SWS3022 Exam 3 Practice Questions
and Answers 100% Pass
What organisms are the most numerous in soils? - ✔✔Bacteria
What organisms have the greatest biomass? - ✔✔Fungi
What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs? - ✔✔Aerobic use
oxygen as electron acceptors. Anaerobic use nitrogen, sulfur, ironto accept electrons.
How do aerobic conditions influence the decomposition of organic matter? -
✔✔Decomp is rapid due to efficiency of aerobic metabolism
How do anaerobic conditions influence the decomposition of organic matter? -
✔✔Decomp is slowed, because anaerobic respiration is slower and produces less energy
How did the Everglades get high levels of organic materials build up? - ✔✔The
Everglades is historically flooded, so organic matter decomp is slowed when is
submerged in water and not in oxygen. Then the input of new OM exceeds losses and
leads to a vast amount of organic matter accumulation.
How do the basics of the historical flow regime in the Everglades compared to today? -
✔✔Historically the Everglades started at the Kissimmee Basin and a floodplain river
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, pushed water into Lake Okeechobbee. The water then went down south until it reached
the area around the keys. Today much of the Everglades has been drained and levees
and canals push water from Okeechobee east out into the Atlantic.
Where is EAA and what is it? - ✔✔Everglades Agricultural Area, which is mainly
devoted to sugarcane with smaller areas used for vegetables, sod, citrus, and rice. It is
the area southeast of Lake Okeechobe
How were soils subsequently lost to subsidence in the EAA region? - ✔✔The drainage
exposes soils to oxygen, which causes them to decompose more efficiently.
What are the three primary macronutrients? - ✔✔Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium
Which primary macronutrient is most limiting to plant productivity? - ✔✔Nitrogen
What is the C:N ratio in a typical microorganisms? - ✔✔8:1
What is the C:N ratio preferred by organisms for their food? - ✔✔24:1. 2/3s is lost to
CO2
What are the implications relative to nitrogen availability of adding amendments with
high C:N ratios? - ✔✔Increases microbial activity. There is not enough N in substrate
for growth/metabolism therefore takes N from soil and depresses N in soil temporarily.
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
and Answers 100% Pass
What organisms are the most numerous in soils? - ✔✔Bacteria
What organisms have the greatest biomass? - ✔✔Fungi
What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs? - ✔✔Aerobic use
oxygen as electron acceptors. Anaerobic use nitrogen, sulfur, ironto accept electrons.
How do aerobic conditions influence the decomposition of organic matter? -
✔✔Decomp is rapid due to efficiency of aerobic metabolism
How do anaerobic conditions influence the decomposition of organic matter? -
✔✔Decomp is slowed, because anaerobic respiration is slower and produces less energy
How did the Everglades get high levels of organic materials build up? - ✔✔The
Everglades is historically flooded, so organic matter decomp is slowed when is
submerged in water and not in oxygen. Then the input of new OM exceeds losses and
leads to a vast amount of organic matter accumulation.
How do the basics of the historical flow regime in the Everglades compared to today? -
✔✔Historically the Everglades started at the Kissimmee Basin and a floodplain river
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
, pushed water into Lake Okeechobbee. The water then went down south until it reached
the area around the keys. Today much of the Everglades has been drained and levees
and canals push water from Okeechobee east out into the Atlantic.
Where is EAA and what is it? - ✔✔Everglades Agricultural Area, which is mainly
devoted to sugarcane with smaller areas used for vegetables, sod, citrus, and rice. It is
the area southeast of Lake Okeechobe
How were soils subsequently lost to subsidence in the EAA region? - ✔✔The drainage
exposes soils to oxygen, which causes them to decompose more efficiently.
What are the three primary macronutrients? - ✔✔Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium
Which primary macronutrient is most limiting to plant productivity? - ✔✔Nitrogen
What is the C:N ratio in a typical microorganisms? - ✔✔8:1
What is the C:N ratio preferred by organisms for their food? - ✔✔24:1. 2/3s is lost to
CO2
What are the implications relative to nitrogen availability of adding amendments with
high C:N ratios? - ✔✔Increases microbial activity. There is not enough N in substrate
for growth/metabolism therefore takes N from soil and depresses N in soil temporarily.
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
