Environmental Studies · Biology

Soil Science and Fertilizers

1,537 Questions

Soil science focuses on soil formation, classification, and fertility management using fertilizers and organic amendments. Agricultural and environmental science exams heavily feature questions on biofertilizers, mycorrhiza, and phytoremediation. Practice these questions to build a strong understanding of soil nutrient cycles.

Phytoremediation techniquesOrganic soil amendmentsBiofertilizers and mycorrhizaNitrous oxide emissionsIn-situ soil remediationGreen manuring effects

Soil Science and Fertilizers Questions

Multiple choice economics sustainable development with equity introduction to social movements and its types social movements liberalisation

_________ leads to fall in productivity due to deterioration in the quality of soil used for cultivation.

  1. Soil erosion

  2. Air pollution

  3. Global warming

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Soil erosion is a type of phenomenon where the upper most layer of the soil gets washed away by the acts of wind and water. This leads to a fall in the overall productivity due to deterioration in the quality of soil used for cultivation. 

Multiple choice botany bacteria bacteria - friend and foe useful and harmful bacteria bacteria; benefits and harmful effects

Which organism is most useful for soil fertility?

  1. Algae

  2. Fungi

  3. Bacteria

  4. Bacteriophage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Free-living and symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria fix atmospheric inert nitrogen into biologically useful ammonia thereby adding nitrogen to the soil and increasing its fertility. Algae increase the organic carbon content of the soil upon their death. Mycorrhizae are the symbiotic fungi that reside in roots of higher plants and increase soil fertility by nitrogen fixation. Phages are the bacterial viruses that replicate within the bacterial cell with a polyhedral head, a helical tail and fibers for attachment to the host cell. Thus, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice business organisation and correspondence environmental pollution and industries air pollution and its effects the environment and us environment and conservation

Agricultural chemicals pollute the soil by

  1. Changing the pH of the soil

  2. Causing infertility of soil

  3. Increasing the mineral content in the soil

  4. Both A and B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Agricultural chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides can alter soil pH and accumulate toxic residues, which negatively impact soil fertility and microbial health.

Multiple choice business organisation and correspondence environmental pollution and industries air pollution and its effects the environment and us environment and conservation

Which of the following is a major cause of soil acidification?

  1. Nitrate Leaching

  2. Nitrification

  3. Soil erosion

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Nitrate leaching is a major cause of soil acidification because it removes basic cations (like calcium and magnesium) from the soil, which are then replaced by hydrogen ions.

Multiple choice business organisation and correspondence environmental pollution and industries air pollution and its effects the environment and us environment and conservation

How do pesticides adversely affect the fertility of soil?

  1. By changing the pH of the soil

  2. By increasing the number of soil microorganism

  3. By decreasing the number of soil microorganism

  4. Both A and C
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Soil pollution is caused by the addition of substances which decrease its productivity. It is caused by agrochemicals, industrial wastes, municipal wastes etc. It adversely affects the fertility of the soil. Pesticides are used in agricultural practices and these chemicals penetrate into the soil and changes the pH of the soil. Also, pesticides affect the fertility of soil by decreasing the number of soil microorganisms. 

Thus, the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice biology living in harmony climate factors abiotic components organisms and environment

Edaphic factor refers to.

  1. Water

  2. Soil

  3. Relative humidity

  4. Altitude
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Edaphic factors are classified under the abiotic factors affecting an ecosystem. Edaphic factors include factors of soil, e.g., soil texture, substratum, topography, mineral composition, pH, etc. These factors can influence the distribution and interrelationships of organisms, as well as rate of decomposition.

Multiple choice biology living in harmony climate factors abiotic components organisms and environment

All of these are examples of abiotic factors except 

  1. Mushrooms

  2. Soil type

  3. Average yearly rainfall

  4. Sunlight

  5. Relative humidity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
The environment is a complex of many factors which surround an organism. These factors are known as environmental factors or ecological factors which may be either living or biotic and non-living or biotic. 
Biotic factors include plants, animals, microbes etc.
Abiotic factors are the non-living factors, substances, and conditions of the environment which influence the physiology, survival, function, and reproduction of organisms. These factors are divided as:
1. Direct factors- For example, light, temperature, humidity of the air, soil air, soil water, soil nutrients etc.
2. Indirect factors- For example, soil structure, soil organisms, altitude, wind, slopes etc.
Hence, Mushrooms will be included under biotic factors and soil type, average yearly rainfall, sunlight and relative humidity will be included under abiotic factors.
So, the correct answer is 'Mushrooms'.
Multiple choice economics how does production take place? natural resources- air, water and land land land,labour, capital and entrepreneur production mechanism

_____ can kill bacteria and other micro organisms in the soil.

  1. Bio fertilizers

  2. Organic fertilizers

  3. Manure

  4. Homemade fertilizers

  5. Chemical fertilizers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

A chemical fertilizer is defined as any inorganic material of wholly or partially synthetic origin that is added to the soil to sustain plant growth. Can also kill bacteria and other micro organisms in the soil.

Multiple choice evs - i rules are for everyone sustainability of natural resources adaptations - mangrove swamps, fast flowing rivers and treetops halophiles

Fertility of soil is measured by its ability to

  1. Retain nutrients

  2. Hold organic materials

  3. Hold water

  4. Support life
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The fertility of soil can be considered in different ways, depending on land use. In intensively managed agricultural and horticultural systems, and even in forestry, soil fertility can be defined in terms of the value of products produced. In nature soil gains nutrients from rocks, which are natural reservoirs of nutrients. These nutrients are released through geological processes, like leaching and pedogenesis. Soil also gains nutrients through the agencies of water and dead and decaying excreta of organisms. The physical characteristics of soil also govern nutrient availability of soil. The nutrient availability is a measure of soil fertility.

Multiple choice biology air and water pollution control environmental impact: global warming green house effect geobiochemical cycle

When the soil of the greenhouse nurseries is sterilized with methyl bromide gas, it leads to a deficiency of:

  1. cellulose in roots

  2. chlorophyll in green leaves

  3. zinc in plants

  4. iron in red flowers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Greenhouse nursery is a plant nursery where the plants are kept protected by several types of rodent and pest control product. Use of $MeBr$ gas leads to a deficiency of $Zn$ in plants as methyl bromide is very toxic.

Multiple choice zoology microbes in human welfare biofertilizers microbes as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers manuring

Which of the following statements is/are correct ?

  1. In paddy fields, cyanobacteria serve as an important biofertiliser.

  2. Vermicompost consists of organic matter prepared by the action of earthworms on human or animal waste.

  3. The important examples of cyanobacteria as biofertilisers are Anabaena, Nostoc and Oscoilatoria.

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Multiple choice zoology microbes in human welfare biofertilizers microbes as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers manuring

Biofertilizers

  1. Kill pests

  2. Prevent pest growth

  3. Retain soil fertility

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Biofertilizers are used because they increase soil fertility, crop productivity, and production. Use of biofertilizers is both economical as well as environment-friendly. They remain symbiotically associated with the roots while some are free living. They solubilize the undissolved minerals.

So, the correct answer is option C.