US 
CA 
Quiz:
Quiz
a) The soil smells like spoiled milk
b) Protozoa grow a second cell
c) Key nutrient nitrogen is released
d) Bacteria populations dramatically decrease
Answer: C. Protozoa have a lower concentration of nitrogen in their cells than the bacteria they eat and more than they need, so the excess becomes available to plants’ roots.
a) Breaking up clay soil and binding together sandy soil
b) Gathering nutrients beyond the reach of roots
c) Releasing enzymes into the soil that dissolve hard-to-absorb nutrients
d) All of the above
Answer: D. The beneficial fungi physically enter the plants’ roots or coat them in a sheath (depending on the plant species’ particular needs) and then send out threads far into the soil to enhance the soil’s texture and the roots’ feeding capacity.
a) Consuming disease pathogens
b) Breaking up compacted soil
c) Preying on pest nematodes
d) Distributing beneficial bacteria and fungi through the soil
Answer: B. Nematodes prey on bacteria that cause plant diseases and on other, destructive types of nematode species, and they carry the smaller, helpful microbes such as bacteria and fungi through the soil on their surface and in their digestive systems. They don’t have a direct effect on soil density.
a) Sweet, earthy smell of freshly dug soil
b) Reddish color of clay soil
c) Loose texture of sandy soil
d) Crunchy sound of hard-packed soil
Answer: A. Actinomycetes break down slow-to-decompose plant components, such as chitin and cellulose, and they release the earthy aroma as they digest.
a) Sow bugs
b) Millipedes
c) Both
d) Neither
Answer: C. Sow bugs are relatives of crabs and lobsters, with powerful mouth parts that chomp up leaves and other plant residue. Millipedes, also called diplopods because they have two feet on each body segment, break up rotting wood and other damp plant matter.
a) The air is very warm
b) The soil is soggy
c) Sunlight is shaded
d) Aerobic bacteria are resting
Answer: B. Soil that is very saturated has no space for air, essential for all the beneficial organisms, including bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria move in where there is no oxygen and begin separating it from nitrogen, releasing the essential nutrient into the air as a gas before plants can absorb it.
a) Blending together different components of soil
b) Opening air pockets in the soil
c) Increasing microbe populations
d) All of the above
Answer: D. Earthworms drag organic matter at various stages of decay deeper into the soil as they dig their burrows. Their tunnels create spaces in the soil that hold oxygen, vital to all the other organisms and the plants. As organic matter passes through earthworms’ intestines, it is inoculated with the countless microbes living in its guts.
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