Area IV Envirothon

2011 AREA IV ENVIROTHON MAKE-UP TEST

This was a combined test all 5 topics. This was due to the cancellation of the event at the site due to weather and flooding. The test was instead held back in the classroom.

 

1. As an ecosystem, estuaries are considered to be: 

1. Low in productivity, low in biodiversity
2. Low in productivity, high in biodiversity
3. High in productivity, low in biodiversity
4. High in productivity, high in biodiversity

2. Which of the following is generally considered to be the largest tectonic estuary in North America? 

1. Prince William Sound
2. Puget Sound
3. San Francisco Bay
4. Gulf of California

3. One of the best known examples of a freshwater estuary is located in Ohio and is associated with which body of water? 

1. Ottawa River
2. Black River
3. Maumee Bay
4. Old Woman Creek

4. Plankton are important components of the estuarine ecosystem.  Which of the following factors distinguishes planktonic from other organisms ?

1. Size
2. Preferred habitat
3. Motility
4. Energy source

5. In an estuary, a littoral organism would be found: 

1. Free swimming
2. Attached to vegetation
3. Buried in the mud
4. Along the shore

6. Which of the following factors is not generally considered a prerequisite to the presence of a marine estuary? 

1. A river
2. A confining barrier of some type
3. Tidal action
4. Benthic sediment

7. Conditions within an estuary frequently results in soils that are very low in oxygen availability.  Such conditions are termed: 

1. Anaerobic
2. Anoxic
3. Pelagic
4. Hadal

8. In describing ecosystem processes, it can be generally said that nutrients _______________ and that energy __________________. 

1. Assimilate; diffuses
2. Cycle; flows
3. Are exported; is imported
4. Increase; decreases

9. Which of the following is most closely associated with deadly “red tides”? 

1. Cocolithophores
2. Dinoflagellates  
3. Cocopods
4. Nekton

10. The type of estuary you would most likely encounter where a strong river enters the ocean is a: 

1. Fjord
2. Salt wedge
3. Vertically mixed
4. Freshwater

11. Many estuaries are experiencing problems associated with the over-production of algae and phytoplankton.  This condition is called: 

1. Eutrophic
2. Oligotrophic
3. Bathymetric
4. Red tide

12. The presence of oysters in an estuary would be most directly influenced by the presence (or absence) of:

1. A low tidal variation
2. Strong inflow of freshwater
3. Rigid surfaces
4. Tropical temperatures

13. Which non-native invasive plants was originally used as a “living fence”?

1. Autumn Olive
2. Buckthorn
3. Bush Honeysuckle
4. Multiflora Rose

 
14. This tree has large seeds and allelopathic chemical properties in its root system. 

1. Black Cherry
2. Black Walnut
3. Burr Oak
4. Eastern Cottonwood

15. Native plant diversity is important, especially for wildlife, because:

1. Many animals depend on a variety of native plants for food and cover
2. Most invasive plants are toxic to our native wildlife
3. Most wildlife require at least three different hard mast sources to survive
4. Native plants are better adapted for our native wildlife’s shelter needs

16. Which of the following statements is not true about hard mast?

1. Hard mast has a longer “shelf life” than soft mast
2. Hard mast is available well into the winter months
3. Hard mast is only produced on dry sites
4. Hard mast is typically high in fat, carbohydrates, and protein

17. Forests protect water quality by stabilizing banks, shading water, taking up nutrients, and filtering pollutants.  When done correctly harvesting can still be done near a waterway.  Which of the following is a precaution to protect water quality during a harvest?

1. Compact the soils adjacent to stream bed so water can easy run off the area
2. Create roads for equipment directly adjacent to stream bed instead of in stream bed
3. Harvested trees should be removed by cable and winch
4. Only harvest shallow rooted trees because they do not hold soil in place anyhow

18. There are multiple methods for estimating board foot volume in standing timber, which is considered the most accurate?

1. Basal
2. Doyle
3. International ¼ Inch
4. Scribner

19. What is a benefit of an early-successional forest that an older forest does not offer for wildlife?

1. More canopy closer
2. More downed logs
3. More fruit, seeds, and woody browse
4. More nuts, acorns, and cavity trees

 20. Which species group benefit most from “uneven-aged” management?

1. Shade Tolerant Species
2. Shade Intolerant Species
3. Wetland Species
4. Upland Species

21. Which of these forestry tools can be used to determine the age of a tree?

1. Biltmore Stick
2. Clinometer
3. Diameter Tape
4. Increment Borer

22. The total height of trees with adequate space to grow at 50 years in a certain soil is referred to as:

1. Basal Area
2. Crown Spread
3. Height Potential
4. Site Index

23. What is the definition of silviculture?

1. The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to preserve forestlands for the future
2. The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet the nations need for timber products
3. The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet the diverse needs and values of landowners on a sustainable basis
4. The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet the diverse needs and values of wildlife habitat

24. Oaks and Hickories are very important species for Ohio’s timber industry and as a food source for wildlife.  Which of the following promotes growth of these species?

