Question 1

The sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere ______.

Accepted Answer

A) can be an important source of sulfur nutrition for plants 
B) is a major contributor to "acid rain" 
C) comes from fires such as fossil fuel burning, volcanoes and forest fires 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above 
A) can be an important source of sulfur nutrition for plants 
B) is a major contributor to "acid rain" 
C) comes from fires such as fossil fuel burning, volcanoes and forest fires 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above

Question 2

About half the nitrogen in the A horizon of most soils becomes available to plants over the course of a whole year in a warm, humid climate.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

The great majority of nitrogen (95 to 98%) in soils can be found in the form of _____.

Accepted Answer

A) primary minerals 
B) secondary minerals 
C) dissolved cations 
D) dissolved anions 
E) organic compounds 
A) primary minerals 
B) secondary minerals 
C) dissolved cations 
D) dissolved anions 
E) organic compounds

Question 4

Nitrogen taken up by plants growing in a compost-treated soil is indistinguishable from the nitrogen taken up by plants growing in a fertilizer-treated soil.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Nitric acid deposited on forest soils with "acid rain" can increase the leaching of nutrient cations.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

On the average, agricultural soils in the US are currently being depleted of their nitrogen supply.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Grass clippings from a healthy lawn can be expected to contain approximately ___% N (on a dry weight basis).

Accepted Answer

A) 0.01 
B) 0.2 
C) 0.5 
D) 3.0 
E) 7.5 
A) 0.01 
B) 0.2 
C) 0.5 
D) 3.0 
E) 7.5

Question 8

To be practical, a nitrification inhibitor should kill or inhibit _____.

Accepted Answer

A) Nitrosomonas 
B) Nitrobacter 
C) either A or B 
D) none of the above 
A) Nitrosomonas 
B) Nitrobacter 
C) either A or B 
D) none of the above

Question 9

In order for nitrate to form from soil organic matter, _____ must be present in the soil.

Accepted Answer

A) Nitrosomonas 
B) Nitrobacter 
C) either A or B 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above 
A) Nitrosomonas 
B) Nitrobacter 
C) either A or B 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above

Question 10

Forests in decline because of acid deposition can often be brought back to high productivity with just a few applications of nitrogen fertilizer.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Ammonia volatilization is a process by which much needed nitrogen is added to the pool of plant-available nitrogen in soils.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Applying heavy dressings of N fertilizer will tend to produce sugary-sweet fruits and vegetables.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The opposite process from mineralization is _______.

Accepted Answer

A) immobilization 
B) nitrification 
C) denitrification 
D) ammonification 
E) none of the above 
A) immobilization 
B) nitrification 
C) denitrification 
D) ammonification 
E) none of the above

Question 14

Because of their huge numbers and direct access to soil organic matter, free living microorganisms such as Azotobacter typically fix more nitrogen per hectare of land than do nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in plant roots.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Methemoglobinemia is principally a potential threat to _____.

Accepted Answer

A) babies drinking water high in sulfate 
B) adults drinking water high in sulfate 
C) babies drinking water high in nitrate 
D) adults drinking water high in nitrate 
E) all of the above 
A) babies drinking water high in sulfate 
B) adults drinking water high in sulfate 
C) babies drinking water high in nitrate 
D) adults drinking water high in nitrate 
E) all of the above

Question 16

In most temperate, humid regions, the period of greatest potential for nitrate leaching is during the summer when nitrogen fertilizer is applied to crops.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Ammonia losses are likely to be greatest if a nitrogen source is placed about 10 cm deep in ____

Accepted Answer

A) an acid, sandy loam soil 
B) a calcareous sandy loam soil 
C) an acid, clay loam soil 
D) a calcareous clay loam soil 
A) an acid, sandy loam soil 
B) a calcareous sandy loam soil 
C) an acid, clay loam soil 
D) a calcareous clay loam soil

Question 18

Pesticides and other chemicals added to soils would be more likely to slow down nitrification than mineralization.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Because of _______, soils developed in marine marshes can become extremely acid if drained for agriculture or used as topsoil.

Accepted Answer

A) oxidation of sulfates 
B) reduction of sulfates 
C) oxidation of sulfides 
D) reduction of elemental sulfur 
E) all of the above 
A) oxidation of sulfates 
B) reduction of sulfates 
C) oxidation of sulfides 
D) reduction of elemental sulfur 
E) all of the above

Question 20

Highly weathered soils low in available sulfur in their A horizons often have adequate supplies of available sulfur in deeper, clay-rich horizons.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

The sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere ______.

About half the nitrogen in the A horizon of most soils becomes available to plants over the course of a whole year in a warm, humid climate.

The great majority of nitrogen (95 to 98%) in soils can be found in the form of _____.

Nitrogen taken up by plants growing in a compost-treated soil is indistinguishable from the nitrogen taken up by plants growing in a fertilizer-treated soil.

