Topic 7) Soil Ecology

Question 1

Soil Organisms

Answer 1

Carry out a range of processes important for soil health and fertility.

Question 2

Kingdoms of soil ecology

Answer 2

Animalia
Plantae
Fungi
Protista
Bacteria
Archaea

Question 3

Animalia

Answer 3

Worms, nematodes, arthropods, Heterotrophs

Question 4

Plantae

Answer 4

Mosses, Vascular Plants

Question 5

Fungi Lichens

Answer 5

Fungi and algae

Question 6

Protista

Answer 6

Single Celled eukaryotes

Question 7

Archea

Answer 7

no celled or organelles organisms

Question 8

Mircoflora

Answer 8

Promotes organic compounds that bind aggreagates

Question 9

Mesofauna

Answer 9

Promotes humification

Question 10

What is Humus

Answer 10

Dark colour form of organic matter that remains after decompostion.

Question 11

Plantae

Answer 11

Provides much of the enegery needed by soil organisms.

Question 12

Sources of Organic Matter

Answer 12

Root Turnover
above ground mortatiltiy
Root exudation
Rhizosphere

Question 13

Animalia (Marcofauna)

Answer 13

Rodents
Worms
insects
Burrowing organisms

Question 14

Termites (Isoptera)

Answer 14

Digest woods
Largely tropical
Earth Movers
Fragement litter

Question 15

Ants

Answer 15

Soil Redistrubution
Predators
Fragment Litter
Some eat wood

Question 16

Earthworm Functions

Answer 16

Bioturbation
Clumping of soil minerals
Alter mircobial biomass
Very Sensitive to managnement.
Increases Nitrogen Distubtion.

Question 17

Cicadas

Answer 17

Lives in soil 99% of the time.
Enchances tree root growth

Question 18

Collembola

Answer 18

Springtales
Eat Plant Litter. fungi, bacteria, and nematodes

Question 19

Acara

Answer 19

Mites

Question 20

How to they measure the soil ecologly

Answer 20

with a Berlese Funnel

Question 21

Tardigrada

Answer 21

Commonly called water bears
Feeds on algal cells and debris in moss

Question 22

Nematodes

Answer 22

Border between micro and mesofauna
Primarly inhabit water films or waterfilled pore spacces

Question 23

Fungi

Answer 23

Fungi occur in long strands called hyphae

Question 24

Fungi Groups

Answer 24

Ascomycetes
Basidimycetets

Question 25

Fungi and Soil structure

Answer 25

Fungi enchances soil agrrergate formation by physicalling binding particals together and secreting mucilage that acts like a glue.

Question 26

Mycorrhizal Fungi

Answer 26

symbiosis between plant and fungus

Question 27

Ectomycorrihizae

Answer 27

Sheath around root, only penetrate between plant cells.

Extends serval meters from the outside of the root.

Uses signfacnt amount of plant carbon

Provides both N and P (inorganic and organic forms)

Question 28

Endomycorrhizae

Answer 28

inside; penetrate host cells
lasts 4-10 days then digested by the plant.
Facilitate nutrient uptake.

provides drought resistance
Protection from patogents

Question 29

Soil Algae

Answer 29

Mircoflora
Single and multicelluar
Autotrophs
Strong influacne on soil aggregation.

Question 30

Lichens

Answer 30

Symbiotic assoication between fungus and algae

Question 31

Soil Prokaryotes

Answer 31

Most Numerous organisms
Rapid respone to changes in the soil envierment
particpates in all biogeochemical cycles
oxidation and reduction in soils

Question 32

Cyanobacteria

Answer 32

Contains chlorphyll
Fix nitgroen
Mututalism on soil crusts

Question 33

Actinomycetes

Answer 33

Filamentous bacteria
source of many antibiotics