ENV320 FINAL CERTIFICATION
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Ecosystem.
Answer:
◍ ____ are single-celled organisms with no nucleus. ______ have a nucleus
and are often multicellular..
Answer: Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms with no
nucleus.Eukaryotes have a nucleus and are often multicellular.
◍ Biotic components.
Answer:
◍ Abiotic components.
Answer:
◍ Macro-organisms are greater than ___mm in size.Meso-organisms are
between __ to ___mm in size.Microorganisms are less than ___ mm in size..
Answer: -Macro-organisms are greater than 2mm in size.-Meso-organisms
are between .1 to 2 mm in size.-Microorganisms are less than .1 mm in size.
◍ Nutrient cycling.
Answer:
◍ As organism size decrease, the number of organisms (in organism per g of
soil) ______..
Answer: increases
◍ Meso organisms are about the size of what particle?.
Answer: sand
◍ Biodiversity.
, Answer:
◍ In the soil food web, primary consumers eat:.
Answer: primary producers and decomposers (both)
◍ soils are ecosystems.
Answer: true
◍ species diversity (3 domains of life).
Answer: -eukaryotaex: animalia, plantae, fungi, protisa-prokaryotaex:
bacteria & archaea
◍ soil trophic levels.
Answer: -primary producers: capture solar radiation and convert into
carbohydrates through photosynthesis-primary consumers: (eat primary
producers) plant eaters-secondary consumers: eat primary consumers and
tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers-decomposers: consume dead
organic material, releasing plant nutrients
◍ primary decomposers.
Answer: 1. detritivores (decomposers)= eat dead or digested plant debris
(detritus)2. saphrophytes= eat dead or digested plant and animal debris and
responsible for most decomposition
◍ Genetic diversity.
Answer:
◍ Compared with the rest of the soil ("bulk soil"), the rhizosphere has _____
soil organic matter, ______ complexation reactions, ______ nutrients, and
_____ aeration.
Answer: Compared with the rest of the soil ("bulk soil"), the rhizosphere has
more soil organic matter, more complexation reactions, less nutrients, and
less aeration.
◍ roots and burrowing animals create ______ which increase aeration and
, drainage..
Answer: roots and burrowing animals create biopores which increase
aeration and drainage.
◍ Ants, termites and earthworms ____ soil particles and nutrients, and this
generally improves soil ____.
Answer: Ants, termites and earthworms mix soil particles and nutrients, and
this generally improves soil structure.
◍ Species diversity.
Answer:
→
◍ What roles do meso-organisms generally play in soil? Select all that apply:.
Answer: -shared detritus into smaller pieces-regulate microbe
populations-parasitize plant roots
◍ Ecosystem diversity.
Answer:
◍ macroorganisms: plant roots.
Answer: -roots= 30-50% of plant mass-100-400 um-roots enrich SOM with:
exudates, mucigel, shedded cells, and dead roots-creates biopores-roots
exude organic compounds providing food source for soil microbes
◍ Ecosystem services.
Answer:
◍ rhizosphere.
Answer: -volume of soil surrounding the root -zone most affected by roots
◍ Invasive species.
Answer:
, ◍ macroorganisms: burrowing animals.
Answer: -affect soils by mixing when they dig and breaking down organic
residues (moving from surface to deeper)-soil impacts: aerate soil.
translocate/mix soil, create networks of biopores
◍ soil macroorganisms: ants and termites.
Answer: soil impacts of nests-improve soil aeration-increased
infiltration-modify pH-local enrichment of nutrients
◍ Exotic species.
Answer:
( )
◍ Ecological imbalance.
Answer:
◍ Digital pollution.
Answer:
E-waste
◍ Electronic waste (E-waste).
Answer:
heavy metal →
◍ Heavy metal poisoning.
Answer:
◍ soil macroorganisms: earthworms.
Answer: functions:-mix soil particles and nutrients-improve soil structure
◍ soil meso-organisms: protozoa.
