StudyGuideofChapter 5
StudyGuideofChapter 5
StudyGuideofChapter 5
Subject/Section: SSC001/QqRr
Date: December 12, 2021
Study Guide:
1. Why is the organic matter content of a soil usually greatest in the surface horizon?
Answer: The organic matter is significantly improves the soil's capacity to
store and supply essential nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus,
pottasuim, calcium and magnesium) and to retain toxic elements. Organic
matter is made up of organic components obtained from the remains of
species such as plants and animals, as well as their waste products in the
environment. Surface horizons are soil layers with a high concentration of
organic elements. It allows the soil to cope with changes in soil acidity and
helps minerals to decompose faster.
There are three distinct organic layers in a typical forest region and all of the
plant and animal debris that falls to the ground gets turned into humus.
Organic matter serves as a reservoir of nutrients and water in the soil, aids
and reducing compaction and surface crusting to increases infiltration of the
soil.
3. If the annual input of C to a soil is 1.5 t/ha, and the total soil C content is 40,000
kg/ha, what is the average turnover time for the soil C?
Answer: Organic matter make up just to 2-10% of most soil mass and
important role in physical, chemical, and biological functionof agricultural
soils.
4. What is the generic name for organisms that cannot live in the presence of O2?
Answer: An anaerobic organism it is any organism that does not require
molecular oxygen for growth. It may react negatively or even die if free
oxygen is present. In contrast, an aerobic organism (aerobe) is an organism
that requires an oxygenated environment. Because they may grow in the
presence or absence of free oxygen, some species are known as facultative
anaerobes.
5. What is the generic description for fungi that (i) live on dead organic matter, (ii) live
by feeding on living tissues, and (iii) live in symbiotic association with plant roots?
Answer: Most fungi decomposer called saprotrophs. And they feed decaying
on organic matter and return nutrients to the soil plant use.
They live on dead organic matter, (SAP ROPHYTE).
They live by feeding on living tissues, (HETEROTROPHS).
They live in symbiotic association with plant roots (MYCORRHIZAL).
8. A soil sample containing the equivalent of 20 g o.d. soil was fumigated in CHCl3 for
24 h, before being flushed free of CHCl3, and incubated at 25°C for 10 days. The
CO2 released was trapped in 25 mL of 0.02 M NaOH, and the unneutralized NaOH
at the end of incubation titrated with 0.02 M HCl. A control incubation was carried
out with a sample of unfumigated soil. The results of the titration were as follows:
Calculate the microbial biomass C (in mg/kg soil), assuming a Kc value of 0.45. Note
– the atomic mass of C is 12 g. (Refer to Box 3.2).
9. Wheat straw added to soil contains 45% C and 0.5% N. Soil micro-organisms that
feed on this straw and decompose it have a C: N ratio of 6: 1. In decomposing the
straw, 60% of the straw C is assimilated by the micro-organisms and the remaining
40% is respired as CO2. Calculate
Answer: They applied the nitrogen fertilizer to the ratio wheat straw to enable
soil microorganisms to decompose post harvest to high organic carbon soil
amendments like wheat straw and to maintain the microbes take up in the soil.
10. You apply 4 tons of corn stover as mulch for green onion. How much N is
immobilized provided that C:N ratio for immobilization is 25:1 (C:N ratio for corn
stover is 55:1)