of mycorrhizae 
D) an increase in the number of decomposing bacteria 
E) a decrease in food for animals that eat mushrooms, and an increase in rates of wood decay

Question 16

Which of the following is not true of micronutrients in plants?

Accepted Answer

A) They are elements required in relatively small amounts. 
B) They are required for a plant to grow from a seed and complete its life cycle. 
C) They generally help in catalytic functions in the plant. 
D) They are the essential elements of small size and molecular weight. 
E) Deficiencies vary widely by soil type. 
A) They are elements required in relatively small amounts. 
B) They are required for a plant to grow from a seed and complete its life cycle. 
C) They generally help in catalytic functions in the plant. 
D) They are the essential elements of small size and molecular weight. 
E) Deficiencies vary widely by soil type.

Question 17

Reddish-purple colouring of leaves, especially along the margins of young leaves, is a typical symptom of deficiency of which element?

Accepted Answer

A) C 
B) M⁺⁺ 
C) N 
D) P 
E) K⁺ 
A) C 
B) M⁺⁺ 
C) N 
D) P 
E) K⁺

Question 18

An example of a mutualistic association between a plant and a fungus would be

Accepted Answer

A) nitrogen fixation. 
B) Rhizobium infection. 
C) mycorrhizae. 
D) parasitic infection. 
E) assisted pollination. 
A) nitrogen fixation. 
B) Rhizobium infection. 
C) mycorrhizae. 
D) parasitic infection. 
E) assisted pollination.

Question 19

Carnivorous plants have evolved mechanisms that trap and digest small animals. The products of this digestion are used to supplement the plant's supply of

Accepted Answer

A) energy. 
B) carbohydrates. 
C) lipids and steroids. 
D) minerals. 
E) water. 
A) energy. 
B) carbohydrates. 
C) lipids and steroids. 
D) minerals. 
E) water.

Question 20

Dwarf mistletoe grows on many pine trees in the Rockies. Although the mistletoe is green, it is probably not sufficiently active in photosynthesis to produce all the sugar it needs. The mistletoe also produces haustoria. Thus, dwarf mistletoe growing on pine trees is best classified as

Accepted Answer

A) an epiphyte. 
B) a nitrogen-fixing plant. 
C) a carnivorous plant. 
D) a symbiotic plant. 
E) a parasite. 
A) an epiphyte. 
B) a nitrogen-fixing plant. 
C) a carnivorous plant. 
D) a symbiotic plant. 
E) a parasite.

Exam 37: Soil and Plant Nutrition

Which of the following best describes the general role of micronutrients in plants?

Which of the following soil minerals is most likely leached away during a hard rain?

A soil well suited for the growth of most plants would have all of the following properties except

A researcher analyzes the mineral content of a particular grass and is surprised to find substantial levels of uranium in both leaf and root tissues. The most likely explanation for this finding is that

Which soil type or habitat would be least likely to have high populations of mycorrhizae?

If you wanted to increase the cation exchange and water retention capacity of loamy soil, what should you do?

The bulk of a plant's dry weight is derived from

For this pair of items, choose the option that best describes their relationship. I. the amount of molybdenum in a gram of dried plant material II. the amount of sulphur in a gram of dried plant material

How do macronutrients differ from micronutrients?

Which of the following is a true statement about nitrogen fixation in root nodules?

Mycorrhizae enhance plant nutrition mainly by

Hyphae form a covering over roots. These hyphae create a large surface area that helps to do which of the following?

A woodlot was sprayed with a fungicide. What would be the most serious effect of such spraying?

Which of the following is not true of micronutrients in plants?

Reddish-purple colouring of leaves, especially along the margins of young leaves, is a typical symptom of deficiency of which element?

An example of a mutualistic association between a plant and a fungus would be

Carnivorous plants have evolved mechanisms that trap and digest small animals. The products of this digestion are used to supplement the plant's supply of

Dwarf mistletoe grows on many pine trees in the Rockies. Although the mistletoe is green, it is probably not sufficiently active in photosynthesis to produce all the sugar it needs. The mistletoe also produces haustoria. Thus, dwarf mistletoe growing on pine trees is best classified as

Introduction: Evolution and Themes of Biology

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and Life

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Structure and Function

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

From Gene to Protein

Regulation of Gene Expression

Viruses

Dna Tools and Biotechnology

Genomes and Their Evolution

Descent With Modification: a Darwinian View of Life

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity Ii: the Evolution of Seed Plants

Fungi

An Overview of Animal Diversity

An Introduction to Invertebrates

The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants

Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signalling

Nervous Systems

Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

Animal Behaviour

An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Conservation Biology and Global Change

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