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Ecosystem.
Answer:
◍ ____ are single-celled organisms with no nucleus. ______ have a nucleus
and are often multicellular..
Answer: Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms with no
nucleus.Eukaryotes have a nucleus and are often multicellular.
◍ Biotic components.
Answer:
◍ Abiotic components.
Answer:
◍ Macro-organisms are greater than ___mm in size.Meso-organisms are
between __ to ___mm in size.Microorganisms are less than ___ mm in size..
Answer: -Macro-organisms are greater than 2mm in size.-Meso-organisms
are between .1 to 2 mm in size.-Microorganisms are less than .1 mm in size.
◍ Nutrient cycling.
Answer:
◍ As organism size decrease, the number of organisms (in organism per g of
soil) ______..
Answer: increases
◍ Meso organisms are about the size of what particle?.
Answer: sand
◍ Biodiversity.
, Answer:
◍ In the soil food web, primary consumers eat:.
Answer: primary producers and decomposers (both)
◍ soils are ecosystems.
Answer: true
◍ species diversity (3 domains of life).
Answer: -eukaryotaex: animalia, plantae, fungi, protisa-prokaryotaex:
bacteria & archaea
◍ soil trophic levels.
Answer: -primary producers: capture solar radiation and convert into
carbohydrates through photosynthesis-primary consumers: (eat primary
producers) plant eaters-secondary consumers: eat primary consumers and
tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers-decomposers: consume dead
organic material, releasing plant nutrients
◍ primary decomposers.
Answer: 1. detritivores (decomposers)= eat dead or digested plant debris
(detritus)2. saphrophytes= eat dead or digested plant and animal debris and
responsible for most decomposition
◍ Genetic diversity.
Answer:
◍ Compared with the rest of the soil ("bulk soil"), the rhizosphere has _____
soil organic matter, ______ complexation reactions, ______ nutrients, and
_____ aeration.
Answer: Compared with the rest of the soil ("bulk soil"), the rhizosphere has
more soil organic matter, more complexation reactions, less nutrients, and
less aeration.
◍ roots and burrowing animals create ______ which increase aeration and
, drainage..
Answer: roots and burrowing animals create biopores which increase
aeration and drainage.
◍ Ants, termites and earthworms ____ soil particles and nutrients, and this
generally improves soil ____.
Answer: Ants, termites and earthworms mix soil particles and nutrients, and
this generally improves soil structure.
◍ Species diversity.
Answer:
→
◍ What roles do meso-organisms generally play in soil? Select all that apply:.
Answer: -shared detritus into smaller pieces-regulate microbe
populations-parasitize plant roots
◍ Ecosystem diversity.
Answer:
◍ macroorganisms: plant roots.
Answer: -roots= 30-50% of plant mass-100-400 um-roots enrich SOM with:
exudates, mucigel, shedded cells, and dead roots-creates biopores-roots
exude organic compounds providing food source for soil microbes
◍ Ecosystem services.
Answer:
◍ rhizosphere.
Answer: -volume of soil surrounding the root -zone most affected by roots
◍ Invasive species.
Answer:
, ◍ macroorganisms: burrowing animals.
Answer: -affect soils by mixing when they dig and breaking down organic
residues (moving from surface to deeper)-soil impacts: aerate soil.
translocate/mix soil, create networks of biopores
◍ soil macroorganisms: ants and termites.
Answer: soil impacts of nests-improve soil aeration-increased
infiltration-modify pH-local enrichment of nutrients
◍ Exotic species.
Answer:
( )
◍ Ecological imbalance.
Answer:
◍ Digital pollution.
Answer:
E-waste
◍ Electronic waste (E-waste).
Answer:
heavy metal →
◍ Heavy metal poisoning.
Answer:
◍ soil macroorganisms: earthworms.
Answer: functions:-mix soil particles and nutrients-improve soil structure
◍ soil meso-organisms: protozoa.
