1. Soil Degradation

What are the four major forms of soil degradation?

Name five different types of soil contamination.

Why is soil biodiversity important?

The pedogenic regime associated with the tropical moist climates is _____.

(a)     podzolization

(b)     salinization

(c)     laterization

(d)     gleization

(e)     calcification

2. Soil Quality

What is soil quality?

How is soil quality measured?

Of what importance is soil quality to all organisms that live in or on the soil?

Why is soil quality of greater societal concern today than it was 100 years ago?

3. Soil Erosion

Erosion is:

(a)     building up of soil

(b)     movement of soil

(c)     harvesting of crops

(d)     heavy rainfall

What are some human activities that may lead to accelerated erosion?

Erosion can be caused by which of the following:

(a)     rain falling on steeply sloping land

(b)     a very hard rainfall

(c)     rain falling on bare soil

(d)     all of the above

How do individual raindrops lead to increased surface runoff?

Through which of the three types of water erosion is more soil lost?

Give an example of why seasonal distribution of rainfall is an important factor in erosion.

Which of the factors below influences the erodibility of soil?

(a)     slope of land surface

(b)     loss of vegetative cover

(c)     soil texture

(d)     all of the above

(e)     only A and B are factors influencing erodibility

What is the main purpose of a windbreak?

Are there any negative consequences to creating windbreaks?

Farmers can protect their soil from erosion by:

(a)     making sure the soil is always plowed up

(b)     building terraces and contour plowing

(c)     keeping the grass mowed

(d)     building a fence

The Dust Bowl of the 1930’s was largely caused by:

a)       wind erosion

b)       heavy rainfall

c)       water erosion

d)       blizzards

Top soil is the most productive layer because:

a)       that is where the rain falls

b)       it is the warmest

c)       it is where most organic matter is found

d)       it is the coolest

This multiple choice quiz on weathering and soil is extremely useful and provides excellent explanations to each question. http://www.glencoe.com/qe/science.php?qi=268