ESS

5.1 Introduction to soil systems

1) Complete the following sentence

● Soil texture is the look and feel of the soil and is linked to the proportion of
, silt and particles.
- sand and clay
2) Which of the soil types below has the highest levels of primary productivity?
- Loam
3) Among the soil types below, which one can retain the smallest amounts of
nutrients and minerals?
- Sand
4) Based on the soil texture triangle below, state the name of the soil type which
contains 50% of clay, 20% of silt and 30% of sand.

- Clay
5) The process in which rocks or soil are broken down into small particles as a
result of exposure to wind, water or biota is called:
- weathering
6) Soil may be compared to an open system as it exchanges both matter and
energy with the surroundings. Choose the sequence which lists soil storages.
- Water, air, organic matter, organisms, nutrients and minerals
7) Which soil type has got the best water holding capacity?
- clay
8) What is the effect on soil when it is subjected to lower levels of precipitation
than evaporation of water?
- Water is drawn upwards through the soil, dissolving minerals and taking
them to the soil surface.
9) What is the importance of putrefying bacteria in soil?
- They break down dead organic matter into ammonia which dissolves in
soil moisture.
10) What is the function of nitrifying bacteria (nitrosomonas) in soil?
 - They convert ammonium to nitrate ions.
11) Which type of soil is characterised by the biggest particle size?
- Sandy soil
12) Waterlogging occurs when all air spaces in soil are filled up with water. Among
the soil types below, which one poses the greatest risks of waterlogging?
- clay
13) The soil will have the greatest drainage if it has:
- Big particles
14) Which of the following soil types is very hard to work in hot and dry
conditions?
- clay
15) What is the name of the soil type that consists of sand, silt and clay?
- loam
16) Name one way in which the figure below shows how soil interacts with the
hydrosphere.

- infiltration
17) What is the function of nitrifying bacteria (nitrobacter) in soil?
- They convert nitrites into nitrates.
18) Name the transfer that occurs when rainwater penetrates the soil, dissolving
and removing minerals such as nitrates and phosphates.
- leaching
19) The natural ability of the soil to let the water pass through is called soil
_____________.
- drainage
20) Is soil moisture a biotic or an abiotic factor affecting an ecosystem?
- abiotic factor
21) Complete the following sentence with a single word.
● Salinization is caused by the movement of water in soil.
- Upwards

22) Using the soil triangle below, state what type of soil has 33% clay, 43% silt and
24% sand. (N.b do not assume the arrows drawn in red, yellow and blue relate
to this soil).
 - Clay loam
23) Soil is made up of four basic parts, they are?
- Air, minerals, organic matter and water.
24) Earthworms are a vital part of a healthy soil because .......
● Which of the following statements is the correct end to this sentence?
- All of the statements could be the correct end to the sentence.
25) Which response contains the four soil inputs.
- Minerals, organic matter, gases and water
26) Which of the following statements describes a soil profile?
- Top is the O horizon: Made up of DOM
- Next is the A horizon: Dark in colour
- Then comes the B horizon: Zone of illuviation
- Last is the C horizon: Decomposed parent material.

27) Which of the statements gives an accurate description of the proportions of

the soil a X?
 - Sand: 12% - Silt: 9% - Clay: 79%

1) The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.

I. Identify two inputs to these storages.

- Decomposition
- Infiltration of dissolved minerals/atmospheric deposition/precipitation
- Weathering of parent material/sedimentation from run-off/river flow
- Animal excretion
- Fertiliser use
- (Atmospheric/biological) nitrogen fixation
II. Identify two outputs from these storages.
- Absorption by plants/organisms/harvesting/herbivory
- leaching
- Transformation to gaseous state/denitrification
- mining/quarrying
- Soil erosion

2) Solid domestic waste may contain non-biodegradable material and toxins that have
the potential to reduce the fertility of soils.

Explain how strategies for the management of this waste may help to preserve
soil fertility.

- recycling/reuse helps by preventing the release of non-biodegradable

material/toxins into the soil
- reduction helps by reducing the quantity of non-biodegradable material/toxins
produced/manufactured
- promoting selective consumerism to avoid toxic products prevents them being
present in domestic waste
- Composting can compensate to some extent by providing soil nutrients that
improve soil fertility;

3)
a)
I. State one transfer of matter occurring within the soil profile.
- biological mixing by soil animals
- earthworms
- leaching
- absorption of minerals
II. State one transformation process occurring within the soil profile
- Decomposition
- humification of organic matter
- Evaporation
- Rusting soil
III. State one transformation process occurring within the soil profile.
- nitrogen (from denitrification)
- water (vapour from evaporation)
- heat (from radiation/conduction)
b) Describe two characteristics of soil with high primary productivity.
- optimum/medium particle size / loam soils / mixed/balanced composition of
sand/silt/clay
- allow good drainage/permeability/resist water-logging
- prevent excessive leaching/good water-holding capacity
- high availability of minerals/inorganic nutrients
c) Outline two conservation methods that could be used to reduce soil erosion.
- wind reduction techniques, eg wind/shelter breaks to prevent wind erosion;
- avoid overgrazing/over-cropping/monoculture which degrades soil texture;
- zero/minimum tillage reduces soil agitation/potential for erosion;
- trickle/drip irrigation reduces run-off causing erosion.