Question 1

The Wilderness Act of 1964:

Accepted Answer

A)  established five new national parks. 
B)  limits the percentage of an area that can be developed for human habitation and other activities. 
C)  gives designated wilderness areas the highest protection of any public lands 
D)  established wilderness areas, but only within existing national parks. 
E)  safeguards mountain areas but not tundra or desert. 
A)  established five new national parks. 
B)  limits the percentage of an area that can be developed for human habitation and other activities. 
C)  gives designated wilderness areas the highest protection of any public lands 
D)  established wilderness areas, but only within existing national parks. 
E)  safeguards mountain areas but not tundra or desert. C

Question 2

Most of the federally owned land in the United States is located in:

Accepted Answer

A)  Alaska and 11 western states. 
B)  Alaska and the Rocky Mountain area. 
C)  11 western states and the Upper Midwest. 
D)  Alaska and Texas. 
E)  Alaska, Arizona, California, and Nevada. 
A)  Alaska and 11 western states. 
B)  Alaska and the Rocky Mountain area. 
C)  11 western states and the Upper Midwest. 
D)  Alaska and Texas. 
E)  Alaska, Arizona, California, and Nevada. A

Question 3

Which U.S. government agency manages federally owned land?

Accepted Answer

A)  Bureau of Land Management 
B)  U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
C)  National Park Service 
D)  U.S. Forest Service 
E)  All of these choices are correct 
A)  Bureau of Land Management 
B)  U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
C)  National Park Service 
D)  U.S. Forest Service 
E)  All of these choices are correct E

Question 4

Which of the following includes a provision to protect and restore freshwater wetlands?

Accepted Answer

A)  Wilderness Act 
B)  Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 
C)  Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
D)  Land and Water Conservation Fund Act 
E)  Food Security Act 
A)  Wilderness Act 
B)  Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 
C)  Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
D)  Land and Water Conservation Fund Act 
E)  Food Security Act

Question 5

A legal agreement that protects privately owned forests or other property from development for a specified number of years is termed:

Accepted Answer

A)  a public range land. 
B)  a sanctuary deed. 
C)  a conservation easement. 
D)  an ecosystem lien. 
E)  a habitat right of way. 
A)  a public range land. 
B)  a sanctuary deed. 
C)  a conservation easement. 
D)  an ecosystem lien. 
E)  a habitat right of way.

Question 6

What is the current percentage of land used by humans for agriculture?

Accepted Answer

A)  28% 
B)  42% 
C)  55% 
D)  31% 
E)  36% 
A)  28% 
B)  42% 
C)  55% 
D)  31% 
E)  36%

Question 7

Forests play an important role in the hydrologic cycle by:

Accepted Answer

A)  returning most moisture to underground storage as groundwater. 
B)  recycling small amounts of water to the atmosphere. 
C)  recycling 75% of precipitation to the atmosphere by transpiration and evaporation. 
D)  removing large amounts of carbon monoxide from the atmosphere. 
E)  increasing runoff to local streams. 
A)  returning most moisture to underground storage as groundwater. 
B)  recycling small amounts of water to the atmosphere. 
C)  recycling 75% of precipitation to the atmosphere by transpiration and evaporation. 
D)  removing large amounts of carbon monoxide from the atmosphere. 
E)  increasing runoff to local streams.

Question 8

What is the relationship of overgrazing to desertification?

Accepted Answer

A)  Overgrazing is the destruction of vegetation; desertification is the destruction of a desert ecosystem 
B)  Overgrazing results in barren exposed soil; if erosion continues, it contributes to desertification 
C)  Overgrazing is brought about by cattle; desertification is brought about by temperature 
D)  Overgrazing is caused by too fertile rangeland; desertification is caused by too fertile agricultural land 
E)  Overgrazing is a synonym for desertification 
A)  Overgrazing is the destruction of vegetation; desertification is the destruction of a desert ecosystem 
B)  Overgrazing results in barren exposed soil; if erosion continues, it contributes to desertification 
C)  Overgrazing is brought about by cattle; desertification is brought about by temperature 
D)  Overgrazing is caused by too fertile rangeland; desertification is caused by too fertile agricultural land 
E)  Overgrazing is a synonym for desertification

Question 9

The policy of no net loss of wetlands in the U.S. is only partially successful because:
I. wetland dynamics are not totally understood. Reconstructed wetlands do not always provide the essential elements necessary to attract the species of the original habitat.
I. wetlands developed for the drinking water supply do not have to be replaced. This contributes to overall net loss of wetland .
III. There is no routine tracking of compliance to document success.
IV. The definition of wetland was broadened by Congress, adding marginal wetlands in addition to swamps and marshes.

Accepted Answer

A)  I 
B)  II 
C)  III 
D)  IV 
E)  I and III 
A)  I 
B)  II 
C)  III 
D)  IV 
E)  I and III

Question 10

Describe public rangelands, stating which government agencies administer them in the U.S. What is the carrying capacity of a rangeland and what results when this capacity is exceeded?

Accepted Answer

Rangelands are grasslands, in both tempe

Question 11

In the United States, national parks serve to provide biological habitat and facilitate human recreation. Discuss the impact of at least three threats to national parks. If a natural regulation policy were in place at a national park, what effect would it have on the management of the park? Why is natural regulation controversial?

