Exam 4: The Terrestrial Environment

The process of mineral particles such as clay and salts accumulating in the B layer of soils is referred to as ________.

In high-latitude habitats,forest canopies that have leaves positioned at an angle will absorb light more effectively.

In low-lying areas with poor drainage,________ results in a black or bluish-gray soil with a high organic content.

The ________ exchange capacity is a basic measure of soil quality and increases with higher clay and organic matter content.

The available water capacity is highest for

Soils developing from sand and silt carried by the wind are referred to as

Clay soils have smaller pores and hold considerably less water than sandy soils.

The greater the leaf area index (LAI)above the forest floor,the lower the quantity of light reaching the forest floor.

Calcification results in the buildup of dissolved alkaline salts in the B horizon of soils.

The amount of light at any depth in the canopy is affected by the number of ________ above.

The general relationship between available light and leaf area index (LAI)is described by

Which of the following is a common soil anion?

The most shallow soils occur in or on

More rainfall enters the soil on steep slopes than on level land.

The soil-forming process occurring in cool,moist climates of midlatitude regions where coniferous vegetation dominates is referred to as

Coarse-textured soils have a low field capacity and a low wilting point.

The ________ point is the stage at which the moisture level in soil decreases to a level at which plants can no longer extract water.

Soil in regions with high rainfall or in low-lying areas associated with poor drainage form through the process of

Beer's law can be used to describe the attenuation of light in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Soils with a pH greater than 7 are considered to be ________.