Soil Components and Health Quiz
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Which component of soil is NOT part of the complex mixture mentioned?

  • Heavy metals (correct)
  • Soil fauna and flora
  • Water
  • Sand and gravel

    • Humus contributes to the nutritional value of soil.

    True

    What is the role of soil fauna in soil health?

    Soil fauna contribute to soil fertility and the formation of humus.

    The six components of soil include sand, gravel, silts, clays, dead organic material, and _____

    <p>water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following components of soil with their descriptions:

    <p>Sand and gravel = Mineral particles from bedrock Silt and clay = Extremely small mineral particles Humus = Decayed organic material Soil fauna = Living organisms in the soil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about crop species is true?

    <p>Only 14 crop species provide most of the world’s food.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Meat is considered a low-value source of nutrients.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does CAFO stand for?

    <p>Confined Animal Feeding Operation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Aquaculture is increasingly providing an increasing share of the world's _____ due to overfishing.

    <p>seafood</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following staple crops with their significance:

    <p>Corn = Primary staple food in the USA Soybeans = Main feed for CAFO livestock Wheat = Important crop globally for food security Rice = Key staple food in many developing countries</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How much meat consumption is an indicator of wealth?

    <p>High meat consumption often indicates higher wealth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Seafood provides about 25% of all animal protein eaten by humans.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Brazil, the dominant agricultural product has become _____ due to CAFO.

    <p>soybean</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one relationship between Agroecosystem and ecological succession?

    <p>Agroecosystem promotes the change to late successional stage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Global food waste accounts for 30% of all food production.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason that hunger has not been eliminated despite an abundance of food supplies?

    <p>Better use and distribution of food supply.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The world's uncultivated land currently provides essential __________ services on which farmers depend.

    <p>ecological</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect did federal ethanol subsidies have on corn prices in 2007?

    <p>Corn prices doubled.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    There is not enough farmland available to feed more people than currently live on earth.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are two dominant erosive forces responsible for soil loss?

    <p>Water and wind.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following statements about food production and its issues:

    <p>Global food waste = 30% of all food production Corn price in 2007 = Doubled due to subsidies Uncultivated land = Provides essential ecological services</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one benefit of aquaculture?

    <p>It provides an increasing share of the world’s seafood.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Constant use of antibiotics in food production can lead to antibiotic-resistant diseases.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What components can be found in healthy soil?

    <p>Sand, gravel, silts, clays, partially decomposed organic molecules, and living organisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Soil can be considered a _____ because it contains a host of living organisms.

    <p>living ecosystem</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following soil components with their descriptions:

    <p>Sand = Larger mineral particles Silt = Intermediate particle size Clay = Smallest mineral particles Organic matter = Decomposed plant and animal material</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does careful management of soil allow for?

    <p>Regeneration and renewal of soil.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following soil types has a thick, organic-rich A horizon?

    <p>Mollisols</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Building a few millimeters of soil can take only a few weeks.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Most soils have an A horizon that is over 0.5 meters deep.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is soil considered a renewable resource?

    <p>Because it can be replenished when managed carefully.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ideal soil texture for plant growth?

    <p>Loam</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Desert soils might have almost no __________ A horizon.

    <p>organic matter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following soil types with their characteristics:

    <p>Mollisols = Organic-rich A horizon Aridsols = Little or no organic matter Alfisols = Slightly thinner A horizon Loam = Even mix of sand, silt, and clay</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant characteristic of the A horizon in ideal farming soils?

    <p>It is rich in organic matter.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How deep can the black A horizon reach in fertile soils?

    <p>over 2.0 meters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The soil texture triangle helps determine the composition of soil.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Lecture 13: Agriculture and Food

    • Lecture presented by Dr. Mansoor Hamed AlJahdhami
    • Email address: [email protected]
    • Course: BIOL 3009: Introduction to Environmental Science

    Review Question

    • Agroecosystem relationship to ecological succession:
      • Correct answer: Agroecosystem promotes the change to late successional stage.

