B.S.F. or B.Sc.F. Bachelor of Science in Forestry Bachelor of Science in Forestry: Navigating Forest Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following invasive forest pests was accidentally introduced to North America and has devastated ash tree populations across the eastern US?
- Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae)
- Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) (Correct answer)
- Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)
- Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar)
Correct answer: Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
The emerald ash borer, native to Asia, arrived in Michigan around 2002 and has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees by girdling the phloem beneath the bark.
Question 2: The 'Endangered Species Act' (ESA) section 7 consultation process applies when:
- A state agency proposes to list a new species under state law
- A federal agency undertakes an action that may affect listed species or critical habitat (Correct answer)
- A private landowner requests voluntary conservation assistance from USFWS
- A species population declines more than 50% in a 10-year period
Correct answer: A federal agency undertakes an action that may affect listed species or critical habitat
ESA Section 7 requires federal agencies to consult with the US Fish and Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries when their actions may affect federally listed species or designated critical habitat.
Question 3: In agroforestry, a 'silvopasture' system integrates:
- Trees with row crops on the same land unit
- Trees, forage plants, and livestock on the same land unit (Correct answer)
- Timber production with aquaculture in riparian areas
- Native shrubs with vegetable gardens for pollinator habitat
Correct answer: Trees, forage plants, and livestock on the same land unit
Silvopasture intentionally integrates trees with forage and livestock production, providing shade for animals, additional income streams, and ecosystem services like carbon sequestration.
Question 4: The 'Forest Legacy Program' administered by the USDA Forest Service is designed to:
- Fund reforestation of degraded lands on national forests
- Protect environmentally important private forest lands from conversion through conservation easements (Correct answer)
- Provide grants for sustainable forestry certification on tribal lands
- Finance urban forestry programs in underserved communities
Correct answer: Protect environmentally important private forest lands from conversion through conservation easements
The Forest Legacy Program partners with states to acquire conservation easements or fee-title interests on important private forestland to prevent conversion to non-forest uses.
Question 5: Which tree growth model type simulates individual tree competition and mortality rather than aggregate stand-level attributes?
- Whole-stand models
- Size-class distribution models
- Individual-tree distance-independent models (Correct answer)
- Yield table models
Correct answer: Individual-tree distance-independent models
Individual-tree models simulate growth and mortality for each tree based on its size and competitive status, offering finer resolution than stand-level models without requiring mapped tree locations.
Question 6: Carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems is measured as net ecosystem production (NEP), which equals:
- Gross primary production minus total ecosystem respiration (Correct answer)
- Gross primary production minus autotrophic respiration only
- Total photosynthesis minus leaf area index
- Aboveground biomass increment minus timber harvest volume
Correct answer: Gross primary production minus total ecosystem respiration
Net ecosystem production equals gross primary production minus total ecosystem respiration (both autotrophic and heterotrophic), representing the net carbon gain or loss of the ecosystem.
Question 7: The practice of 'close-to-nature forestry' (Dauerwald or continuous cover forestry) differs from even-aged management primarily by:
- Maximizing timber volume production through genetic improvement of seed stock
- Maintaining permanent forest cover and structural diversity through selective harvesting rather than clearcuts (Correct answer)
- Applying herbicides to eliminate competition and promote single-species monocultures
- Harvesting timber in large clearcut blocks followed by intensive planting
Correct answer: Maintaining permanent forest cover and structural diversity through selective harvesting rather than clearcuts
Close-to-nature forestry maintains continuous canopy cover and diverse age structures through individual tree or small-group selection, avoiding the stand-resetting disturbance of clearcutting.
B.S.F. or B.Sc.F. Bachelor of Science in Forestry Bachelor of Science in Forestry: Navigating Forest Management 5
Which of the following invasive forest pests was accidentally introduced to North America and has devastated ash tree populations across the eastern US?