UNIVERSITY

OF GHANA

(All rights reserved)

B.A FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS 202112022 ACADEMIC YEAR
(DISTANCE EDUCATION)

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

GEOG 321: SOILS AND BIOGEOGRAPHY (3 CREDITS)
INSTRUCTIONS:
STUDENT ID NO.: _ _ _ __ DATE: _ _ _ __ SIGNATURE: _ _ _ __

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS ON THE QUESTION SHEET.

TIME ALLOWED: TWO AND HALF (2Yz) HOURS

(Circle the appropriate answer)

1. Which of the following is not a natural force that causes weathering of rocks?
(a) Wind
(b) Water
(c) Glacier
(d) Earthquake

2. Clay particles are of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ size.

(a) More than 0.004 mm
(b) Less than 0.04 mm
(c) More than 0.02 mm
(d) Less thank 0.002 mm

3. The _ _ _ _ is a vertical section of the soil that depicts all of its horizons.
(a) Soil rate
(b) Soil profile
(c) Soil texture
(d) Soil layer

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 4. are black in color and have a high clay content in which deep vertical cracks
develops during the dry season.
(a) Spondosols
(b) Mollisols
(c) Vertisols
(d) Andisols

5. Removal of the top layer of soil is referred to as _ _ _ _ _ _ ?

(a) Soil erosion
(b) Weathering
(c) Soil formation
(d) Deforestation

6. Dead and decaying material produced by plants in the soil is called_ _ _ _ _?

(a) Microorganisn1
(b) Humus
(c) Fungus
(d) Biome

7. Different layer of soil having characteristic feature is referred to as _ _ __

(a) Earth cnlst
(b) Soil profile
(c) Lithosphere
(d) Soil layer

8. Which of the following is not an organic matter present in the soil?

(a) Dead plants and animals
(b) Human excreta
( c) Phosphate
(d) Humus

9. What property of soil could be tested by rubbing soil between fingers?

(a) Color
(b) Water retention
(c) Texture
(d) Weathering

10. Which type of soil can hold the greatest amount of water?
(a) Silt
(b) Clay
(c) Loam
(d) Sand

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 11. Which of the following crops is the most effective in controlling soil erosion?
(a) Maize
(b) Cotton
(c) Green gram
(d) Pigeon pea

12. Sheet erosion is caused by _ _ __

(a) Heavy rains
(b) Wind
(c) Glacier
(d) Sand winning

13. Soil conservation means _ _ _ __

(a) To check soil erosion by afforestation
(b) To check soil erosion by wind and rains
(c) Prevention of spread of desert
(d) All of these

14. The soil binding is done in the best way by_ _ _ __

(a) Grasses
(b) Algae
(c) Mycorrhizae
(d) A II of these

15. Digging pits on the slopes just for the accumulation of run off is called as- - - -
(a) Contour terracing
(b) Beach terracing
(c) Contour trenching
(d) None of these

16. Mulching helps in _ _ _ __

(a) Improvement of soil structure
(b) Weed control
(c) Increasing soil fertility
(d) Moisture conservation

17. The soil permeability can be decreased due to blockers called- - - - - -

(a) Clods
(b) Pans
(c) Peds
(d) None of these

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 18. The sequence of water erosion is _ _ __
(a) Splash, sheet, rill and gully
(b) Sheet, gully and rill
(c) Rill, splash and sheet
(d) Gully, splash, sheet and rill.

19. Soil conservation can best achieved by having,_ _ __

(a) Wind screens
(b) Low rainfall
(c) Good plant covers
(d) Restricted human activity

20. Eroded soils are_ _ _ __

(a) Rich in plant nutrients
(b) Devoid of plant nutrients
(c) Unaltered in plant nutrients
(d) All of these

21. Rotation of crop is essential for _ _ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Increasing fertility of soil
(b) Increasing quality of protein
(c) Increasing quality of minerals
(d) Getting different kinds of crops

22. Which of the following terms are used to indicate grain sizes?
(a) Gravel
(b) Sand
(c) Silt
(d) All of these

23. The purpose of soil classification is to_ _ _ _ __

(a) To arrange various soils types into groups
(b) To use it for various purpose
(c) For finding its properties
(d) For investigating the soil

24. Soil structure usually defines _ _ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Arrangement of soil particles and stage of aggregation of soil particles
(b) Composition of the soil mass
(c) None of these
(d) All of these

