Topic 4

Question 1

Organisms on the land deal with significant losses of water due to ..

Answer 1

evaporation

Question 2

Living cells contain..

Answer 2

75-95% water

Question 3

Air has low..

Answer 3

density/viscosity relative to water (large gravitational forces)

Question 4

How organisms survive gravitational forces

Answer 4

• cellulose/lignin reinforcing plants

- skeletons in animals

Question 5

Foundation of all terrestrial life

Answer 5

SOIL

Question 6

Soil

Answer 6

natural product formed by the weathering of rocks and the actions of living organisms

Question 7

Soil controls

Answer 7

date of water in terrestrial ecosystems, break down waste products, release nutrients and habitat for organisms

Question 8

Maintaining water balance is major driver of

Answer 8

evolution

Question 9

What causes variation in the moisture-holding capacity of soil

Answer 9

• climate
• type of parent material
• topography
• aspect
• presence/absence and type of vegetation

Question 10

Climate

Answer 10

directly influences the physical/chemical reactions in soil and water availability

Question 11

Physical and chemical characteristics determine the..

Answer 11

properties of the soil

Question 12

Texture is used to..

Answer 12

differentiate soil particle sizes

Question 13

Sizes of soil

Answer 13

• gravel (2.0 mm)
• sand (.05 - 2.0mm)
• silt (.002 - .05 mm)
• clay (

Question 14

Soils texture is a % of

Answer 14

sand, silt and clay components divided into texture classes

Question 15

Soil texture determines

Answer 15

• soil fertility

- size of soil pore spaces

Question 16

Large soil pores cause

Answer 16

rapid water infiltration, percolation, doing but have low holding capacity

Question 17

Small soil pores cause

Answer 17

slow water infiltration, percolation and drainage but the soil does have higher holding capacity

Question 18

Topography

Answer 18

slopped surface is less likely to hold moisture than flat ground due to gravity

Question 19

Windward slopes receive

Answer 19

more precipitation

Question 20

Vegetation alters

Answer 20

• light
• temp
• moisture
• wind movement
• structure

Question 21

What is the dominant factor for terrestrial environments

Answer 21

absorption and reflection of light by plants

Question 22

Amount of light at any depth in the canopy is affected by

Answer 22

the amount of leaf material above it

Question 23

Quantity of light at varying heights can influence..

Answer 23

plant species composition, growth rate and interactions

Question 24

Leaf area index (LAI)

Answer 24

measure often used to quantify the impact of leaf quantity on available light

Question 25

Soil depth determined by

Answer 25

degree of weathering, type of parent materials, vegetation

Question 26

Grasslands tend to have..

Answer 26

deep soils. low decomposition rate and large amounts of organic materials being added from roots underground

Question 27

Forest tend to have..

Answer 27

thin soils. high decomposition rate and organic material added to surface

Question 28

Soils which develop on slopes tend to be

Answer 28

shallow while those in plains tend to be deep

Question 29

Initially soil development occurs within the

Answer 29

parent material

Question 30

Over time the soil changes from the ..

Answer 30

surface down through the accumulation of organic material

Question 31

Layers

Answer 31

termed horizons. collectively called the soil profile

Question 32

O horizon

Answer 32

organic layer, made up of debris in various stages of decomposition

Question 33

A horizon

Answer 33

called topsoil and composed of bother mineral and organic material

Question 34

B horizon

Answer 34

called subsoil and contains less organic and more mineral components relative to the A

Question 35

C horizon

Answer 35

layer of unconsolidated material and generally made of same material which the soil developed