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FOR 314: Forest Soils Final Exam, April 20, 2006

The document contains a final exam for a forest soils course. It includes 6 multiple choice questions and asks students to explain concepts like nutrient cation leaching in forest soils and mechanisms of soil pH buffering. It also asks about types of biological nitrogen fixation in forests and the significance of findings related to boreal forest nutrition.

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Mathew Webster
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31 views3 pages

FOR 314: Forest Soils Final Exam, April 20, 2006

The document contains a final exam for a forest soils course. It includes 6 multiple choice questions and asks students to explain concepts like nutrient cation leaching in forest soils and mechanisms of soil pH buffering. It also asks about types of biological nitrogen fixation in forests and the significance of findings related to boreal forest nutrition.

Uploaded by

Mathew Webster
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FOR 314: Forest Soils

Final Exam, April 20, 2006

Time: 2 hours

Please read the questions carefully. Some questions have multiple parts. Your Writing
has to be legible –I have to be able to understand what you have written to give you
credit for your answer to a question.

Questions 1. (20%)

a) Explain how dissolved CO2 may influence nutrient cation leaching in some forest soils,
and explain why this mechanism is unimportant in strongly acidic forest soils.

b) What are the implications of soil aeration for the potential soil fertility of a forested
site?

Question 2. (20%)

Discuss some of the main mechanisms involved in the buffering of forest soil pH and
then explain why soil pH in limed soils tends to return to levels prior to lime application
(so that repeated lime applications are often needed to correct soil pH problems)?

Question 3. (20%)

a) What are the main types of biological N fixation systems that are important for N-
fixation in forest ecosystems?

b) What is the significance of the findings in DeLuca TH et al. 2002. Nature 419: 917-
920 for boreal forest nutrition?

Question 4. (20%)

What are the best times (in terms of within a growing season and in a rotation) to apply
fertilizers in forestry (if there is such a need) and why?

Please in two to three sentences explain what do we mean by “principles of forest


fertilization”.

Question 5. (5%)

Why is N often the most limiting nutrient in boreal forest ecosystems?

Very briefly explain why urea is a preferred N fertilizer in most forestry applications.
Question 6. (15%) Multiple choice questions

1) The rate of decomposition will follow the following order


a) starches > cellulose > waxes b) cellulose > starches > waxes
c) starches > waxes > cellulose d) waxes > starches > cellulose

2) Which of the following will NOT contribute to the formation of stable soil
aggregates?
a) wetting/drying cycles
b) Na+ as the main absorbed cation on exchange sites
c) freezing/thawing cycles
d) activity of soil organisms

3) Which of the following causes increases in soil strength?


a) soil compaction b) excessive fine sand content
c) excessive water content d) presence of coarse fragments

4) A humus form that has the following characteristics, i) that F and H horizons are
present; ii) that organic horizons are sharply delineated; and iii) that there is no
obvious intermixing of organic and inorganic particles in the organic horizons, is a
a) Moder b) Raw moder c) Mull d) Mor

5) One of the following terms does NOT describe translocation


a) Lessivage b) weathering c) Eluviation d) Illuviation

6) Accumulation of soil organic matter is more likely under


a) under waterlogged conditions b) under aerobic conditions
c) in a sandy soil d) under neutral soil pH conditions

7) Lense ice is formed when


a) Water freezes very quickly b) freezing is slow
c) there is no movement in water d) water freezes in place

8) Soil microorganisms can be a competitor for soil available N when


a) the soil has high available N levels
b) the soil organic matter has high C/N ratios
c) when the soil organisms have the optimum growing conditions (e.g. temperature
and moisture content)
d) when soil organic matter is well decomposed

9) One of the most important factors influencing forest soil development related to trees
is
a) their large root biomass b) their deep rooting habit
c) their impact on soil compaction d) the turnover of fine roots
10) Podzolization does not involve
a) mobilization of Fe and Al
b) movement of large amounts of clay out of the Ae horizon
c) decomposition of the silicate clay minerals
d) precipitation of oxides in lower horizons

11) The dominant cation in most forest soil solutions is


a) Al+++ b) Mg++ c) Ca++ d) Fe++

12) Which of the following will have littile effect on the degree of soil compaction when
the soil is impacted by heavy harvesting equipment
a) Soil texture b) Soil water content
c) Site geographical location d) Soil organic matter content

13) One of the following conditions does NOT favor forestry (as compared to agricultural
production)
a) excessive water supply b) presence of large stones
c) shallow soil d) steep slopes

14) The N cycle in the boreal forest is dominated by


a) the geochemical cycle b) the biogeochemical cycle
c) the biochemical cycle d) all three above

15) About how much of the total soil N is in the inorganic form in a typical forest soil?
a) 1-2% b) 7-8% c) 10-11% d) about 20%

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