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 25. Which of the following properties of soil is influenced by soil structure?
(a) Permeability
(b) Compressibility
(c) Shear strength
(d) All of these

26. Which of the following prope11ies of soil can be affected by compacting the soil?
(a) Compressibility
(b) Water absorption
(c) Permeability
Cd) All of the mentioned

27. The property of a soil which allows it to be deformed rapidly, without rupturing
is _ _ _ __
(a) Elasticity
(b) Plasticity
(c) Tenacity
(d) None of the mentioned

28. Which of the following is not useful for engineering purpose as proposed by Atterberg?
(a) Plastic limit
(b) Liquid limit
(c) Solid limit
(d) Shrinkage limit

29. Which of the following is not considered as one of the state, as divided by Atterberg?
(a) Solid state
(b) Gaseous state
(c) Semi-solid state
(d) Liquid state

30. Shrinkage is prominent in _ _ _ _ _ soil.

(a) Clay
(b) Coarse-grained
(c) Silt
(d) Loam

31. The magnitude of soil erosion tends to be higher in soils with

----
(a) Low CEC
(b) High pH
(c) Good structure
Cd) Poor structure

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 32. What term describes the loss of clay, iron, and other materials from topsoil over time due
to leaching?
(a) Alluviation
(b) Illuviation
(c) Eluviation
(d) Percolation

33. Which of the following is a required test for soil classification under the USCS?
(a) Organic decomposition analysis
(b) Random unit test
(c) Water addition test
(d) Particle size analysis

34. A soil conservation process where a completely new forest in a place that was originally
not a forest is
(a) Deforestation
(b) Reforestation
(c) Afforestation
(d) Remediation

35. The erosion which occurs when small particles are lifted by wind and deposited
elsewhere is - - - - - - -
(a) Abrasion
(b) Leaching
(c) Deflation
(d) Splash

36. Soils with high infiltration are less erodible because_ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Water easily logs
(b) They are acidic
(c) Impacts of raindrops are reduced
Cd) Less runoff is generated

37. The most pervasive agent of erosion in Ghana is _ _ _ _ __

(a) Air
(b) Water
(c) Wind
Cd) Farming
38. The soils that cover about 750/0 of the savanna zone of Ghana are- - - - -
(a) Groundwater laterites
(b) Savanna ochrosols
(c) Forest ochrosols
(d) Coastal laterites

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 39. The savanna ochrosols are good for crop production because they are_ _ _ __
(a) Highly acidic
(b) Less acidic
(c) Neutral
(d) Highly alkaline

40. Soils that are very sticky when wet and very hard when dry _ _ _ _ __
(a) Inceptisols
(b) Oxisols
(c) Histosols
(d) Vertisols

41. Which of the soil properties is not influenced by soil structure?

(a) Permeability
(b) Compressibility
(c) Shear strength
(d) Plastic linlit

42. Microorganisms improve soil structure by_ _ _ _ __

(a) Gluing soil particles
(b) Decomposing organic matter
(c) Bringing fine material to the surface
(d) Breaking up soil particles

43. Parent material of soil formed as a result of deposition from running water, usually found
on riverbeds or streams is _ _ _ _ _ __
(a) Marine deposits
(b) Sedimentary deposits
(c) Alluvium
(d) Colluvium

44. Soil formed on fresh deposits of volcanic ash is_ _ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Ultisol
(b) Entisol
(c) Alfisol
(d) Andisol

45. The view where soils are seen as foundation materials for constnlction is _ _ _ point
of view.
(a) Pedological
(b) Climatological
(c) Agricultural
(d) Engineering

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 46. Presence of sand and silt-size particles in a clay deposit reduces _ _ _ __
(a) Swelling of soil
(b) Volume
( c) Water content
(d) Total shrinkage

47. Specific surface of a soil is related with_ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Chelnical properties of the soil
(b) Physical properties of the soil
( c) General characteristic of the soil
(d) All the mentioned.

48. Microscopic soil particles have a very _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Large specific surface
(b) Large volume
(c) Small specific surface
(d) Large diameter.