1. Prescribed fire
2. No harvesting
3. Selective harvesting
4. Reducing wildlife

25.  What is the boundary between two different plant communities of a successional stage?

1. Habitat
2. Edge
3. Juxtaposition
4. Interspersion

 

26.  What species of bird will nest in tree cavities?

1. Mallard
2. Wood duck
3. Widgeon
4. Green-winged Teal

27. Ohio is second in the United State’s for destroyed wetlands.  What percentage of Ohio’s wetlands has disappeared?

1. 24%
2. 50%
3. 70%
4. 90%

28. What are the strips of permanent vegetation along a waterway designed to intercept pollutants, reduce erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife?

1. Riparian Buffer
2. Edge
3. Hedgerow
4. Fencerow

29. Which endangered bat will roost under the bark of trees during the summer?

1. Eastern Pipistrelle
2. Big Brown Bat
3. Indiana Bat
4. Little Brown Bat

30. Which word best describes the proximity and spatial relationship between an animal’s food, water, shelter, and space?

1. Interspection
2. Habitat
3. Juxtaposition
4. Edge

31. What animal leaves these tracks?

1. Gray Fox
2. Coyote
3. Dog
4. Bobcat

32. ___________________ is the number of each wildlife species that can live within a certain area and remain healthy and not damage the habitat?

1. Population Dynamics
2. Carrying Capacity
3. Stocking Limit
4. Stocking Density

33. Which term describes when there are no members of a particular species surviving in a certain portion of its original range, but is still surviving elsewhere?

1. Extinct
2. Endangered
3. Threatened
4. Extirpated

34. What is the term describing when an animal is born with hair or fur, eyes open, and the ability to move about immediately after birth?

1. Precocial
2. Artricial
3. Prehensile
4. Diurnal

35. Which best describes a coyote’s behavior.

1. Nocturnal, Omnivore, Monogamous
2. Diurnal, Carnivore, Polygamous
3. Nocturnal, Carnivore, Monogamous
4. Crepuscular, Omnivore, Polygamous

36. Which bird is listed as endangered in Ohio?

1. Bald Eagle
2. Peregrine Falcon
3. Osprey
4. Trumpeter Swan

37. Emerald Ash Borer is a serious pest in the state of Ohio that could kill all of our ash trees.  Which state was this insect first discovered?

1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3. Ohio
4. New York

38. What are Ohio’s three venomous snakes?

1. Eastern Diamondback, Cottonmouth, Copperhead
2. Timber Rattlesnake, Massasauga Rattlesnake and Cottonmouth
3. Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake and Massasauga Rattlesnake
4. Eastern Diamondback, Copperhead, Water Moccasin

39. Estuaries have soil rich in

1. Oil
2. Natural gas
3. Nutrients
4. Color

40. Each letter in the soil map unit symbol (ie. MhD2) represents part of the soil map unit name. What does the letter D in the map unit MhD2 stand for?

1. Moderately eroded
2. 25 to 50 percent slopes
3. Severely eroded
4. 12 to 18 percent slopes

41. The US Army Corps of Engineers is charged with delineating wetlands. What features do they use to positively identify an area as a wetland?

1. Land permanently covered by shallow water, hydraulic soils, and hydroponic plants
2. Land seasonally covered by shallow water, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plants
3. Land seasonally or permanently covered by shallow water, hydraulic soils, and                              hydroponic plants
4. Land seasonally covered by shallow water, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plants
5. Land seasonally or permanently covered by shallow water, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plants

42. Trees reduce soil erosion because_________

1. Their leaves intercept raindrops and helps slow and disperse water more evenly
2. Tree roots compact soil
3. Trees have no positive effect on soil erosion
4. Small crown.

43. Certain species of plants are required for butterflies to lay their eggs on. These plants are known as:

1. Ditch weeds
2. Wildflowers
3. Host plants
4. Invasive plants

44. Eluviation and illuviation are terms that refer to:

1. The rapid decomposition of minerals into the soil structural units
2. Leaching of minerals and soil particles and subsequent deposition into the horizons          below
3. Terms used to enhance water holding capacity
4. Differentiation of soils into taxonomic classes

45. The Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer (GMBVA) was formed about 2 million years ago due to waves of melting glaciers. What was the 'glacial till' it carried composed of?

