End-of-year Examinations, 2020 SOIL203-20S2 (C)

No electronic/communication devices are permitted.

Students may take exam question paper away after the exam.

School of Forestry
EXAMINATION
End-of-year Examinations, 2020

SOIL203-20S2 (C) Soil Fertility

Examination Duration: 180 minutes

Exam Conditions:

Closed Book exam: Students may not bring in any written or printed materials.

No calculators are permitted

Materials Permitted in the Exam Venue:

None.

Materials to be Supplied to Students:

1 x Standard 16-page UC answer book

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End-of-year Examinations, 2020 SOIL203-20S2 (C)

Questions Start on Page 3

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End-of-year Examinations, 2020 SOIL203-20S2 (C)

1. Answer ALL of the following:

a) Describe each of the following terms as they relate to 2:1 type clay minerals in soil:
- Basal spacing;
- Isomorphous substitution;
- Shrinking/swelling.
(6 marks)

b) Describe how plants utilise soil biota in the rhizosphere to obtain nutrients such as nitrogen and
phosphorus from soil, including the role of microfauna (nematodes, protozoa).
(10 marks)

c) Explain what is meant by the term “Soil Food Web”.

(4 marks)

2. Answer ALL of the following:

a) Describe the origin and nature of negative charge in soil AND explain the concept of cation
exchange as it relates to charged surfaces, soil solution, and plant uptake.
(8 marks)

b) Describe how phosphate ions are retained on soil mineral surfaces.

(4 marks)

c) With specific reference to the Franz Josef chronosequence, describe and discuss changes in soil
organic and microbial phosphorus that occur during ecosystem development.

(8 marks)

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End-of-year Examinations, 2020 SOIL203-20S2 (C)

3. Answer BOTH of the following:

a) Tensiometers are used to measure the soil moisture potential. Explain AND discuss any
differences in soil water tension that will likely occur between the two tensiometers (1 and 2) in
each of the two figures (I) and (II) below. Note: “N” and “S” (in Figure (II)) refer to north and south
aspects of a hillslope in the southern hemisphere.

(I) (II)

(10 marks)

b) Soil moisture measurements from two different soils below show the same water content (WC)
when saturated but differ in their % moisture content at field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting
point (PWP). Discuss these results in context with (I) plant available water, (II) air filled pore space
at field capacity, (III) volume of micropores and (IV) soil texture.

è Temuka soil: WC = 50%, FC = 45%, PWP = 30%

è Templeton soil: WC = 50%, FC = 35%, PWP = 15%

(10 marks)

4. Answer BOTH of the following:

a) Discuss TWO different groups of brown soils (NZ Soil Classification 1992) that are found in the
Marlborough Sounds AND explain any key soil forming factors that have influenced the formation
of these soils.
(10 marks)

b) Briefly describe and discuss TWO soils that we have investigated during the SOIL203 field trip to
the Lincoln/Port Hills areas this year. For EACH soil, your answer should cover the soil order (NZ
Soil Classification 1992), key features, nutrient status and the key soil forming processes.

(10 marks)

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End-of-year Examinations, 2020 SOIL203-20S2 (C)

5. Answer BOTH of the following:

a) Using the soils, LUC and NZLRI information below, describe the two LUC units below in terms of
their characteristics AND discuss their suitability for productive commercial forestry plantation
use.

Soil Order and Group Brown Allophanic Gley Recent

Rock type Greywacke Alluvium
Slope category G A
Present erosion 2sS 0
LUC classification 8e 6w

(10 marks)

b) Name FIVE important soil orders used for plantation forestry in New Zealand AND describe and
discuss their most important characteristics or soil properties, in terms of how these influence
their suitability for tree growth.

(10 marks)

6. Answer ALL of the following:

a) Discuss nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems compared to common agricultural systems AND
briefly comment on fertilizer use in both systems.

(10 marks)

b) Discuss any advantages and disadvantages in assessing nutrient deficiencies in plants via visual
foliage symptoms.

(5 marks)

c) Briefly explain FIVE indicator values that can be used to assess soil quality and give ONE example
for EACH indicator explaining how it may influence plant growth.

(5 marks)

End of Examination

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