37 Chapter Flashcards

1
Q

Basic physical properties of soil:

A

Texture
Composition

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2
Q

Different-sized particles of soil arise ultimately from the weathering of rock.

A

True

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3
Q

Soil particle sizes:

A

Coarse sand (biggest)
Silt
Microscopic clay particles (smallest)

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4
Q

Humus

A

The remains of dead organisms and other organic matter.

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5
Q

Topsoil

A

A mixture of particles derived from rock, living organisms, and humus.

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6
Q

Soil horizons

A

Soil layers

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7
Q

Soil solution

A

The water and dissolved minerals in the pores between soil particles.

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8
Q

Loams

A

Are composed of roughly equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay. Is the topsoil that is most fertile.

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9
Q

Loamy souls have enough small silt and clay particles to provide ample surface area for the adhesion and retention of minerals and water. Meanwhile, the large spaces between sand particles enable efficient diffusion of oxygen to the roots.

A

True

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10
Q

Inorganic material

A

Minerals

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11
Q

Leaching

A

The percolation of water through the soil.

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12
Q

Most soil particles are negatively charged.

A

True

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13
Q

Cation exchange

A

A process in which cations are displaced from soil particles by other cations, particularly H+

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14
Q

The more clay and organic matter in the soil, …

A

the higher the cation exchange capacity

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15
Q

The major organic component of topsoil is _______

A

humus

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16
Q

Fertilization makes soil a renewable resource.

A

True

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17
Q

Sustainable agriculture

A

Long-term productive farming methods that are environmentally safe.

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18
Q

Irrigation is a huge drain on freshwater resources.

A

True

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19
Q

Aquifers

A

Underground water reserves

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20
Q

Land subsidence

A

A gradual settling or sudden sinking of Earth’s surface.

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21
Q

Salinization

A

The addition of salts to the soil that make it too salty for cultivating plants.
-Product of irrigation

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22
Q

Drip irrigation

A

The slow release of water to soil and plants from perforated plastic tubing placed directly at the root zone.

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23
Q

Fertilization

A

The addition of mineral nutrients to the soil.

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24
Q

Fertilizers are usually enriched in…

A

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

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25
Q

Examples of organic fertilizers

A

Manure, fishmeal, and compost

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26
Q

Before plants can use organic material it must be decomposed into the inorganic nutrients that roots can absorb.

A

True

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27
Q

Soil pH is an important factor that influences mineral availability by its…

A

Effect on cation exchange and the chemical form of minerals.

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28
Q

Most plants prefer slightly acidic soil because the high H+ concentration can displace positively charged minerals from soil particles, making them more available for absorption.

A

True

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29
Q

No-till agriculture

A

Plowing technique used to reduce erosion.

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30
Q

Soil remediation

A

The detoxification of contaminated soils

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31
Q

Phytoremediation

A

A nondestructive biotechnology that harnesses the ability of some plants to extract soil pollutants and concentrate them in portions of the plant that can be easily removed for safe disposal.

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32
Q

Essential element

A

A chemical element that is required for the plant to complete its life cycle and produce another generation.

33
Q

Hydroponic culture

A

A technique used to determine which chemical elements are essential, in which plants are growing in mineral solutions instead of soil.

34
Q

Macronutrients

A

Plants require these 9 essential elements in relatively large amounts.

35
Q

Micronutrients

A

Plants need these essential elements in only tiny quantities.

36
Q

Micronutrients function in plants mainly as cofactors.