1. Large boulders
2. Rock, sand and gravel
3. A large volume of soil
4. Chunks of heavy ice.

46. Soil formed from deposits of lake sediments is commonly called this parent material.

1. Loess
2. Colluvium
3. Lacustrine
4. Alluvium

47. What is another name for water table? 

1. Impervious layer
2. Bed rock
3. Water fall
4. The top of the zone of saturation

48. When a crop field is not fall plowed after harvest the crop residue reduces the amount of soil erosion caused by rain and wind. Which statement is also true about crop residue?

1. It provides excellent winter cover for wildlife
2. It provides food for wildlife in the form of waste grain
3. It causes excessive debris in Ohio’s streams
4. It increases wind erosion

49. What watershed does Lost Creek in Miami County belong to?

1. Great Miami River
2. Little Miami River
3. Grand Lake St. Mary’s
4. Lake Erie
5. All of the above

50. What is a stream called that contains flowing water only after major rain events or for very short times during the year.

1. Ephemeral
2. Intermittent
3. Primary
4. Perennial
5. None of the above

51. What is the riparian zone?

1. The strip of land between the stream channel and the upland hills.
2. The area of the stream with fast velocity and shallow depth.
3. The area of the stream from streambank to streambank.
4. The land beyond the upland hills.
5. None of the above

52. Which of the following are chemical tests used by volunteers to monitor water quality in rivers and streams.

1. Dissolved oxygen, Temperature
2. Fish species and riparian area  
3. E.coli, Turbidity
4. Both A and B
5. Both A and C

53. What are the causes of low dissolved oxygen (required by most aquatic organisms for respiration) in rivers and streams.

1. Rapid decomposition of organic materials, including dead algae, shoreline             vegetation, manure or wastewater.
2. High ammonia concentrations in the process of oxidizing NH4 + to NO3 -   (nitrification).
3. Higher temperatures.
4. Lack of turbulence or mixing to expose water to atmospheric oxygen.
5. All of the above

54. What impact does turbidity have on stream water quality?

1. Soil erosion causes phosphorus to be released from soil particles
2. Turbid water decreases the capability of water to hold dissolved oxygen.
3. Water that is turbid is warmer
4. Excessive soil in the stream can smother fish and insect habitat
5. All of the above

55. In addition to shade and temperature regulation, what is a vital role trees play in the overall health of small streams?

1. Trees act as windbreaks, preserving habitat within the stream
2. Tree foliage provides a valuable food source to the aquatic invertebrates in the
   stream, starting the food chain
3. Trees provide oxygen to the stream
4. Tree roots provide habitat for species like smallmouth bass
5. All of the above

56. Benthic macroinvertebrates are used to determine the quality of stream water because some of them are sensitive to changes in the overall health of the stream. Which grouping is INSENSITIVE to pollution?

1. Mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflys.
2. Blood midges, Rat-tailed maggots, leeches.
3. Cranefly, clams and mussels, riffle beetle.
4. Aquatic sowbug, crayfish, dragonfly

57. What is eutrophication?

1. Plants rooted in the bottom of the watercourse, that rise above the water surface.
2. The wearing away of the land surface by wind or water
3. A process that occurs when excess nutrients are added from agricultural runoff, untreated sewage, or home-use fertilizers into rivers and streams.
4. The total land area draining to any point in a stream
5. All of the above.

58. Impervious surfaces reduce the amount of area where rainfall can soak into the ground and recharge the aquifer. What is another impact of impervious surfaces?

1. They help reduce the amount of pollution that gets carried into rivers and streams.
2. When rainwater hits an impervious surface it slows down.
3. When rainwater hits an impervious surface it heats up.
4. Impervious surfaces help reduce flooding into rivers and streams.
5. None of the above

59. After rainwater reaches the ground, some of the water evaporates back into the atmosphere, and some may be used by plants which return water to the atmosphere through their leaves in a process called___________.

1. Evapotranspiration
2. Precipitation
3. Transpiration
4. Condensation
5. None of the above

60. What does conductivity measure?

1. Suitability of water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses
2. Amount of dissolved material in the water
3. Unpleasant taste or odor in drinking water
4. Deterioration of plumbing fixtures and appliances
5. Ability of water to stop an electrical current