1 $In the USDA Soil Taxonomy, which category represents the highest level of generalization?$

A.

Great Group

B.

Order

C.

Family

D.

Series

2 $Which of the following is the lowest and most specific category in the USDA Soil Taxonomy?$

A.

Subgroup

B.

Family

C.

Series

D.

Suborder

3 $A diagnostic surface horizon is technically referred to as a(n):$

A.

Endopedon

B.

Epipedon

C.

Hardpan

D.

Duripan

4 $Which epipedon is characterized by being thick, dark-colored, high in organic matter, and having a base saturation of greater than ?$

A.

Umbric

B.

Ochric

C.

Mollic

D.

Histic

5 $Which soil order is characterized by soils that have permafrost within 100 cm of the soil surface?$

A.

Histosols

B.

Gelisols

C.

Entisols

D.

Spodosols

6 $Soils derived from volcanic ash and cinders, characterized by low bulk density and high phosphate retention, belong to which order?$

A.

Andisols

B.

Aridisols

C.

Vertisols

D.

Inceptisols

7 $Which soil order represents the 'Black Cotton Soils' of India, known for their shrinking and swelling properties?$

A.

Mollisols

B.

Vertisols

C.

Alfisols

D.

Ultisols

8 $Which diagnostic subsurface horizon is characterized by a significant accumulation of silicate clays?$

A.

Albic

B.

Argillic

C.

Calcic

D.

Spodic

9 $In the nomenclature of Soil Taxonomy, the formative element'oll' indicates which soil order?$

A.

Mollisols

B.

Spodosols

C.

Histosols

D.

Oxisols

10 $Which soil order consists of organic soils, such as peats and mucks, with more than organic matter?$

A.

Histosols

B.

Gelisols

C.

Inceptisols

D.

Entisols

11 $The most extensive soil group found in India is:$

A.

Black Soil

B.

Red Soil

C.

Alluvial Soil

D.

Laterite Soil

12 $Which soil order represents the most highly weathered soils, rich in iron and aluminum oxides, typically found in tropical rainforests?$

A.

Ultisols

B.

Oxisols

C.

Alfisols

D.

Entisols

13 $A soil with a 'Cambic' horizon is generally classified under which order, assuming no other more advanced diagnostic horizons exist?$

A.

Entisols

B.

Inceptisols

C.

Aridisols

D.

Mollisols

14 $The Umbric epipedon differs from the Mollic epipedon primarily because the Umbric epipedon has:$

A.

Light color

B.

Low organic matter

C.

Base saturation

D.

Base saturation

15 $Which formative element corresponds to the soil order Entisols ?$

A.

ent

B.

ept

C.

ert

D.

el

16 $In India, the'Regur' soils are best suited for the cultivation of:$

A.

Tea

B.

Cotton

C.

Rice

D.

Cashew

17 $Which horizon is characterized by the accumulation of illuvial humus and aluminum (with or without iron)?$

A.

Argillic

B.

Spodic

C.

Natric

D.

Oxic

18 $The red color of Red Soils in India is primarily due to the presence of:$

A.

Organic matter

B.

Magnesium

C.

Ferric oxides

D.

Potash

19 $Which soil order is defined as having no diagnostic horizons (except perhaps an Ochric epipedon) due to recent deposition or active erosion?$

A.

Inceptisols

B.

Entisols

C.

Andisols

D.

Alfisols

20 $The 'Khadar' and 'Bhangar' classifications relate to which soil type in India?$

A.

Black Soil

B.

Alluvial Soil

C.

Red Soil

D.

Laterite Soil

21 $A subsurface horizon rich in sodium, with columnar or prismatic structure, is called:$

A.

Argillic

B.

Natric

C.

Cambic

D.

Kandic

22 $Which soil temperature regime implies a mean annual soil temperature of to ?$

A.

Thermic

B.

Mesic

C.

Cryic

D.

Hyperthermic

23 $Laterite soils in India are formed primarily through the process of:$

A.

Deposition

B.

Intense leaching

C.

Volcanic eruption

D.

Metamorphism

24 $The primary difference between Alfisols and Ultisols is based on:$

A.

Base Saturation

B.

Presence of Organic Matter

C.

Soil Depth

D.

Temperature Regime

25 $Which of the following is a 'light-colored' epipedon with low organic matter, common in arid soils?$

A.

Mollic

B.

Histic

C.

Ochric

D.

