Question 1

What were some of the problems with the concept of rotational grazing?

Accepted Answer

A)  It did not help to stop desertification. 
B)  Savory felt it focused too heavily on limiting the number of animals allowed to graze. 
C)  Savory felt it focused too heavily on the amount of time the animals were allowed to graze. 
D)  Both A and B are correct. 
E)  None of these answers are correct.

Question 2

"Grassland systems are a rich source of one of the ecosystem's goods and services: genetic resources." Explain why this statement is true.

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Grassland systems are a rich source of...

Question 3

Which statement is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Great Plains are a type of temperate grassland. 
B)  The Great Plains lie between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. 
C)  The Great Plains are also known as a rangeland. 
D)  The Great Plains stretch from Texas to Canada. 
E)  None of these answers are incorrect.

Question 4

Soil erosion is often caused by _________________.

Accepted Answer

A)  overgrazing by livestock 
B)  soil compacting by large amounts of grazing herbivores 
C)  grasses being grazed down to the growth area 
D)  consumer demand for meat 
E)  all of these answers

Question 5

What factors lead to the maintenance of grassland ecosystems in a given area?

Accepted Answer

A)  the amount of precipitation 
B)  the presence of grazing animals 
C)  periodic wildfires 
D)  A, B, and C 
E)  none of these answers

Question 6

Live stock ranchers often reach legal agreements with governments that permit them to use an area of land in a defined manner. These agreements are known as _____________________.

Accepted Answer

A)  reserves 
B)  shelter belts 
C)  rotational grazing permits 
D)  conservation easements 
E)  none of these answers

Question 7

The most common cause of desertification of grasslands is_________________.

Accepted Answer

A)  climate change 
B)  plowing too often 
C)  depletion of aquifers 
D)  overgrazing 
E)  leaving them fallow

Question 8

How does a prairie grass access water during a drought?

Accepted Answer

A)  It has many shallow roots covering a large area to reach nearby rivers or streams. 
B)  It has long deep roots allowing it to reach water supplies. 
C)  It has long deep roots to hold the soil in place, thus producing a more porous soil. 
D)  It stays shorter in a drought, thus not losing as much water through transpiration. 
E)  Grasses are not adapted to drought, so they usually die.

Question 9

What is the main use of grasslands today by humans?

Accepted Answer

A)  for recreational use 
B)  growing food for humans 
C)  as a food source for large grazing animals 
D)  for energy production 
E)  for housing construction

Question 10

You have been employed by a seed company to genetically modify a high-yielding wheat variety so it is resistant to the most common types of wheat diseases. Why and how could grasslands be important in your research?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You have been employed by a seed...

Question 11

One modern farming technique is to give livestock antibiotics to prevent infection and promote growth. These antibiotics are excreted in the fecal matter of the animals and are still active. What is the consequence of this practice on soil?

Accepted Answer

The answer of One modern farming technique is to give...

Question 12

As desertification of grasslands continues, smaller amounts of food will be available to feed humanity. What might be some of the consequences of the desertification of grasslands?

Accepted Answer

A)  increased starvation 
B)  movement of people from one area to another 
C)  social unrest 
D)  physical conflict between people of different cultures 
E)  all of these answers

Question 13

What is the purpose of the Conservation Reserve Program, and what are some of the controversies surrounding it?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the purpose of the Conservation...

Question 14

What is rotational grazing an example of?

Accepted Answer

A)  sustainable grazing 
B)  shelterbelts 
C)  a conservation reserve program 
D)  a conservation easement 
E)  none of these answers

Question 15

Describe how overgrazing helped lead to the classic American tragedy of the commons called the "Dust Bowl."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe how overgrazing helped lead to the...

Question 16

Which types of grasslands are characterized by ultra thin layers of soil and very short growing seasons?

Accepted Answer

A)  cold 
B)  temperate 
C)  savanna 
D)  prairie 
E)  rangeland

Question 17

The R horizon ___________________.

Accepted Answer

A)  is solid, unbroken rock 
B)  contains decaying and organic material 
C)  is less fertile but higher in mineral content 
D)  contains mostly surface litter 
E)  is the rock that is in the process of being weathered or broken up

Question 18

Which of the following processes contribute to the process of desertification?

Accepted Answer

A)  overgrazing by livestock 
B)  global warming 
C)  soil erosion 
D)  A, B, and C 
E)  none of these answers

Question 19

What are some of the natural and human threats that grasslands currently face?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some of the natural and...

Question 20

Human activity has caused the degradation of grasslands. How has grassland degradation in turn affected humans?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Human activity has caused the degradation of...

Exam 27: Learned After the Fact