49. Chemical activity of a clay mineral depends on _ _ _ _ __

(a) Electric charge
(b) Surface area
(c) Compactness
(d) Unit mass

50. Acidic soil can be characterized by _ _ _ _ _ _ __

(a) Low pH
(b) High pH
(c) Texture
(d) Color

51. Which of the following best defines biogeography as a scientific discipline?

(a) The study of living organisms and their characteristics in relation to the environment
(b) The study of geographic distribution and abundance of organisms and their
interactions with the environment
(c )The study of the geographic distribution of organisms resulting from ecological and
evolutionary processes
(d) The study of biodiversity in temporal context
52. Which of the following statements best describes biogeography as a multi-disciplinary
science?
(a) It is better understood from field observations
(b) It overlaps the boundaries of a great nUlnber of other disciplines
(c) It is an interesting systematics of geography
(d) It combines knowledge from several disciplines to explain its subject matter

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 53. Why is biogeography considered as a synthetic science?
(a) It is better understood from field observations
(b) It overlaps the boundaries of a great number of other subject disciplines
(c) It incorporates concepts from biology and geography
(d) It combines knowledge from several other disciplines to explain its subject matter

54. Which of the following best explains why biogeography is an observational science?
(a) It communicates knowledge from only field observations.
(b) It makes more observations than all other disciplines.
(c) It combines observations with quantitative data to explain its subject matter.
(d) It considers nature as the major research laboratory for biogeographical studies,
requiring field visits.

55. Which of the following statements is incorrect about why we study biogeography?
(a) To gain greater understanding and appreciation for the fascinating world of
biodiversity
(b) To embark on field trips and excursions to nature reserves
( c) To encourage research to guide policy-making for efficient environmental governance
(d) Provides information about any part of the biosphere for development of policies to
effectively manage the environment.

56. Which one of the following questions is not of intertest to a biogeographer?

(a) Why is the kangaroo present in Australia and not in Ghana?
(b) How have hun1ans altered the geographic distribution of organisms?
(c) When did the Portuguese arrive in Ghana?
(d) What are the historical and ecological factors that help determine where a species
occurs'?

57. Which one of the following best explains the ultimate goal of biogeography?
(a) To produce more scholars with biological knowledge and skills
(b) To provide infonnation about any part of the biosphere for developlnent of
environmental policies
(c) To prepare scholars to participate in media engagement at national and global levels
(d) To offer more opportunities to students to secure gainful employment.

58. The focus of modern biogeography includes all the following except
(a) Exploring the spatial patterns of geographic variation of individuals and populations
in the biosphere
(b) Studying ecosystem structure and function
(c) Interrogating the therapeutic functions of plants
(d) investigating ecosystem structure and functions

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 59. Which of the following statements is not a valid explanation of why plant biogeography
may have been more researched or studied than animal biogeography?
(a) Most animals are not only microscopic but also associated with the soil.
(b) Most plants are relatively immobile and conspicuous so easier to study.
(c) There are fewer species of animals than plant in the biosphere.
(d) Plants are more dependent on and affected by their physical environments than
animals.

60. Which of the following pair of technologies have helped to advance the mapping and
lTIodeling of spatial patterns of abundance and distribution of species?
(a) Cartography and surveying
(b) Photoshop and imaging
(c) Remote sensing and geographic information systems
(d) Digitization and artificial intelligence

61. Ecological or environmental factors broadly consist of_ _ __

(a) Plants and animals
(b) Biotic and abiotic factors
(c) Edaphic and topographic factors
Cd) anthropogenic and climatic factors

62. The human-induced factors responsible for vegetation development are also termed:
(a) Abiotic factors.
(b) Topographic factors
(c) Anthropogenic factors
(d) Edaphic factors

63. Which of the following statements explains Shelford's law of tolerance?

(a) There are limits of a required environmental factor for each organism
(b) The environmental factor in its minimum quantity determines the survival of an
organism
(c) All environmental factors operate in synergy and not independently
(d) Organisms determine their own limits of environmental factors required.

64. Which of the following is not true about the role of environmental factors in the
development of vegetation?
(a) Each organism has a unique range for a required factor.
(b) There is a Ininimun1, maximum and optimum limits of the factor,
(c) Factors work independent of each other.
(d) Factors vary along both spatial and temporal scales.

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 65. The survival of an organism is detern1ined by its required environmental factor which
occurs in minimum quantity. This statement refers to: Which of the following best
explains?
(a) Shelford's law of tolerance.
(b) Liebig's law of limiting factors.
(c) Newton's law of motion.
(d) Hardy-Weinberg law of genetics.

