Chapter 37: Soil and Plant Nutrition

Question 1

Soil is created by an interaction of ____ and ____ factors.

Answer 1

biotic, abiotic

Question 2

Topsoil

Answer 2

a mixture of particles from rock, living organisms, and humus
contains macronutrients, micronutrients, and water

Question 3

Plants are made of 80-90%….

Answer 3

Water

Question 4

Carbohydrates

Answer 4

composed of C, H, O in a ratio of 1:2:1

Example: glucose, fructose

Question 5

Lipids

Answer 5

composed of C, H, O but have fewer O than carbohydrates.

Example: steroids, fats

Question 6

Proteins

Answer 6

composed of C, H, O and N (nitrogen)

Example: hemoglobin, enzymes

Question 7

Nucleic acids

Answer 7

composed of C, H, O, N, and P (phosphorus)

Example: DNA, RNA

Question 8

Macronutrients

Answer 8

nutrients that plants require in large quantities in order to survive including C, O, H, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg

Question 9

Micronutrients

Answer 9

nutrients that plants require in small quantities in order to survive including Cl, Fe, Mn, Bo, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mb
*Micronutrients are not broken down, but instead are used intact and are required for enzyme functioning or the synthesis of specific proteins

Question 10

Essential elements

Answer 10

any chemical element that is required by plants to survive; includes both macronutrients and micronutrients

Question 11

Nitrogen

Answer 11

Key nutrient for leaf growth

Question 12

Phosphorus

Answer 12

Favors development of flowers and fruits

Question 13

Potassium

Answer 13

Increases stress tolerance and builds strong roots

Question 14

Humus

Answer 14

partially decayed organic matter in soil

Question 15

Loam

Answer 15

soils with sand, silt and clay particles all present in intermediate amounts

Question 16

Cation exchange

Answer 16

the process by which positively charged ions (cations) are replaced on the surfaces of soil particles
by H+ thereby making those ions available for uptake by plants

Question 17

2 forms of nitrogen that plants can use

Answer 17

ammonium & nitrate

Question 18

Rhizobium bacteria

Answer 18

move into the cells of the root cortex, causing the cells of the root to begin dividing and producing a knob or nodule round the site of infection

Question 19

Symbiotic Rhizobium Bacteria environment must be…

Answer 19

anaerobic

Question 20

2 types of Symbiotic Fungi

Answer 20

Ectomycorrhizae & Endomycorrhizae

Question 21

Benefit to the plant in Symbiotic Rhizobium Bacteria

Answer 21

ammonium produced by the rhizobium is converted into amino acids in the root cortex and exported to the rest of the plant body

Question 22

Benefit to the rhizobium in Symbiotic Rhizobium Bacteria

Answer 22

carbohydrates produced by the photosynthesizing plant are needed by the bacteria to carryout energetically expensive N-fixation

Question 23

Benefit to the plant (mycorrhizae)

Answer 23

increased rate of uptake of soil resources, especially P

Question 24

Benefit to the fungi (mycorrhizae)

Answer 24

carbohydrates produced by the photosynthesizing plant