New York State Envirothon
2013 New York State Envirothon
Due to the Memorial Day Holiday 2013 competition dates are
Thursday, May 30th & Friday, May 31st
Morrisville State College
Morrisville, NY
Current Issue Sample Questions
Links and references to more information on the study of Current Issue
An introduction to this year's topic: "Sustainable Rangeland Management"
Learning goals for
participating
students
Learn about terms relating to the study of the current issue
Sample Current Issue Questions
Preplanning is of major importance to the effectiveness of the planning process. Preplanning for an individual ranch or grazing farm includes ensuring that clients understand the basic knowledge and ecological principles for range and pasture land. Which of the following is not an important item to consider when planning on pastureland in New York?
a.
Identity of plants and how they grow
b.
Forage value ratings
c.
Effects of fire on the historic pastureland plant community
d.
Pasture and hayland suitability groups
e.
Forage production and habitat values of the different plant communities
A plant employing the dicarboxylic acid pathway of carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis is also known as which type of plant?
a.
Cool-season plant
b.
C-3 plant
c.
Warm-season plant
d.
Domesticated plant
Grassland birds, or those birds that rely on grassland habitats for nesting, are found in each of the 50 States. Historical population fluctuations in grassland-nesting bird species have coincided with changes in land uses and agricultural practices. Many North American grassland-nesting bird species have experienced marked population reductions in recent decades. Which of the following is the major reason for this decline?
a.
Brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds
b.
increased use of pesticides
c.
migration mortality
d.
loss of wintering habitat
e.
loss of breeding habitat
The grazing enclosure is the management unit for grazing land. Every management unit has certain characteristics that influence the distribution of grazing. A key difference between management units in rangeland in Montana and pastureland in New York is which of the following?
a.
Rangeland generally consists of a single ecological site
b.
Pastureland in New York generally consists of one plant species
c.
In New York the prescribe use for all enclosures is generally identical
d.
Wildlife usage is generally not considered in rangeland
e.
Topography is not a concern in pastureland
The degree of grazing use specified for a key plant species in rangeland or pasture is merely a planning tool and guideline or reference point by which the welfare of the plant community can be evaluated. Which of the following should not be considered in defining the degree of grazing use?
a.
The amount of growth remaining on a perennial plant
b.
The amount of current growth left as residue
c.
if grazing units are grazed at a high intensity for short periods and rested for longer periods
d.
If the grazing units contain both warm- and cool-season forage plants
A prescribed grazing schedule is a system in which two or more grazing units are alternately deferred or rested and grazed in a planned sequence over time. There are four general types of grazing schedules: deferred rotational grazing, rest rotational grazing, high intensity-low frequency grazing and short duration grazing. Which of these types of systems is most often prescribed in New York?
a.
deferred rotational grazing
b.
rest rotational grazing
c.
high intensity-low frequency grazing
d.
short duration grazing
Use the figure below to answer the following question.
The growth pattern of Switchgrass indicates that it is classified as what type of plant?
a.
Cool-season plant
b.
C-3 plant
c.
Warm-season plant
d.
Domesticated plant
Updated December 17, 2012 @ 11:00 a.m.