PDC PDC Food Forest & Agroforestry Systems

Question 1

Which layer is considered the canopy layer in a food forest design?

Accepted Answer

Tall fruit and nut trees

Answer

Shrubs and berry bushes

Answer

Herbaceous plants

Answer

Ground cover plants

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of a nitrogen-fixing tree in a food forest?

Accepted Answer

To improve soil fertility through atmospheric nitrogen fixation

Answer

To provide shade for understory plants

Answer

To attract pollinators

Answer

To act as a windbreak

Question 3

In agroforestry, what does the term 'alley cropping' refer to?

Accepted Answer

Growing crops in rows between lines of trees or shrubs

Answer

Planting trees along fence lines

Answer

Intercropping two annual vegetables

Answer

Harvesting crops in sequence by season

Question 4

Which of the following best describes 'guild planting' in a food forest?

Accepted Answer

A community of mutually beneficial plants grown together around a central species

Answer

A sequence of plants grown over multiple seasons

Answer

A collection of plants from the same botanical family

Answer

A rotation system that prevents soil depletion

Question 5

What is 'succession' as applied to food forest development?

Accepted Answer

The natural progression from pioneer species toward a mature, stable ecosystem

Answer

Rotating crop varieties each season

Answer

Replacing one tree species with another after harvest

Answer

A legal transfer of land between permaculture designers

Question 6

Which root crop is commonly planted as a 'dynamic accumulator' in the ground layer of a food forest?

Accepted Answer

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Answer

Potato

Answer

Garlic

Answer

Beet