Intro

Question 1

What is Ecology?

Answer 1

The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and their surroundings (biotic and abiotic)

Question 2

What are the 5 types of ecological relationships?

Answer 2

1. Competition
2. Predation
3. Commensalism (+,0)
4. Mutualism
5. Parasitism

Question 3

What is soil a product of?

Answer 3

Soil is a product of its interactions of physical, chemical and biological components.

Question 4

What are the three main goals of organisms in the soil?

Answer 4

1. Obtain nutrients
2. Derive energy
   3.Reproduce

Question 5

What is Soil Ecology?

Answer 5

It is the study of soil organisms and how they interact with others of their own kind, other types of organisms and with the environment of soil.

Question 6

What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?

Answer 6

Biotic factors are living and abiotic factors are non living

Question 7

Is root exudate a biotic or abiotic factor?

Answer 7

Biotic

Question 8

What 6 ecosystem services do soil perform?

Answer 8

1. Support plant growth
2. Regulate water supplies
3. Nature’s recycling system for nutrients and organic waste.
4. Modify atmosphere
5. Habitat for soil organisms
6. Engineering medium

Question 9

How many essential nutrients do plants have?

Answer 9

17

Question 10

What are the 3 non-mineral macronutrients required by the plants?

Answer 10

Oxygen
Hydrogen
Carbon

Question 11

What 5 factors can affect soil formation?

Answer 11

1. Climate
2. Parent material
3. Topography
4. Organisms
5. Time

Question 12

What are the two types of soil forming factors?

Answer 12

Active and Passive

Question 13

What are the two active soil forming factors?

Answer 13

Climate and organisms

Question 14

What are the 4 soil forming processes

Answer 14

1. Addition
2. Losses
3. Translocation
4. Transformations

Question 15

What are the 4 approaches to study soil ecology?

Answer 15

1. Biochemical
2. Diversity/abundance
3. Reductionist
   4.Holistic