environmental science test 3

Monoculture farming ________.

accounts for less than 1% of U.S. croplands

is always accompanied by no-till agriculture

is typical of Native American farming techniques

is a development of industrial agriculture

requires no chemical fertilizers or pesticides

is a development of industrial agriculture

Until about 10,000 years ago, our species depended on ________.

cattle and goats

hunting and gathering

hunting and herding

crops and cattle

crops

hunting and gathering

Industrial agriculture ________.

is necessary today for all cultures

rapidly deteriorated soils, requiring continuous movement to new croplands

increased our ability to obtain more food from the same area

had no impact on agriculture

permanently improved soils, providing more food from less space

increased our ability to obtain more food from the same area

The __________ introduced new technologies that increased crop yields dramatically and helped save millions of lives from starvation.

environmental revolution

industrial revolution

Green Revolution

neolithic revolution

Green Revolution

1. Lands that are used for grazing livestock

rangeland

Alternating bands of different types of vegetation planted across a slope

intercropping

The fundamental geological material for soils in a particular area

parent material

A cross-section of soil, from surface to bedrock

profile

The layer below the O horizon in an idealized profile

A horizon

Term for any distinct layer of soil

horizon

Scientific term for a system consisting of disintegrated rock, organic matter, water, gases, nutrients, and microorganisms

soil

Factors involved in soil formation include ________.

seasonal changes in the tides

erosion, level terrain, and the absence of rooted vegetation

tropical climate, acid precipitation, and frequent wildfires

nitrogen-fixing bacteria and grazing by herbivores

weathering of parent material and the addition of organic material

weathering of parent material and the addition of organic material

Leaching ________.

adds nutrients to soil naturally

removes water-soluble nutrients from topsoil

is a common agricultural practice to improve soil

is caused by movement of water upward through soil from the water table

can help plant growth only if done properly

removes water-soluble nutrients from topsoil

Which of the following particles is smallest?

gravel

silt

sand

clay

clay

Within which of the following soil horizons would large amounts of clay particles accumulate?

R

O

A

B

B

Compaction of soil in a garden harms plants by ________.

increasing aeration, decreasing infiltration, and increasing runoff

increasing aeration, increasing infiltration, and decreasing runoff

increasing the amount of clay, decreasing the amount of silt, and decreasing infiltration

decreasing aeration, decreasing infiltration, and increasing runoff

decreasing aeration, increasing infiltration, and decreasing runoff

decreasing aeration, decreasing infiltration, and increasing runoff

Drip irrigation is ________.

more likely to result in soil salinization than other irrigation techniques

used in aquaculture

typically used in combination with flood-and-furrow irrigation

only half as efficient at conserving water as center-pivot irrigation

more than twice as efficient at conserving water as traditional conventional irrigation

more than twice as efficient at conserving water as traditional conventional irrigation

The results of the overapplication of fertilization can include ________.

very fertile soils in future years

very large fruits and vegetables

eutrophication in nearby waters

crops spreading rapidly into nearby areas

large crop yields per acre

eutrophication in nearby waters

Inorganic fertilizers are ________.

less likely to be used on cropland today than they were 100 years ago

less likely to leach from soil than organic fertilizers

either mined or manufactured

used in place of organic fertilizers by farmers who are concerned about surface water and groundwater pollution

applied to cropland in the form of manure and compost

either mined or manufactured

Staple grain crops are pollinated by ________, while most fruits and vegetables are pollinated by ________.

insects; wind

water; insects

insects; insects

wind; water

wind; insects

wind; insects

Which of the following practices does very little to control soil erosion?

terracing of hillside farms

root-level irrigation

industrial monoculture agriculture

no-till planting

industrial monoculture agriculture

Most rangeland in the United States is managed by ________.

private ranchers

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

the Conservation Reserve Program

the Department of Rangeland Management (DRM)

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Planting ________ between other crops will help replace depleted soil nitrogen.

trees

legumes

corn

pineapples

wheat

legumes

Which of the following animals was introduced to America from the Old World many years ago? It is a rare type of invasive species, one that is desirable due to its use as a major pollinator.

hummingbirds

zebra mussel

European honeybee

bats

European honeybee

Erosion usually begins when __________.

it doesn't rain for about a week

there is little or no slope to the land

vegetation is removed either naturally or by humans

the O horizon is thick with material

vegetation is removed either naturally or by humans

1. Farming practices that minimize disturbance to soil are collectively called

conservation tillage

is the practice of planting different crops in strategic arrangements within the same field.

intercropping

Alternating the crops grown on a field from one season to the next is called

crop rotation

are rows of trees or other tall plants grown at the edges of farm fields in order to slow down winds

shelterbelts

Tilling sideways across a hillside to slow water running down the slope is called

contour farming

creates level platforms for crops on steep hillsides in order to hold rainwater and reduce soil erosion

terracing

Contour farming and terracing are strategies used mainly to reduce ________.

deforestation

overgrazing

water erosion

tillage

wind erosion

water erosion