Soil Science Test 1

D

A soil horizon sequence of A-E-Bt-C-R would be characteristic of which soil order? a. Aridisol b. Entisol c. Inceptisol d. Ultisol

B

Alluvium typically results in mature, well-developed soils. a. True b. False

A

An argillic horizon is a diagnostic horizon characterized by the subsurface accumulation of silicate clays. a. True b. False

B

Clay accumulation is most common in the ___ horizon. a. A b. B c. C d. E e. O

C

Eluvation is an example of which of the four soil forming processes? a. Additions b. Losses c. Translocations d. Transformations

B

Epipedons are diagnostic subsurface horizons that are one of the primary means of classifying soils in the United States. a. True b. False

A

Glacial outwash is a term used to describe parent materials that _____. a. were transported by water gushing from glacial fronts b. were transported by high winds during glacial periods c. were pushed into place by advancing icebergs d. are found in Arizona

A

Igneous rocks are formed when molten magma cools and solidifies. a. True b. False

B

In a high elevation, cold desert, which weathering processes would dominate? a. Leaching and precipitation of secondary minerals b. Mechanical/Physical processes c. Acid dissolution and lithification d. Chemical weathering

B

In soils of which suborder would you most likely find wide surface cracks during periods of dry weather? a. Ustalfs b. Usterts c. Ustox d. Ustults

D

Loess is an example of a parent material moved by a. Gravity b. Ice c. Water d. Wind e. None of the above

D

Residual parent materials would most likely be found a. at the base of a steep hill. b. on a stream terrace. c. in a peat-land. d. at the top of a steep hill.

A

Secondary minerals are recrystallized products of the chemical breakdown and/or alteration of primary minerals. a. True b. False

D

Select the appropriate epipedon: A layer of organic soil that is not saturated with water for more than 30 days. a. Mollic b. Umbric c. Histic d. Folistic

A

Select the appropriate soil order: A true B horizon is present. The subsoil has a base saturation greater than 35%. a. Alfisols b. Inceptisols c. Oxisols d. Ultisols

B

Spodosols are generally less acidic and less sandy than are Alfisols. a. True b. False

B

The B horizon is the zone where you would expect maximum eluviation. a. True b. False

B

The ____ suborder represents a soil that formed from volcanic materials. The horizonation is A-Bw-C. a. Folist b. Camband c. Ustalf d. Albox

B

The _____ horizon is topmost mineral horizon. a. O b. A c. B d. C

A

The name of a subgroup indicates the order, suborder, and great group of which it is a member. a. True b. False

B

The parent materials for most coastal plain soils are residual in nature. a. True b. False

B

The suborder for a wet volcanic soil might be ____. a. Xerid b. Aquand c. Humivol d. Volaqua

D

Which horizon of a mature soil profile would you expect to find light colored and leached of clay? a. A b. B c. C d. E e. O

B

Which soil moisture regime has the highest soil moisture levels? a. Aridic b. Udic c. Ustic d. Xeric

C

A subordinate designation of _____ indicates a soil horizon with evidence of disturbance by mechanical means, pasturing, or similar activities. a. a b. d c. p d. t

B

A transition horizon designated AB would have characteristics similar to A horizons and B horizons, with B horizon characteristics being the most prevalent. a. True b. False

A

Effective precipitation is a measure of the amount of water that flows into and through the soil profile. a. True b. False

D

In the United States, the government lead agency for most soil survey work is the _____. a. National Bureau of Soil Survey b. Department of Land Reclamation c. Agency for Soil Resource Inventory d. Natural Resources Conservation Service

C

In which of the following soil orders would recent alluvium most likely be a common parent material? a. Alfisols b. Andisols c. Entisols d. Ultisols

B

Mollisols generally have higher organic matter contents than Histosols. a. True b. False

A

Of the horizons listed below, organic matter accumulation is most pronounced in the _____. a. A b. B c. C d. E

D

Of these suborders listed below, which would be representative of an "old" mature soil? a. Aquent b. Fluvent c. Udept d. Udult

A

Soils in which of the following suborders would be more likely to occur in Arizona than in Minnesota? a. Cambids b. Cryolls c. Histel d. Aquod

D

The _____ are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. a. basic classes of soils b. forms of minerals c. master horizon names d. types of rocks

B

The agent responsible for sorting of alluvial deposits is a. wind b. water c. ice d. gravity

A

The broadest category of classification in Soil Taxonomy specifies 12 soil orders, 11 of which are for mineral or frozen soils. a. True b. False

B

The factors of soil formation are _____. a. air, water, mineral matter, organic matter and vegetation b. climate, time, parent material, topography, and biotic activity c. sand, silt, clay, organic matter, and air d. transformation, translocation, additions, and losses

D

The formation processes are _____. a. air, water, mineral matter, organic matter and vegetation b. climate, time, parent material, topography, and biotic activity c. sand, silt, clay, organic matter, and air d. transformation, translocation, additions, and losses

D

The map units on a detailed soil map in a county soil survey report are most likely to be labeled with names from which category of Soil Taxonomy? a. suborder b. great group c. subgroup d. series

B

Weathering of rocks usually is most intense in the center of a rock fragment, and gradually decreases toward the outside. a. True b. False

D

What are the six soil master horizons, in the order which you will find them in the soil, from top to bottom? a. O, E, t, A, p, C b. A, B, C, E, O, R c. O, A, B, E, C, R d. O, A, E, B, C, R

B

Which horizon is lacking in Entisols? a. A b. B c. C

A

Which horizon would be present in an Inceptisol? a. Bw b. Bh c. Bg d. Bt

D

Which of the following categories of Soil Taxonomy provides the greatest specificity of soil properties? a. Family b. Great group c. Order d. Series e. Suborder

B

Which of the following subsurface diagnostic horizons would you expect to find in a highly weathered soil of the humid tropics? a. cambic b. oxic c. salic d. spodic

D

Which soil moisture regime has the lowest soil moisture levels? a. Aquic b. Udic c. Ustic d. Xeric

D

Which type of parent material would you find as the result of gravity transportation? a. Glacial till b. Residuum c. Loess d. Colluvium

D

Why is water important in the processes of soil formation? a. It is essential for the dissolution of primary minerals b. It is responsible for the eluviation of material the leads to profile differentiation c. It is necessary to support the biotic activity that leads to soil development. d. All of the statements are correct.

C

_____ is a parent material that was transported by ice. a. Alluvium b. Colluvium c. Till d. Loess

C

_____ is not considered one of the five major factors influencing soil formation. a. Parent material b. Climate c. Losses d. Topography