Accepted Answer

Overuse and overcrowding of the National

Question 12

Which of the following is a true statement regarding farms in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)  The number of farms has decreased, while the size of farms has increased 
B)  The number of farms has increased, while the size of farms has decreased 
C)  Both the number and size of farms has increased 
D)  Both the number and size of farms has decreased 
E)  Both the number and size of farms has remained about the same 
A)  The number of farms has decreased, while the size of farms has increased 
B)  The number of farms has increased, while the size of farms has decreased 
C)  Both the number and size of farms has increased 
D)  Both the number and size of farms has decreased 
E)  Both the number and size of farms has remained about the same

Question 13

The United States Federal Government owns over 1/3 of the land in the United States. How is this land categorized, and how are the different categories of land managed? Mention any potential conflicts that could arise over management of these areas.

Accepted Answer

Land owned by the U.S. Federal Governmen

Question 14

Which of the following statements about clear cutting is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is the most cost-effective way to harvest trees 
B)  When done on a small scale, it can benefit some wildlife species 
C)  It increases soil erosion and causes mudslides 
D)  Clear cutting forests at higher altitudes is more difficult to regenerate than low altitudes 
E)  None of these statements is false 
A)  It is the most cost-effective way to harvest trees 
B)  When done on a small scale, it can benefit some wildlife species 
C)  It increases soil erosion and causes mudslides 
D)  Clear cutting forests at higher altitudes is more difficult to regenerate than low altitudes 
E)  None of these statements is false

Question 15

Which of the following statements is NOT true about public planning of land use?

Accepted Answer

A)  Land use decisions are complex because they have multiple effects 
B)  Public planning of land should take all repercussions into account 
C)  Public planning is concerned primarily with immediate effects 
D)  Initial land development spawns additional land development 
E)  All of these statements are true 
A)  Land use decisions are complex because they have multiple effects 
B)  Public planning of land should take all repercussions into account 
C)  Public planning is concerned primarily with immediate effects 
D)  Initial land development spawns additional land development 
E)  All of these statements are true

Question 16

Provide a solid definition of wetlands and explain why the definition of a wetland is controversial. How does narrowing the definition of wetland pose a threat to wetlands?

Accepted Answer

Wetlands are lands transitional between

Question 17

Which of the following federal agencies is not charged with the managing of federally owned lands?

Accepted Answer

A)  Department of Agriculture 
B)  Department of Interior 
C)  Bureau of Land Management 
D)  U.S. Forest Service 
E)  Department of Commerce 
A)  Department of Agriculture 
B)  Department of Interior 
C)  Bureau of Land Management 
D)  U.S. Forest Service 
E)  Department of Commerce

Question 18

What is the Farmland Protection Program? How does it work, and what environmental problem is it designed to address?

Accepted Answer

The Farmland Protection Program (FPP) is

Question 19

Forest management for timber production:

Accepted Answer

A)  includes the harvesting of trees. 
B)  results in forests with high biodiversity. 
C)  maintains the natural species composition of the forest. 
D)  results in forests less susceptible to disease. 
E)  specifically avoids producing monoculture forests. 
A)  includes the harvesting of trees. 
B)  results in forests with high biodiversity. 
C)  maintains the natural species composition of the forest. 
D)  results in forests less susceptible to disease. 
E)  specifically avoids producing monoculture forests.

Question 20

What prompted the 88th Congress to implement the Wilderness Act of 1964?

Accepted Answer

A)  The need to preserve areas of land for future timber harvest 
B)  Concern that human population expansion could drastically reduce the amount of land remaining in pristine condition 
C)  Lobbying by individuals such as John Muir 
D)  The need to make more land accessible to citizens for recreational purposes 
E)  A decrease in land prices, facilitating purchases of large areas by the Federal Government 
A)  The need to preserve areas of land for future timber harvest 
B)  Concern that human population expansion could drastically reduce the amount of land remaining in pristine condition 
C)  Lobbying by individuals such as John Muir 
D)  The need to make more land accessible to citizens for recreational purposes 
E)  A decrease in land prices, facilitating purchases of large areas by the Federal Government

Exam 17: Land Resources

The Wilderness Act of 1964:

Most of the federally owned land in the United States is located in:

Which U.S. government agency manages federally owned land?

Which of the following includes a provision to protect and restore freshwater wetlands?

A legal agreement that protects privately owned forests or other property from development for a specified number of years is termed:

What is the current percentage of land used by humans for agriculture?

Forests play an important role in the hydrologic cycle by:

What is the relationship of overgrazing to desertification?

Describe public rangelands, stating which government agencies administer them in the U.S. What is the carrying capacity of a rangeland and what results when this capacity is exceeded?

Which of the following is a true statement regarding farms in the United States?

The United States Federal Government owns over 1/3 of the land in the United States. How is this land categorized, and how are the different categories of land managed? Mention any potential conflicts that could arise over management of these areas.

Which of the following statements about clear cutting is false?

Which of the following statements is NOT true about public planning of land use?

Provide a solid definition of wetlands and explain why the definition of a wetland is controversial. How does narrowing the definition of wetland pose a threat to wetlands?

Which of the following federal agencies is not charged with the managing of federally owned lands?

What is the Farmland Protection Program? How does it work, and what environmental problem is it designed to address?

Forest management for timber production:

What prompted the 88th Congress to implement the Wilderness Act of 1964?

Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability

Environmental Laws Economic and Ethics

Ecosystems and Energy

Ecosystems and the Physical Environment

Ecosystems and Living Organisms

Major Ecosystems of the World

Human Health and Environmental Toxicology

The Human Population

The Urban World

Energy Consumption

Fossil Fuels

Renewable Energy and Nuclear Power

Water: a Limited Resource

Soil Resources

Mineral Resources

Biological Resources

Food Resources

Air Pollution

Global Climate Change

Water Pollution

Pest Management

Solid and Hazardous Waste

Tomorrows Word

Filters