Soil and Plant Nutrition

Question 1

“A” soil horizon

Answer 1

nutrient-rich topsoil that is high in organic matter

Question 2

“B” and “C” soil horizons

Answer 2

nutrient poor soil layers composed of broken down rock

Question 3

Soil leaching

Answer 3

anions such as NO3- and H2PO4- migrate to lower soil levels because of the soil particles negative surface charge

Question 4

Cation exchange

Answer 4

plants respirate CO2 which joins with H2O to form H2CO3, which lowers the ph of soil and allows the cations to break away from the negative surface charge of soil particles and become soil solution

Question 5

Best soil particles for cation exchange

Answer 5

clay is most suitable for cation exchange because its small surface area ensures other substances don’t disrupt cation exchange

Question 6

Phytoremediation

Answer 6

cultivation of plants that remove contaminates from the soil

Question 7

Macronutrients

Answer 7

elements that are required in high quantities for the plant physical structure

Question 8

Micronutrients

Answer 8

elments that are required in low quantities that serve as cofactors in enzymatic reactions

Question 9

Poor irrigation leads to

Answer 9

land subsidence (collapse from removal of ground water) and soil salinization (soil with a high salt content)

Question 10

Ectomycorrhizae

Answer 10

form a sheath over the roots surface and grow in the apoplast

Question 11

Apoplast

Answer 11

cell walls and spaces between cell walls, everything but the cell interior