    Reading Materials

    • Chapter 7: Food and Agriculture
    • Section 7.4: Living soil is a precious resource
    • Section 7.5: Agricultural inputs
    • Pages: 163-171

    Learning Outcomes

    • Soil is the foundation of food production.
    • Understanding of the six components of soil.
    • Understanding the dominant erosive forces of water and wind on soil loss.

    How Much Food Do We Need?

    • Increased food production does not automatically eliminate hunger.
    • Reasons for continued hunger despite increased supplies:
      • Better use and distribution of food.
    • Global food waste/loss accounts for 30% of food production.
    • 1.3 billion tons of food spoiled annually due to storage, transit, and inefficient use.
    • Biofuels have boosted commodity prices.
    • Biomass, e.g., soybean, corn, palm oil, and sugarcane, is used to create bio-ethanol.

    How Much Food Do We Need? (Continued)

    • Enough farmland exists to feed the current and a larger Earth's population.
    • Expanding farmland would impact essential ecological services.

    How Much Food Do We Need? (Continued)

    • Essential ecological services (e.g., pollination) must be considered.
    • Pollination is important for food production.

    How much food do we need? (Continued)

    • Total neonicotinoid pesticide concentration in honey samples globally(2017).
    • Details provided in a map.

    What Do We Eat?

    • 500,000 known plant species.
    • ~3000 agricultural crops.
    • 150 species cultivated on a large scale.
    • 14 crop species provide most of the world's food.
    • 6 species provide 80% of the world's food.
    • Corn and soybeans are major staple foods in the USA.
    • Wheat and rice are critical for many countries.
    • Food production has increased over the last 50 years.
    • Meat is a high-value protein source and an indicator of wealth.
      • A significant amount of grain is needed to produce 1 kg of meat compared to bread.

    What Do We Eat? (Continued)

    • CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) significantly increases food production.
      • Intensive method to raise livestock.
      • Thousands of animals in enclosed spaces.
      • Primarily fed soy and corn.
      • Common in the USA, Europe, and China.
    • CAFO led to increased corn and soybean production globally.

    What Do We Eat? (Continued)

    • Seafood production (wild and farmed) depends on wild-source inputs.
    • Seafood (15% of all animal protein) is a primary source for billions, focusing on developing countries.
    • Aquaculture is increasing the world's seafood supply, due to declining marine fisheries or overfishing.

    What Do We Eat? (Continued)

    • Biohazards in industrial food production
      • Bacteria or other pathogens can escape into the environment
      • Manure and waste from feedlots
      • Increased use of antibiotics leading to antibiotic-resistant diseases

    Living Soil is a Precious Resource

    • Croplands and rangelands depend on healthy soil.
    • Soil is a vital living resource.
      • Composed of mineral grains, organic matter, and living organisms.
    • Soil can be considered a self-sustaining ecosystem.
    • Soil is a renewable resource if managed well
      • Building a small amount of soil takes time.
      • Healthy soil husbandry restores soil.
    • Healthy soil fauna determine soil fertility.
      • Soil is composed of sand, gravel, silts, clays, organic matter, living organisms, and moisture.

    Living Soil is a Precious Resource (Continued)

    • Idealized soil profile
      • Soil are divided into layers, horizons.
      • Soil varies greatly in composition and thickness according to different biomes.

    Living Soil is a Precious Resource (Continued)

    • Food production relies on the A horizon.
      • Farmland with thick, organic-rich A horizons are desirable.
    • Most soils lack deep A horizon.
    • Desert soils generally lack an A horizon.

    Living Soil is a Precious Resource (Continued)

    • Soils vary between climate areas
      • Different types of soil (Mollisols, Aridsols, Alfisols) based on A horizon characteristics.
    • Soil types are classified based on many factors.
    • Particle size affects soil classification.
    • Loam is an ideal soil type for plant growth composed of sand, silt, and clay.

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    Lecture 13: Agriculture and Food PDF

    Description

    Test your knowledge on the critical components of soil and their roles in maintaining soil health. This quiz covers humus, soil fauna, and the six main components that make up the soil. Assess your understanding and application of soil science concepts!

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