66. All except one of the following is not a climatic or atmospheric factor for growth and
developlnent of plants _ _ _ _ __
(a) Light
(b) Wind
(c) Rainfall
(d) Topography

67. All the blow explains the importance of water to plant growth and development
except_ __
(a) Constitutes a Inajor cOlnponent of cells of most organisms, especially plants.
(b) Increases soil fertility.
(c) Is the medium by which mineral nutrients enter and are translocated through plants.
(d) It is also necessary for maintenance of leaf turgidity to enhance photosynthesis.

68. Plants are classified as sciophytes, mesophytes and heliophytes on basis of- - -
(a) Light frequency
(b) Light quality
(c) Light duration
(d) Light intensity

69. Which of the following is not true about light intensity?

(a) Describes the strength or brightness oflight received in a place
(b) Plants intolerant of high light intensity are heliophytes
(c) Within limits, light intensity affects rate of photosynthesis
(d) It varies in both space and time

70. Photoperiodism in plants describes- - - - - - - -

(a) The quality of light required to initiate flowering
(b) The intensity of light needed for maximum photosynthetic activity
(c) The required amount of light for seed germination
(d) The response of plants to light duration

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 71. A plant is consistently observed to produce flowers only when it is exposed to light
duration below its critical photoperiod. Such a plant is a_ _ _ _ __
(a) Long-day plant
(b) Short-day plant
(c) Day-neutral plant
(d) Sciophytic plant

72. Which one of the following is an indirect effect of wind on development of vegetation?
(a) Mechanical damage to whole plants or their parts.
(b) Wind throw in trees that are insecurely rooted
(c) retardation of vertical plant growth
(d) Malformation of plant structure, especially along cliffs

73. The important roles of soil for development of vegetation in an area include all the
following except_ _ _ _ _ __
(a) Anchorage for roots to withstand
(b) Supply of water mainly through their root systems.
(c) supply of nutrients in solution
(d) Absorption of solar radiation for photosynthesis

74. The effects of topography on plants growth and development can be seen in two respects
namely:
(a) Height and shape.
(b) Aspect and slope orientation
(c) Structure and consistency
(d) Geomorphology and gradient

75. Humankind may be an int1uential agent of plant growth and distribution through all but
one of the following:
(a) Modification of the physical environment
(b) Introduction of new species
(c) Habitat destruction
(d) Industrialization

76. Plants with medium requirement for light are referred to as:
(a) Hydrophytes
(b) Mesophytes
(c) Xerophytes
(d) Hydrophytes

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 77. The distribution ranges of species may decrease through all the following human
activities except:
(a) Habitat destruction.
(b) Hunting and commercial exploitation
(c) Rehabilitation of degraded lands
(d) Introduction of competing non-native species

78. Which of the following is incorrect about the distribution of vegetation in West Africa?
(a) At the coast are mangroves and strand vegetation
(b) All major vegetation appears in bands or belts
(c) All forests are associated with high rainfall
(d) The sahel is the driest of the savanna vegetation

79. Which of the following environmental factors largely correlates positively with the
pattern of major vegetation zones of West Africa?
(a) Light
(b) Soil
(c) Rainfall
(d) Temperature

80. Which of the following statements is not true of an undisturbed rainforest vegetation?
(a) Has at least 4 tree layers
(b) Most trees have broad leaf surfaces
(c) The ground floor usually receives very little sunlight
(d) Grass and herbaceous plants may grow where there are gaps in the canopy

g 1. In the rainforest, the tallest trees that seem to rise above the general level of the entire
forest are called:
(a) Epiphytes
(b) Stranglers
(c) Emergents
(d) Climbers

82. Which tree layer of the typical rainforest has a continuous canopy?
(a) A-layer
(b) B-Iayer
(c) C-Iayer
(d) Both A and B layers

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 83. In a matured rainforest, competition for sunlight is highest in which of the following
layers?
(a). A-layer
(b). B-layer
(c) C-Iayer
(d) Ground layer

84. On the ground floor of a rainforest, which of the following factors could be most limiting
to growth of plants?
(a) Water
(b) Nutrients
(c) pH
(d) Sunlight

85. All the following are examples of coastal vegetation in West Africa, except
(a) Strand vegetation
(b) Montane vegetation
(c) Algal vegetation
(d) Mangrove vegetation
86. Which of the following statements are incorrect about the pattern of vegetation
distribution in West Africa?
I, The major vegetation consists of forest and savanna
II. The forest vegetation lies closer to the coast than the savanna
III. The broad vegetation belts nm approximately parallel to the equator
IV. A continuous belt of rainforest vegetation is located close to the coast
V. There are fewer broad-leaved trees in the Guinea savanna than the Sudan savanna.

