NR 501 EXAM 2 UNH QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025/2026
Microbes - CORRECT ANSWER -bacteria, archaea, and fungi
Bacteria and fungi are the primary decomposers
Microfauna - CORRECT ANSWER -protozoa and nematodes
Consumers of soil microbes, release plant-available nutrients in this process
Macrofauna - CORRECT ANSWER -collembola, rotifers, mites, earthworms, etc
Earthworms - CORRECT ANSWER -earthworms are beneficial in some contexts but are invasive
in the Northern US. They cause significant disruption in invaded forests
Mycorrhizae - CORRECT ANSWER -form a symbiotic relationship with plants, providing nutrient
in exchange for carbon
Nitrogen mineralization - CORRECT ANSWER -conversion of organic N to inorganic N
Nitrogen immobilization - CORRECT ANSWER -conversion of inorganic N to organic N
Soil respiration - CORRECT ANSWER -the production of carbon dioxide when soil organisms
respire
Pools - CORRECT ANSWER -places where something is stored, ex carbon or nitrogen
, Fluxes - CORRECT ANSWER -how stored material flows between pools
Soil organic matter - CORRECT ANSWER -plant material in various stages of decay
Includes living organisms and their dead tissues and wastes, microbial by-products and residues
How can you increase soil organic matter levels? - CORRECT ANSWER -inputs must be increased
and/or outputs decreased
Inputs: plant inputs, soil amendments
Outputs: decomposition, erosion, leaching
How much carbon is stored in the terrestrial biosphere? - CORRECT ANSWER -450-600
pentagrams of carbon
Types of carbon fluxes - CORRECT ANSWER -photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, soil
respiration, and human activities
Organic matter - CORRECT ANSWER -includes all plant, animal, and microbial material in the soil
living and dead
Organic carbon - CORRECT ANSWER -the carbon atoms present within organic compounds
A component of organic matter but not organic matter itself
CORRECT ANSWERS 2025/2026
Microbes - CORRECT ANSWER -bacteria, archaea, and fungi
Bacteria and fungi are the primary decomposers
Microfauna - CORRECT ANSWER -protozoa and nematodes
Consumers of soil microbes, release plant-available nutrients in this process
Macrofauna - CORRECT ANSWER -collembola, rotifers, mites, earthworms, etc
Earthworms - CORRECT ANSWER -earthworms are beneficial in some contexts but are invasive
in the Northern US. They cause significant disruption in invaded forests
Mycorrhizae - CORRECT ANSWER -form a symbiotic relationship with plants, providing nutrient
in exchange for carbon
Nitrogen mineralization - CORRECT ANSWER -conversion of organic N to inorganic N
Nitrogen immobilization - CORRECT ANSWER -conversion of inorganic N to organic N
Soil respiration - CORRECT ANSWER -the production of carbon dioxide when soil organisms
respire
Pools - CORRECT ANSWER -places where something is stored, ex carbon or nitrogen
, Fluxes - CORRECT ANSWER -how stored material flows between pools
Soil organic matter - CORRECT ANSWER -plant material in various stages of decay
Includes living organisms and their dead tissues and wastes, microbial by-products and residues
How can you increase soil organic matter levels? - CORRECT ANSWER -inputs must be increased
and/or outputs decreased
Inputs: plant inputs, soil amendments
Outputs: decomposition, erosion, leaching
How much carbon is stored in the terrestrial biosphere? - CORRECT ANSWER -450-600
pentagrams of carbon
Types of carbon fluxes - CORRECT ANSWER -photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, soil
respiration, and human activities
Organic matter - CORRECT ANSWER -includes all plant, animal, and microbial material in the soil
living and dead
Organic carbon - CORRECT ANSWER -the carbon atoms present within organic compounds
A component of organic matter but not organic matter itself
