Describe the roles that humus, detritus, and soil organisms play in creating a soil favorable to plants. Identify the relationships among these three factors
What will be an ideal response?
Detritus is the food source for decomposers and detritus feeders. These organisms consume the detritus for energy and nutrients and release carbon dioxide, water, and minerals into the soil. The undigested portion of detritus excreted by the soil organisms is called humus. As minerals go through the guts of detritus feeders (e.g., worms), the minerals adhere to the humus. The clumps of humus create the structure of soil. The soil structure is the arrangement of soil particles. Humus improves a soil's ability to hold water and nutrients and increases its workability and aeration, while improving the ability of water to infiltrate the soil.
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Why might increasing the concentration of a set of reactants increase the rate of reaction?
A. You have increased the ratio of reactants to products. B. You have increased the chances that any two reactant molecules will collide and react. C. The concentration of reactants is unrelated to the rate of reaction. D. The rate of reaction depends only on the mass of the atoms and therefore increases as you increase the mass of the reactants. E. none of the above
What is the source of most of the dissolved materials found in the ocean?
a. biological activities b. weathering of crustal rocks c. outgassing d. convection currents e. atmospheric deposition
Why is crystallization such an important part of the rock cycle?
A) Melting occurs as a result of crystallization. B) Metamorphism occurs as a result of crystallization. C) Volcanoes are made because of crystallization. D) In order for igneous rocks to be made, crystallization must occur.
Non-native invasive species have been found to negatively influence biodiversity. A well-known example would include ________
A) the Jack Pine's Kirtland warbler B) Mexico's jaguar C) the monarch butterfly D) the hemlock adelgid E) the prairie bison