Answer to #1pet
companion animal
Answer to #2B
Answer to #3Perennial crops that live for many years can hold soil even when otherwise it would be washed downhill or blown away. Many perennials build soil organic matter, improving the quality of the soil. Deep perennial roots present in the soil all year can outcompete weeds and effectively take up a large fraction of applied fertilizers, so they are not lost to ground or surface waters as pollutants. One solution is to develop perennial crops that yield grain.Grains are nutrient-rich, and are easily harvested, stored, transported, and processed into a wide variety of desirable foods. When these features are paired with the ability to live for many years, the combination will both feed people and hold the soil.
Answer to #4The root environment is an important region of air scrubbing, which seems odd because roots and
associated media substrates are underground. How do VOCs (volatile organic compounds) enter the
soil? This is accomplished through gas exchange of stomates on leaves as well as air being pulled
through the soil, caused by water movement from the soil into roots. Ultimately, organic particles,
whether absorbed through leaves or air movement into the soil, are used by microbes for food.