Melanic

26 $The phenomenon of 'self-ploughing' is a characteristic feature of which Indian soil?$

A.

Alluvial soil

B.

Red soil

C.

Black soil

D.

Desert soil

27 $Which soil moisture regime indicates the soil is saturated with water for long periods, leading to anaerobic conditions (gleying)?$

A.

Udic

B.

Ustic

C.

Xeric

D.

Aquic

28 $In Soil Taxonomy, the category 'Great Group' is formed by adding a prefix to the name of the:$

A.

Order

B.

Suborder

C.

Family

D.

Series

29 $Peaty and Marshy soils in India, known as 'Kari' soils, are predominantly found in:$

A.

Rajasthan

B.

Kerala

C.

Punjab

D.

Madhya Pradesh

30 $Which soil order is most commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions and has limited soil moisture available for plant growth?$

A.

Aridisols

B.

Oxisols

C.

Histosols

D.

Spodosols

31 $The dominant clay mineral present in Vertisols (Black Soils) is:$

A.

Kaolinite

B.

Illite

C.

Montmorillonite

D.

Chlorite

32 $A soil profile description 'Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludalf' represents a name at which category level?$

A.

Series

B.

Family

C.

Subgroup

D.

Order

33 $The 'Albic' horizon is best described as:$

A.

A dark surface horizon

B.

A light-colored eluvial horizon low in clay and oxides

C.

A clay accumulation horizon

D.

A cemented hardpan

34 $Which state in India has the largest area under Saline and Alkaline soils?$

A.

Kerala

B.

Uttar Pradesh

C.

Meghalaya

D.

Assam

35 $Features such as slickensides and gilgai microrelief are diagnostic of:$

A.

Andisols

B.

Vertisols

C.

Mollisols

D.

Entisols

36 $Which soil order name contains the formative element'od' ?$

A.

Andisols

B.

Spodosols

C.

Oxisols

D.

Aridisols

37 $The diagnostic horizon 'Calcic' indicates an accumulation of:$

A.

Gypsum ()

B.

Calcium Carbonate ()

C.

Soluble salts

D.

Organic matter

38 $Karewa soils, famous for Saffron cultivation, are found in:$

A.

Himachal Pradesh

B.

Uttarakhand

C.

Kashmir Valley

D.

Sikkim

39 $In the naming of the suborder 'Aqualf', the prefix 'Aqu' refers to:$

A.

Temperature regime

B.

Moisture regime (Wet)

C.

Organic matter content

D.

Parent material

40 $Which diagnostic horizon is cemented by silica?$

A.

Calcic

B.

Gypsic

C.

Duripan

D.

Placic

41 $Which of the following Indian soil types is generally deficient in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Humus?$

A.

Peaty Soil

B.

Alluvial Soil

C.

Forest Soil

D.

Mollisol

42 $The 'Xeric' moisture regime is characteristic of which climate?$

A.

Tropical rainforest

B.

Mediterranean (wet winter, dry summer)

C.

Desert

D.

Tundra

43 $What is the approximate publication year of the comprehensive 'Soil Taxonomy' (USDA Handbook 436)?$

A.

1938

B.

1950

C.

1975

D.

1999

44 $Red soils generally have a texture varying from:$

A.

Clayey to Silty

B.

Sandy to Loamy

C.

Peaty to Mucky

D.

Gravelly only

45 $Which epipedon is characterized by modification due to human activity, such as long-term manuring?$

A.

Plaggen

B.

Mollic

C.

Histic

D.

Folistic

46 $The dominant clay mineral in Red Soils is:$

A.

Montmorillonite

B.

Kaolinite

C.

Vermiculite

D.

Smectite

47 $Which soil order typically forms under coniferous forests in cool, moist climates and has an acidic, ash-like E horizon?$

A.

Mollisols

B.

Spodosols

C.

Aridisols

D.

Vertisols

48 $The suffix 'p' in a soil horizon designation (e.g., Ap) indicates:$

A.

Accumulation of clay

B.

Plowing or other disturbance

C.

Gleying

D.

Accumulation of carbonates

49 $Which of the following diagnostic horizons is considered an 'Endopedon'?$

A.

Mollic

B.

Ochric

C.

Kandic

D.

Umbric

50 $The process of 'Podzolization' leads to the formation of which soil order?$

A.

Spodosols

B.

Vertisols

C.

Histosols

D.

Gelisols

Unit 6 - Practice Quiz