Biology (Raven), 9th Edition

Chapter 39: Plant Nutrition and Soils

Post-Test

1
Why does a low pH soil cause problems for many plants?
A)The low pH decreases the amount of H+ ions for the plant to use.
B)A low pH releases aluminum, which is toxic to many plants. can also combine with other nutrients and make them inaccessible to plants.
C)The pH of a soil dissolves cell membranes, causing them to fall apart.
D)All of the above are reasons for plant growth problems.
E)None of the above are reasons why a low pH interferes with plant growth.
2
Hydroponics is a method of plant propagation that can ensure proper micronutrient delivery by immersing the roots in water. What must be especially watched to ensure health using this technique?
A)Plants won't get enough light.
B)Pollination can't occur using hydroponics.
C)Aeration of roots can be compromised if immersed for too long.
D)Insect pollination can never happen in a hydroponic environment.
E)Leaves can get infected with mold because of the high humidity.
3
The nitrogen-fixing bacterium Rhizobium requires assistance from a plant (usually a legume) in order to grow. Much of it is in the form of ATP derived from organic molecules provided by the plant. Why is so much energy required by Rhizobium during its mutualistic behavior?
A)In the soil are many competitors. The energy Rhizobium absorbs increases its temperature, interfering with the growth of its antagonists.
B)Rhizobium has no immune system (like most bacteria). Thus, the plant provides protection.
C)Plants provide oxygen to Rhizobium in order to make its cellular respiration more efficient.
D)Plants secrete nod factors to the bacterium during periods when its ATP levels are high. These stimulate the bacterium to form nodules.
E)The triple-bond in N2 gas is hard to break. Energy from the plant makes this possible as it donates ATP.
4
In experiments where plants are subjected to higher levels of CO2, what else must be considered in order to maximize growth?
A)There must be less oxygen in the atmosphere.
B)More stomata must be created to allow enough CO2 to enter plants to make a difference.
C)Cellular reserves of sugar must increase to make enough RuBP to allow more fixation of CO2.
D)Plants must have larger leaves to be able to access the higher levels of CO2 in the air.
E)Access to amino-generating elements must be increased as plants are not made of hydrocarbons and oxygen alone.
5
One concern about using phytoremediation to clean up a toxic area is that
A)the plants will become radioactive.
B)soil water will increase in its toxicity due to the plant metabolic activity on the pollution.
C)phytoaccumulation means that much of the material will diffuse back into the soil.
D)animals could be harmed if they graze in an area where plants have taken up high levels of toxic compounds.
E)substances used for phytoremediation may end up in the human food chain.
6
What is necessary for a mineral to be absorbed by roots?
A)They must be positively charged.
B)They must be negatively charged.
C)They must be dissolved in water.
D)Soil particles must have adsorbed them.
E)Fungi must first process them.
7
Which macronutrient is correctly matched with its function?
A)Phosphorous; Component of ADP and ATP, nucleic acids, phospholipids, several coenzymes
B)Sulfur; a major component of most organic molecules
C)Potassium; a component of chlorophyll molecules
D)Magnesium; helps regulate stomatal opening
E)Nitrogen; opens stomata
8
Carnivorous plants -- plants which metabolize insects -- have adapted to what deficiency in their natural soils?
A)Meat
B)Chlorophyll
C)Sulfur
D)Nitrogen
E)Water
9
An increase in oxygen relative to carbon dioxide most immediately results in
A)C4 carbon fixation
B)Photorespiration
C)CAM carbon fixation
D)Production in glucose
E)Increased efficiency in photosynthesis
10
Which part of plants is most directly exposed to environmental contaminants?
A)The shoot, because it experiences wind currents that carry the toxins toward it.
B)The leaves, because gas exchange through their stomata can filter impurities.
C)The vascular system, because it cycles large amounts of fluids in a short amount of time.
D)The roots, because their endodermis is exposed to all chemicals entering the vasculature.
E)The epidermis of leaves, because they have a very large surface area.
11
Trichlorotheylene (TCE) is toxic to humans because it
A)depletes nitrogen from soils.
B)is carcinogenic.
C)contains heavy metals.
D)prevents CO2 production by plants.
E)causes a decrease in the yield of crop plants.
12
Heavy metals in contaminated soils can be taken up by hyper-accumulating plants. Lead and cadmium taken up this way are often accumulated in the plants'
A)rhizomes.
B)trichomes.
C)stomates.
D)sclerenchyma.
E)root nodules.
13
Natural communities recycle nutrients, but cultivated communities often require an input of mineral nutrients due to losses through
A)erosion.
B)humus.
C)nitrogen fixation.
D)crop rotation.
E)iron accumulation.
14
Which of the following statements about plants grown in hydroponic culture is true?
A)They no longer need to transport water through their xylem.
B)They cannot be used for commercial purposes.
C)They rarely get enough micronutrients.
D)They are unable to photosynthesize.
E)They are suspended with their roots in a nutrient solution.
15
Which of these accounts for the movement (not the speed) of the leaves in a Venus flytrap?
A)turgor pressure
B)muscular contraction
C)curved geometry of the leaf
D)specialized contractile fibers
E)The mechanism behind the movement of the Venus flytrap is unknown.
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