Nutrient Cycling MCQs (Quiz 3) Posted on May 30, 2026Author agropublishers 0 1. Which statement correctly distinguishes weathering from denudation? Weathering and denudation are identical processes Weathering includes erosion; denudation does not Denudation is the breakdown of rocks; weathering is the transport of sediments Weathering is a component of denudation, which also includes erosion and mass wasting 2. Detritivores primarily feed on _____________ Mineral particles Living producers Atmospheric gases Dead organic matter and debris 3. __________________ involves the physical breaking of rocks without changing their chemical composition Physical weathering Hydrolysis Oxidation Chemical weathering 4. Ammonification is the process that releases which nitrogen-containing compound ____________ into the soil Ammonia (NH₃) Oxygen gas (O₂) Carbon dioxide (CO₂) Nitrogen gas (N₂) 5. In ecology, nutrient budget refers to _________________________ The balance of nutrient inputs, outputs, and storage The cost of fertilizer application The number of organisms in an ecosystem The rate of decomposition 6. ____________________________ is called nutrient turnover The permanent locking of nutrients into geological formations The conversion of inorganic minerals into sedimentary rock The rate at which nutrients are cycled and recycled through the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem The irreversible loss of nutrients from an ecosystem 7. _____________ are the primary product of biological nitrogen fixation from atmospheric N₂ Complex proteins NH₃ / NH₄⁺ Simple proteins Amino acids 8. Breakdown and decomposition of rocks at or near the Earth’s surface is called __________________ Deposition Denudation Weathering Erosion 9. ___________________ is the process, specialized bacteria use to convert unreactive atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonia, making it available to living organisms Denitrification Nitrification Nitrogen fixation Ammonification 10. In plants, absorption primarily refers to ________________________________ Uptake of water and dissolved mineral ions from the soil through roots Excretion of excess minerals through root tips Storage of water and nutrients in root sediments Conversion of soil nutrients into gaseous form Loading … Question 1 of 10