Nitric acid deposited on forest soils with "acid rain" can increase the leaching of nutrient cations.

On the average, agricultural soils in the US are currently being depleted of their nitrogen supply.

Grass clippings from a healthy lawn can be expected to contain approximately ___% N (on a dry weight basis).

To be practical, a nitrification inhibitor should kill or inhibit _____.

In order for nitrate to form from soil organic matter, _____ must be present in the soil.

Forests in decline because of acid deposition can often be brought back to high productivity with just a few applications of nitrogen fertilizer.

Ammonia volatilization is a process by which much needed nitrogen is added to the pool of plant-available nitrogen in soils.

Applying heavy dressings of N fertilizer will tend to produce sugary-sweet fruits and vegetables.

The opposite process from mineralization is _______.

Because of their huge numbers and direct access to soil organic matter, free living microorganisms such as Azotobacter typically fix more nitrogen per hectare of land than do nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in plant roots.

Methemoglobinemia is principally a potential threat to _____.

In most temperate, humid regions, the period of greatest potential for nitrate leaching is during the summer when nitrogen fertilizer is applied to crops.

Ammonia losses are likely to be greatest if a nitrogen source is placed about 10 cm deep in ____

Pesticides and other chemicals added to soils would be more likely to slow down nitrification than mineralization.

Because of _______, soils developed in marine marshes can become extremely acid if drained for agriculture or used as topsoil.

Highly weathered soils low in available sulfur in their A horizons often have adequate supplies of available sulfur in deeper, clay-rich horizons.

The Soils Around US

Formation of Soils From Parent Materials

Soil Classification

Soil Architecture and Physical Properties

Soil Water: Characteristics and Behavior

Soil and the Hydrologic Cycle

Soil Aeration and Temperature

Soil Colloids: Seat of Soil Chemical and Physical Activity

Soil Acidity

Soils of Dry Regions: Alkalinity, Salinity, and Sodicity

Organisms and Ecology of the Soil

Soil Organic Matter

Soil Phosphorus and Potassium

Micronutrients and Other Trace Elements

Practical Nutrient Management

Soil Erosion and Its Control

Soils and Chemical Pollution

Geographic Soils Information

Prospects for Global Soil Quality

Filters

Exam 13: Nitrogen and Sulfur Economy of Soils

The sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere ______.

About half the nitrogen in the A horizon of most soils becomes available to plants over the course of a whole year in a warm, humid climate.

The great majority of nitrogen (95 to 98%) in soils can be found in the form of _____.

Nitrogen taken up by plants growing in a compost-treated soil is indistinguishable from the nitrogen taken up by plants growing in a fertilizer-treated soil.

Nitric acid deposited on forest soils with "acid rain" can increase the leaching of nutrient cations.

On the average, agricultural soils in the US are currently being depleted of their nitrogen supply.

Grass clippings from a healthy lawn can be expected to contain approximately ___% N (on a dry weight basis).

To be practical, a nitrification inhibitor should kill or inhibit _____.

In order for nitrate to form from soil organic matter, _____ must be present in the soil.

Forests in decline because of acid deposition can often be brought back to high productivity with just a few applications of nitrogen fertilizer.

Ammonia volatilization is a process by which much needed nitrogen is added to the pool of plant-available nitrogen in soils.

Applying heavy dressings of N fertilizer will tend to produce sugary-sweet fruits and vegetables.

The opposite process from mineralization is _______.

Because of their huge numbers and direct access to soil organic matter, free living microorganisms such as Azotobacter typically fix more nitrogen per hectare of land than do nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in plant roots.

Methemoglobinemia is principally a potential threat to _____.

In most temperate, humid regions, the period of greatest potential for nitrate leaching is during the summer when nitrogen fertilizer is applied to crops.

Ammonia losses are likely to be greatest if a nitrogen source is placed about 10 cm deep in ____

Pesticides and other chemicals added to soils would be more likely to slow down nitrification than mineralization.

Because of _______, soils developed in marine marshes can become extremely acid if drained for agriculture or used as topsoil.

Highly weathered soils low in available sulfur in their A horizons often have adequate supplies of available sulfur in deeper, clay-rich horizons.

The Soils Around US

Formation of Soils From Parent Materials

Soil Classification

Soil Architecture and Physical Properties

Soil Water: Characteristics and Behavior

Soil and the Hydrologic Cycle

Soil Aeration and Temperature

Soil Colloids: Seat of Soil Chemical and Physical Activity

Soil Acidity

Soils of Dry Regions: Alkalinity, Salinity, and Sodicity

Organisms and Ecology of the Soil

Soil Organic Matter

Soil Phosphorus and Potassium

Micronutrients and Other Trace Elements

Practical Nutrient Management

Soil Erosion and Its Control

Soils and Chemical Pollution

Geographic Soils Information

Prospects for Global Soil Quality

Filters