250+ TOP MCQs on Management of Coastal Saline Soil and Answers

Environmental Biotechnology Multiple Choice Questions on “Management of Coastal Saline Soil”.

1. Which of the following is not an after effect of soil salinization?
a) Reduction in soil quality
b) Limited growth of crops
c) Constrains agricultural productivity
d) Increases the soil fertility

Answer: d
Clarification: Increase in the salt content of the soil completely destroys the soil quality thereby Reducing the soil quality which results in Limited growth of crops and hence, it constrains the agricultural productivity, so, it under no means increases the soil fertility.

2. The process by which the salt content in the soil increases is called as _______
a) Engineered biopiling
b) Soil salinization
c) Land farming
d) Bio-sparging

Answer: b
Clarification: Soil salinization is a process by which the salt content in the soil increases, to increase the speed and efficiency of Soil banking method when the space is limited, certain techniques like Engineered biopiling is often used, Bio-sparging is an In-situ technique.

3. High salt concentration leads to osmotic stress in plants.
a) True
b) False

Answer: a
Clarification: Increase in salt concentration leads to osmotic stress in plants which also leads to accumulation of toxic ions.

4. Soil salinity in coastal areas is due to the presence of ground water which is saline and overflow of sea water in the low-lying areas.
a) True
b) False

Answer: a
Clarification: In coastal regions the soil becomes saline due to the presence of saline ground water and also seas water overflow in the low-lying areas, hence, leading to soil salinity.

5. Sea water intrusions consists of a lot of Geo-chemical process, which of the following is not included in the same?
a) Inter-aquifer mixing
b) Anthropogenic contamination
c) Increasing dissolved oxygen
d) Mobilization of brines

Answer: c
Clarification: Sea water intrusions can be direct into aquifers or it is a combination of processes that consists of a lot of Geo-chemical processes like Inter-aquifer mixing, Anthropogenic contamination, water-rock interaction and Mobilization of brines, whereas, increasing the dissolved oxygen doesnot lead to soil salinity.

6. Which of the salts are found in abundance in coastal saline soils?
a) Oxygen
b) NaCl and Na₂SO₄
c) Nitrogen
d) Carbon monoxide

Answer: b
Clarification: Coastal saline soils contain salts which make them saline, where NaCl and Na₂SO₄ salts are present in abundance, whereas Oxygen, nitrogen and Carbon monoxide are gases and hence, air components and not salts.

7. Arrange these soluble cations (Na, Ca, K, Mg) in ascending order of abundance of soluble cations found in saline costal soils.
a) Na>Mg>Ca>K
b) Mg>Na>Ca>K
c) K>Mg>Ca>Na
d) Na>Mg>K>Ca

Answer: a
Clarification: Na>Mg>Ca>K is the correct order with respect to abundance of soluble cations found in saline costal soils, as Na is the major component of salt, so, it is found in higher abundance.

8. How does salt reaches the soil surface during dry season?
a) Diffusion
b) Capillary rise
c) Active transport
d) Passive transport

Answer: b
Clarification: Salt reaches the soil surface through Capillary rise during dry season making the soil saline and making the agricultural lands unproductive for crop growths, gases travel by diffusion, active transport requires energy whereas passive transport does not.

9. The process by which the saline water underlying freshwater rises upward into the freshwater zone is called as _______
a) Upconing
b) Bio-remediation
c) Bio-degradation
d) Bio-magnification

Answer: a
Clarification: Upconing is the process by which the saline water near the freshwater intrudes in and rises upward into the freshwater zone, Bio-magnification is the process by which toxic substances get deposited in the food chain, bio-degradation is the process that leads to degradation of compounds with the help of bacteria, Bio remediation is a process that uses microbial processes and converts toxic substances into less toxic or usable forms.

10. Which among the following is a method of managing the soil salinity?
a) Drainage
b) Harmful algal blooms
c) Bio-remediation
d) Bio-degradation

Answer: a
Clarification: Drainage is a primary technique of controlling the soil salinity, whereas, Algal blooms produce toxins which leads to formation of dead zones in water, bio-degradation is the process that leads to degradation of compounds with the help of bacteria , Bio remediation is a process that uses microbial processes and converts toxic substances into less toxic or usable forms.

11. Which technique is not used to manage saline soils?
a) End-of-pipe
b) Subsurface drainage
c) Skimming well technology
d) Leaching

Answer: a
Clarification: End-of-pipe is a process which uses free water and air streams of various contaminates at the last stage of the process, whereas, subsurface drainage, skimming well technology, Leaching techniques are used to manage excess salinity of soils.

12. The process of Leaching is basically the removal of soluble salts that are present in the soil beyond the root zone.
a) True
b) False

Answer: a
Clarification: Leaching is a type of hydro-technical method of reclamation for management remove the soluble salts beyond the root zone.