(a) I, II and V
(b) III only
(c) IV and V
(d) III and VI

87. Which of the following is not a true savanna vegetation of West Africa?
(a) Guinea savanna
(b) Sudan savanna
(c) Sahel savanna
(d) Derived savanna
88. In the West African vegetation, the density of broad-leaved trees decreases in the
following order:
(a) Guinea savanna >Rainforest> Sudan savanna> Sahel savanna
(b) Sudan savanna >Rainforest > Sahel savanna> Guinea savanna
(c) Rainforest> Guinea savanna> Sudan savanna> Sahel savanna
(d) Sahel savanna> Sudan savanna> Guinea savanna> Rainforest

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 89. All the following are fire-resistant trees in the Guinea savanna vegetation except
(a) Adansonia digitata
(b) Vitellaria paradoxa
(c) Pennisetum purpureum
(d) Parkia clappertoniana

90. Which of the following statements best explains why the Sudan savanna zone was more
populated and had more human activities than the Guinea savanna of West Africa?
(a) The Guinea savanna had a more conducive climate than the Sudan savanna.
(b) Prevalence of tsetsefly infestations in the Guinea savanna prevented the rearing of
livestock such as cattle.
(c) The soi1s in the Sudan savanna were more ferti1e.
(d) There were severa1 tribal conflicts in the Guinea savanna.

91. This zone of vegetation relatively has more short trees that are usually thorny and of
narrow leaves.
(a) Guinea savanna
(b) Sudan savanna
(c) Sahel savanna
(d) Derived savanna

92. Fire is more prevalent in the Guinea savanna than in the Sudan savanna because of:
(a) Greater dry biomass to support burning.
(b) Prolonged drought
(c) More fire festivals
(d) Reduced rainfall intensity

93. In savanna vegetation, feathery leaves of plants is an adaptation to:

(a) Enhance photosynthesis
(b) Conserve water
(c) Minimize pest infestation.
(d) Reduce evaporation

94. A region previously of high forest cover but now having most of its tall trees destroyed
and replaced by the invasion of grass species will be a
(a) Sahel savanna
(b) Derived savanna
(c) Man-made savanna
(d) Grass savanna

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 95. The typical coastal vegetation largely affected by salt intnlsion from the sea is called:
(a) Mangrove vegetation.
(b) Algal vegetation
(c) Montane vegetation
(d) Strand vegetation

96. Which one of the following vegetation zones experiences the highest frequency of
bushfires in West Africa?
(a) Rainforest
(b) Sudan Savanna
(c) Guinea Savanna
(d) Sahel Savanna

97. The pattern of major vegetation distribution in West Africa include all the following
except:
(a) Consists of a southern band of forest near the coast and broad bands of savanna
farther north
(b) The different types of savanna get progressively drier northwards until the Sahara
desert is reached
(c) The boundaries of the successive vegetation belts end abruptly with the next one
(d) The broad zones of vegetation nm approximately parallel to the equator.

98. In a matured rainforest, which layer of trees experiences the highest competition for
sunlight?
(a) Overstory layer
(b) Canopy layer
(c. Undercanopy layer
(d) Ground layer

99. Which of the following are exceptions to the correlation of rainfall pattern with
vegetation distribution in West Africa.
I. Some areas with higher rainfall may located in savanna though others of relatively
lower rainfall fall within the forest belt
II. The Sudan savanna is much more populated and cultivated than the Guinea
Savanna
III. Some vegetation types are developed in response to local conditions rather than
rainfall differences

(a) I only
(b) II and III
(c) I and III
(d) All

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 100. The marked changes that may occur to a biological community as a result of either
natural or biological events or both is referred to as:
(a) Dynamics
(b) Disturbance
(c) Damage
(d) Degradation

JOHN & STEVE

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