Soil Science & Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CFP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Soil Science & Analysis flashcards as text
Which soil property most directly influences the seepage rate from an earthen fish pond?
Answer: Soil permeability (hydraulic conductivity)
Hydraulic conductivity determines how quickly water moves through soil, directly controlling seepage losses from pond embankments.
The presence of hardpan or fragipan in a soil profile would most concern a fisheries manager because it:
Answer: Restricts drainage and may cause perched water tables affecting site selection
Hardpan layers restrict vertical water movement, creating perched water tables that complicate drainage and excavation for pond construction.
Organic soils (Histosols) are generally considered poor choices for fish pond construction primarily because:
Answer: They are highly compressible, causing embankment settling and structural instability
Histosols are poorly suited for pond embankments because organic material compresses under load, leading to structural failure.
Which of the following soil tests is most useful for determining lime requirement in pond soils?
Answer: Shoemaker-McLean-Pratt (SMP) buffer pH test
The SMP buffer pH test estimates the buffering capacity of acidic soils and is used to calculate lime application rates.
Sulfidic materials (potential acid sulfate soils) in a pond site present a major risk because upon drainage or excavation they:
Answer: Oxidize to produce sulfuric acid, dramatically lowering pH
When sulfidic sediments are exposed to oxygen, iron sulfides oxidize to form sulfuric acid, which can drop pH below 4 and kill fish.
In riparian soil assessments for buffer strip design, which indicator is most useful for identifying hydric soils?
Answer: Redoximorphic features such as mottles and depleted matrices
Redoximorphic features (iron mottles, gray depleted matrices) are diagnostic indicators of hydric soils formed under periodic saturation.
A fisheries manager finds that pond soils have very low phosphorus sorption capacity. This is most likely associated with:
Answer: Coarse sandy soils with low surface area and organic matter
Sandy soils have low surface area and limited iron/aluminum oxides, resulting in poor phosphorus retention and higher risk of leaching.