CLARB CLARB Environmental Systems and Sustainability Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'carbon sequestration' mean in the context of landscape architecture?
- The release of carbon dioxide from decomposing plant material and soil
- The capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide in vegetation biomass and soil (Correct answer)
- The measurement and reporting of carbon emissions from construction activities
- The specification of carbon-neutral building materials in landscape projects
Correct answer: The capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide in vegetation biomass and soil
Carbon sequestration is the process by which plants absorb atmospheric CO₂ through photosynthesis and store it in biomass and soil organic matter, helping offset greenhouse gas emissions.
Question 2: What is a 'wildlife corridor' in landscape planning and design?
- A designated maintenance access path through a planted area
- A connected strip of natural habitat that allows animal movement between larger isolated natural areas (Correct answer)
- A fenced enclosure that protects sensitive plant communities from deer browse
- A required buffer strip around jurisdictional wetlands
Correct answer: A connected strip of natural habitat that allows animal movement between larger isolated natural areas
Wildlife corridors are linear strips of natural habitat that connect isolated habitat patches, enabling animals to move, forage, and breed across otherwise fragmented landscapes.
Question 3: What is the primary environmental benefit of specifying permeable pavement in a landscape design?
- Significantly reducing construction costs over conventional paving
- Allowing stormwater to infiltrate into the ground, reducing runoff and recharging groundwater (Correct answer)
- Providing a softer, more comfortable surface for pedestrian use
- Completely eliminating the need for any subsurface drainage infrastructure
Correct answer: Allowing stormwater to infiltrate into the ground, reducing runoff and recharging groundwater
Permeable pavement allows rainwater to pass through the surface into a stone reservoir base, reducing runoff volume, improving water quality through filtration, and recharging groundwater.
Question 4: In ecological restoration practice, what does the term 'reference ecosystem' mean?
- A curated database of endangered and threatened plant species lists
- A relatively undisturbed natural plant community used as a model for restoration goals (Correct answer)
- A previously restored site used for long-term performance comparison
- A laboratory-cultivated plant community grown for restoration stock
Correct answer: A relatively undisturbed natural plant community used as a model for restoration goals
A reference ecosystem is a relatively intact, undisturbed natural community that serves as a benchmark for the target composition, structure, and ecological function of a restoration project.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'integrated pest management' (IPM) in landscape maintenance?
- A policy that eliminates all pesticide use under any circumstance
- A systematic approach combining biological, cultural, mechanical, and targeted chemical controls to minimize pest damage with least environmental impact (Correct answer)
- An approach relying exclusively on chemical pesticides to eliminate all pest populations
- A strategy that removes all plant species susceptible to common pests
Correct answer: A systematic approach combining biological, cultural, mechanical, and targeted chemical controls to minimize pest damage with least environmental impact
IPM combines monitoring, biological controls, cultural practices, and targeted pesticide application as a last resort to manage pest populations effectively while minimizing environmental and human health risks.
Question 6: What does the SITES (Sustainable Sites Initiative) rating system primarily evaluate in landscape projects?
- Indoor environmental quality and occupant comfort
- The ecological performance of landscape and land development projects independent of buildings (Correct answer)
- Structural integrity of landscape hardscape elements
- Energy consumption of landscape irrigation and lighting systems only
Correct answer: The ecological performance of landscape and land development projects independent of buildings
SITES evaluates the ecological performance of landscapes across credit categories including site context, pre-design assessment, soils, vegetation, water, materials, and human well-being.
CLARB CLARB Environmental Systems and Sustainability Questions and Answers 2
What does 'carbon sequestration' mean in the context of landscape architecture?