2016 Area 3 Envirothon Muskingum County Soils Test ANSWER KEY

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Jessie Thornton
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1 2016 Area 3 Envirothon Muskingum County Soils Test ANSWER KEY 1. The majority of the bedrock in Muskingum County is. a. sedimentary bedrock b. glacial bedrock c. igneous bedrock d. metamorphic bedrock 2. A soil association is a landscape unit that has a distinctive proportional pattern of soils. Which soil association is around the Dillon Lake region? a. Coshocton-Westmoreland-Keene association b. Westmoreland-Coshocton-Rigley association c. Lowell-Guernsey-Gilpin association d. Wellston-Zanesville-Alford association 3. Soil series are associated with specific landforms. Which of the following soils is associated with flood plains? a. Aaron b. Gilpin c. Chagrin d. Keene 4. What does soil structure refer to? a. How firm a piece of soil is and how hard it is to crush by hand b. The natural shape of soil clods (peds) and influences how big a pore space is available for root growth and water movement c. How much sand, silt, and clay is in a soil sample d. The way minerals such as iron and calcium indicate water saturation 5. Internal water movement is influenced by soil permeability. What type of permeability could be expected in a sandy or gravelly soil? a. Deferred b. Moderate c. Rapid d. Slow

2 6. All plants do better when growing in soil that has a soil ph best suited to its physiological characteristics. Choose the soil ph range in which most grass plants in this county would thrive. a. 3.0 to 4.0 b. 5.0 to 6.0 c. 6.0 to 7.0 d. 8.0 to Site selection using soil characteristic criteria is very important when making land use decisions. Flood plain soils should not be selected for. a. smaller farmstead out buildings b. cropland farming c. hay land farming d. reforestation projects 8. Invasive plants form monoculture plant communities which biological diversity. a. reduce b. enhance c. promote d. encourage 9. Along with soil texture, one of the most important soil characteristics affecting the transmission of soil gasses within the soil is soil structure. Soil structure refers to. a. the natural aggregation of soil particles b. the way minerals such as iron and calcium carbonate aggregate c. how firm a soil aggregate is and how hard it is to crush it by hand d. the percent sand, silt, and clay in a soil aggregate 10. Ideally, a sample of soil should be about 50% pore space, 5% organic matter, and 45% mineral matter. The mineral portion of the soil is made up of. a. crystalline structures, salts, and iron oxides b. sand, silt, and clay particles c. very small rock fragments such as quartz and feldspar d. fertilizer, lime, and other soil amendments

3 11. What is the texture of the second horizon in the soil pit? a. silty clay loam b. silt loam c. silty clay d. loam 12. Soil colors are used to determine soil drainage class. What is the natural drainage class for the soil at this site? a. Well drained b. Moderately well drained c. Somewhat poorly drained d. Poorly drained 13. Consistence is the ease with which a soil lump can be crushed by the fingers. What is the consistence of the topsoil at this site? a. Friable b. Loose c. Firm d. Mucky 14. The texture of a soil is the percent of sand, silt and clay in the soil, totaling 100%. What is the texture of the A horizon in the pit? a. silty clay loam b. silt loam c. silty clay d. loam 15. The average rainfall in Muskingum County is highest in what month? a. May b. June c. July d. August

4 16. The Woodland Ordination symbol represents the potential productivity of the soil for important trees. Which of the following soil mapunits has the highest potential for tree productivity? a. RoF b. WtD2 c. Ud d. CeB 17. Aspect refers to the compass direction in which the slope faces. Trees grow best on which aspect? a. north b. south c. east d. west 18. The dominant soil mapunit found in Muskingum County is. a. AaC2 b. FcA c. WtD2 d. ZnB 19. Septic tank absorption fields are areas in which effluent from a septic tank is distributed into the soil. If a septic tank absorption field were installed on a Berks soil, which soil feature would be most restrictive and likely to cause groundwater pollution problems? a. Depth to bedrock b. Seasonal wetness c. Slow permeability d. Underlying sand and gravel 20. Soils are rated as having slight, moderate, or severe limitations for a number of land uses, included building sites. A severe rating for a building site means what? a. It is impossible to build a building on this soil. b. This soil is well suited to buildings. c. If a building is built, there are major problems which must be overcome, usually at additional cost. d. Rock is at depths less than 20 inches.

5 21. Land capability classification shows, in a general way, the suitability of soils for most kinds of field crops. Class I soils are defined as a. Soils that have severe limitations that reduce the choice of plants or that require special conservation practices, or both. b. Soils having moderate limitations that reduce the choice of plants or that require moderate conservation practices. c. Soils having few limitations that restrict their use. d. Soils that have severe limitations that generally make them unsuitable for cultivation. 22. Erosion may be a concern when soil is exposed to wind and rain. Which of the following soil particles is the most erosive? a. Sand b. Silt c. Clay d. Cobble 23. Rain water running off unprotected surfaces carries away soil particles, nutrients, and organic matter. What is the best description for this type of pollution? a. Non-point source pollution b. Point source pollution c. Sediment source pollution d. Wet point source pollution 24. Soils formed under wet conditions with slow permeability, and the capacity to store and sustain desired water levels provide the opportunities for wetland restoration. What name has been given to these types of soils? a. Catastrophic soils b. Clay based soils c. Hydric soils d. Hydrophytic soils 25. Water as a liquid or vapor is almost always moving throughout the natural soil. Which statement below most accurately describes this process? a. Water flows evenly through the soil profile b. Water flows towards the nearest creek or pond c. Water flows mostly through root and insect channels and around structural units d. Water flows until the parent material stops it

6 26. Under proper land management the percent content of soil organic matter can be increased through natural processes. How is most topsoil organic matter lost? a. from worm and other insect activity using organic matter as a food source b. contractors excavating off topsoil before home or other types of construction c. cultural practices resulting in wind and water erosion d. by climate induced oxidation during the warm dry weather of the summer months 27. Various soils have differing abilities to store water for plant use. What is the soil property listed in the soil survey that rates soils for this property? a. water moistened bulk density b. soil water permeability c. available water capacity d. wet clay shrink-swell potentials 28. Parent material determines the natural acidity of soil. Which of the natural processes listed below will make a soil more acidic? a. Rain fall and snow fall b. Animal activity in the soil profile c. Lightning during thunderstorms d. Freezing and thawing 29. Soil characteristics can be altered by human activities. What effect would plowing wet soils with heavy equipment have on an area? a. Soil compaction b. Soil classification c. Soil determination d. Soil elimination 30. Soil texture is one of the most important soil characteristics defining a soil s ability to conduct air and water movement through the soil profile. A sandy soil would likely have. a. Slow permeability b. Somewhat slow permeability c. Moderate permeability d. Rapid permeability

2012 FINAL SOILS AREA 2 Envirothon Questions Answer KEY

2012 FINAL SOILS AREA 2 Envirothon Questions Answer KEY Questions 1-6 to be answered at the soil pit: 1. Soil scientists categorize soils by drainage classes. What is the drainage class of the soil at