Ess

ESS
5.1 Introduction to soil systems
1) Complete the following sentence

● Soil texture is the look and feel of the soil and is linked to the proportion of
, silt and particles.
- sand and clay
2) Which of the soil types below has the highest levels of primary productivity?
- Loam
3) Among the soil types below, which one can retain the smallest amounts of
nutrients and minerals?
- Sand
4) Based on the soil texture triangle below, state the name of the soil type which
contains 50% of clay, 20% of silt and 30% of sand.
- Clay
5) The process in which rocks or soil are broken down into small particles as a
result of exposure to wind, water or biota is called:
- weathering
6) Soil may be compared to an open system as it exchanges both matter and
energy with the surroundings. Choose the sequence which lists soil storages.
- Water, air, organic matter, organisms, nutrients and minerals
7) Which soil type has got the best water holding capacity?
- clay
8) What is the effect on soil when it is subjected to lower levels of precipitation
than evaporation of water?
- Water is drawn upwards through the soil, dissolving minerals and taking
them to the soil surface.
9) What is the importance of putrefying bacteria in soil?
- They break down dead organic matter into ammonia which dissolves in
soil moisture.
10) What is the function of nitrifying bacteria (nitrosomonas) in soil?
- They convert ammonium to nitrate ions.
11) Which type of soil is characterised by the biggest particle size?
- Sandy soil
12) Waterlogging occurs when all air spaces in soil are filled up with water. Among
the soil types below, which one poses the greatest risks of waterlogging?
- clay
13) The soil will have the greatest drainage if it has:
- Big particles
14) Which of the following soil types is very hard to work in hot and dry
conditions?
- clay
15) What is the name of the soil type that consists of sand, silt and clay?
- loam
16) Name one way in which the figure below shows how soil interacts with the
hydrosphere.
- infiltration
17) What is the function of nitrifying bacteria (nitrobacter) in soil?
- They convert nitrites into nitrates.
18) Name the transfer that occurs when rainwater penetrates the soil, dissolving
and removing minerals such as nitrates and phosphates.
- leaching
19) The natural ability of the soil to let the water pass through is called soil
_____________.
- drainage
20) Is soil moisture a biotic or an abiotic factor affecting an ecosystem?
- abiotic factor
21) Complete the following sentence with a single word.
● Salinization is caused by the movement of water in soil.
- Upwards
22) Using the soil triangle below, state what type of soil has 33% clay, 43% silt and
24% sand. (N.b do not assume the arrows drawn in red, yellow and blue relate
to this soil).
- Clay loam
23) Soil is made up of four basic parts, they are?
- Air, minerals, organic matter and water.
24) Earthworms are a vital part of a healthy soil because .......
● Which of the following statements is the correct end to this sentence?
- All of the statements could be the correct end to the sentence.
25) Which response contains the four soil inputs.
- Minerals, organic matter, gases and water
26) Which of the following statements describes a soil profile?
- Top is the O horizon: Made up of DOM
- Next is the A horizon: Dark in colour
- Then comes the B horizon: Zone of illuviation
- Last is the C horizon: Decomposed parent material.
27) Which of the statements gives an accurate description of the proportions of

the soil a X?
- Sand: 12% - Silt: 9% - Clay: 79%
1) The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
I. Identify two inputs to these storages.

- Decomposition
- Infiltration of dissolved minerals/atmospheric deposition/precipitation
- Weathering of parent material/sedimentation from run-off/river flow
- Animal excretion
- Fertiliser use
- (Atmospheric/biological) nitrogen fixation
II. Identify two outputs from these storages.
- Absorption by plants/organisms/harvesting/herbivory
- leaching
- Transformation to gaseous state/denitrification
- mining/quarrying
- Soil erosion
2) Solid domestic waste may contain non-biodegradable material and toxins that have
the potential to reduce the fertility of soils.
Explain how strategies for the management of this waste may help to preserve
soil fertility.
- recycling/reuse helps by preventing the release of non-biodegradable

material/toxins into the soil
- reduction helps by reducing the quantity of non-biodegradable material/toxins
produced/manufactured
- promoting selective consumerism to avoid toxic products prevents them being
present in domestic waste
- Composting can compensate to some extent by providing soil nutrients that
improve soil fertility;
3)
a)
I. State one transfer of matter occurring within the soil profile.
- biological mixing by soil animals
- earthworms
- leaching
- absorption of minerals
II. State one transformation process occurring within the soil profile
- Decomposition
- humification of organic matter
- Evaporation
- Rusting soil
III. State one transformation process occurring within the soil profile.
- nitrogen (from denitrification)
- water (vapour from evaporation)
- heat (from radiation/conduction)
b) Describe two characteristics of soil with high primary productivity.
- optimum/medium particle size / loam soils / mixed/balanced composition of
sand/silt/clay
- allow good drainage/permeability/resist water-logging
- prevent excessive leaching/good water-holding capacity
- high availability of minerals/inorganic nutrients
c) Outline two conservation methods that could be used to reduce soil erosion.
- wind reduction techniques, eg wind/shelter breaks to prevent wind erosion;
- avoid overgrazing/over-cropping/monoculture which degrades soil texture;
- zero/minimum tillage reduces soil agitation/potential for erosion;
- trickle/drip irrigation reduces run-off causing erosion.

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5.1 Introduction to soil systems

1) Complete the following sentence

27) Which of the statements gives an accurate description of the proportions of

1) The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.

I. Identify two inputs to these storages.

- recycling/reuse helps by preventing the release of non-biodegradable

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