A

True

37
Q

9 macronutrients

A

Carbon
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Sulfur

38
Q

Major function of carbon

A

Major component of plant’s organic compounds

39
Q

Major function of oxygen

A

Major component of plant’s organic compounds

40
Q

Major function of hydrogen

A

Major component of plant’s organic compounds

41
Q

Major function of nitrogen

A

Component of nucleic acids, proteins, and chlorophyll

42
Q

Major function of Potassium

A

Cofactor of many enzymes; major solute functioning in water balance; operation of stamata

43
Q

Major function of calcium

A

Important component of middle lamella and cell walls; maintains membrane function; signal transduction

44
Q

Major function of magnesium

A

Component of chlorophyll; cofactor of many enzymes

45
Q

Major function of phosphorus

A

Component of nucleic acids, phospholipids, ATP

46
Q

Major function of sulfur

A

Component of proteins

47
Q

8 micronutrients

A

Chlorine
Iron
Manganese
Boron
Zinc
Copper
Nickel
Molybdenum

48
Q

Chlorosis

A

Yellowing of leaves

49
Q

Smart plants

A

Signal when a nutrient deficiency is imminent before damage has occurred.
-Genetically modified

50
Q

Rhizobacteria

A

Bacteria that live in the rhizosphere

51
Q

Rhizosphere

A

The soil closely surrounding the plant’s roots

52
Q

Endophytes

A

Are nonpathogenic bacteria (or fungi) that live between cells within the plant itself but do not form deep, intimate associations with the cells or alter their morphology.

53
Q

Both endophytic bacteria and rhizobacteria depend on nutrients such as sugars, amino acids, and organic acids secreted by plant cells.

A

True

54
Q

Nitrogen cycle

A

Describes transformations of nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds in nature.

55
Q

The forms of nitrogen a plant can use

A

Ammonium ions (NH4+)
Nitrate ions (NO3-)

56
Q

Ammonification

A

The process of converting organic forms of nitrogen into ammonium

57
Q

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

A

Convert gaseous nitrogen (N2) to NH3, which then picks up another H+ in the soil solution, forming NH4+

58
Q

Nitrification

A

A two-step process, which consists of the oxidation of ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2-), followed by oxidation of NO2- to NO3-.
-Nitrifying bacteria mediate each step.

59
Q

After the roots absorb NO3-, a plant enzyme reduces it back to NH4+, which other enzymes incorporate into amino acids and other organic compounds.

A

True

60
Q

Denitrifying bacteria

A

Convert NO3- to N2

61
Q

Nitrogen fixation

A

A process which converts N2 to NH3

62
Q

All nitrogen-fixing organisms are _______

A

Bacteria

63
Q

The process of nitrogen fixation requires _______ ATP molecules for every _____ NH3 molecules

A

16, 2

64
Q

Nodules

A

Swellings along the root composed of plant cells “infected” by Rhizobium (“root living”) bacteria

65
Q

Bacteroids

A

A form of the bacterium Rhizobium contained within the vesicles formed by the root cells of a root nodule.

66
Q

Nitrogen fixation requires an anaerobic environment.

A

True

67
Q

Leghemoglobin

A

An iron-containing protein that binds reversibly to oxygen.

68
Q

Crop rotation

A

The practice of growing different crops in succession on the same land chiefly to preserve the productive capacity of the soil.

69
Q

Two main types of micorrhizae

A

Ectomycorrhizae
Arbuscular mycorrhizae

70
Q

Ectomycorrhizae

A

Association of a fungus with a plant root system in which the fungus surrounds the roots but does not cause invagination of the host plant cell’s plasma membrane.

71
Q

Ectomycorrhizae forms…

A

A dense sheath, or mantle of mycelia (mass of branching hyphae)

72
Q

Fungal hyphae greatly increases…

A

The surface area for water and mineral absorption

73
Q

Arbuscular mycorrhizae

A

Association of a fungus with a plant root system in which the fungus causes the invagination of the hot plant cell’s plasma membranes.

74
Q

The process of invagination is analogous to poking a finger gently into a balloon without popping it.

A

True

75
Q

Arbuscules

A

Important sites of nutrient transfer between the fungus and the plant.
-Formed by the branching of fungal hyphae after invagination

76
Q

Epiphyte

A

A plant that grows on another plant.

77
Q

Parasitic plants

A

Absorb water minerals, and sometimes products of photosynthesis from their living hosts.

78
Q

Carnivorous plants

A

Are photosynthetic but supplement their mineral diet by capturing insects and other small animals.