Biotic Systems

Question 1

Carrying Capacity

Answer 1

a measure of the type and density of development that can be supported without detrimental effects to society, the economy, or the environment and without decreasing the capacity of the environment to sustain these uses into the future.

Question 2

What impacts veg found on site

Answer 2

available moisture and temperature extremes have the greatest impact on the type of vegetation that is found on an undisturbed site, and transitional areas between ecological communities (“ecotones”) generally possess greater biodiversity than the communities that they separate.

Question 3

Ecological Footprint

Answer 3

the impact of a person/community or use on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources

Question 4

Xerophytes

Answer 4

plants that require little moisture to survive and are often referred to as “drought tolerant.

Question 5

Mesophytes

Answer 5

plants that are adapted to neither dry nor wet environments and grow best with a moderate use of water.

Question 6

Hydrophytes

Answer 6

plants that are adapted to living in aquatic or in wetland conditions with a surplus of available water.

Question 7

Why use native plants

Answer 7

are typically considered desirable because they are pre-adapted to their respective climate and are often (but not always) less resource intensive to grow than exotic plants. They also tend to provide outstanding wildlife benefit and can provide a greater sense of place than non-native plants

Question 8

Wetland will confer following benefits:

Answer 8

Groundwater recharge and discharge
Sediment stabilization
Flood attenuation
Water quality maintenance
Wildlife habitat
Climate moderation
Shoreline protection

Question 9

Wetlands are defined by

Answer 9

their hydrology, soils and the presence of specific vegetation (namely, hydrophytes).

Question 10

The US Fish and Wildlife Wetland Classification System defines five major wetland types, and they are as follows:

Answer 10

Marine (open ocean and its associated coastline)
Estuarine (tidal waters of coastal rivers, salty tidal marshes, mangrove swamps, and tidal flats)
Riverine (rivers and streams)
Lacustrine (lakes, reservoirs, and large ponds)
Palustrine (marshes, wet meadows, fens, bogs, swamps)

Question 11

The majority of wetlands in the United States fall under

Answer 11

the “palustrine” system, and “estuarine” is the second most prevalent wetland type.

Question 12

Bog

Answer 12

Bogs are a type of wetland found in northern climates that is characterized by acidic soils, rich deposits of organic material (such as peat) and a diversity of vegetation types. Note that bogs and fens are identical with the exception that bogs are fed by rainwater, whereas fens are fed by groundwater.

Question 13

Estuary

Answer 13

An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water connected with the open sea. Estuaries are strongly affected by tidal action and contain brackish water (seawater is mixed with fresh water from land drainage).

Question 14

Marsh

Answer 14

A marsh is a type of wetland characterized by herbaceous vegetation no taller than 6’.

Question 15

Swamp

Answer 15

Swamps are a type of wetland dominated by woody vegetation.

Question 16

Tree survey

Answer 16

Tree location and size
Tree species (hardy, well-adapted species are considered the most desirable)
Tree condition, health and/or tolerance to potential disturbance

Question 17

Specimen Tree

Answer 17

a considerable site asset that cannot be replaced, and they can lend exceptional character to a project site

Question 18

Black Spot

Answer 18

Black spot is a fungal disease that causes black, round spots that form on the upper sides of leaves, particularly on roses (as well as other highly ornamental plants). Black spot is a problem during extended periods of wet weather or when leaves are wet for 6 hours or more

Question 19

Canker

Answer 19

identified by an open wound that has been infected by fungal or bacterial pathogens. Canker occurs primarily on woody landscape plants and trees

Question 20

Chlorosis

Answer 20

a condition typically caused by iron deficiency and is manifested by yellowed leaves with green veins. This iron deficiency can be produced by overly alkaline soils (high pH), overwatering and a lack of soil aeration.

Question 21

Powdery Mildew

Answer 21

a fungal disease in which infected plants will display a white powdery substance that is most visible on upper leaf surfaces. This fungus thrives during low soil moisture conditions combined with high humidity levels on the upper parts of the plant surface.

Question 21

Fasciation

Answer 21

a genetic mutation of a plant’s growing tip, and it affects the stem, flowers, or fruits by inducing malformed growth.

Question 22

Why document invasive species

Answer 22

information can be used to develop a targeted plan for eradicating invasive exotic species and restoring degraded native plant communities.

Question 23

Wildfire clearspace

Answer 23

areas within 30’ of a structure should be either completely free of vegetation or be planted with plants that have low flammability. Fire departments will often provide a list of plants suitable to be planted within this “defensible space. Don’t plant trees near structure

Question 24

urban-wildland interface

Answer 24

the location with the highest fire danger within the built environment because urban uses introduce a variety of fire catalysts (e.g. cigarettes, grills, etc.) into areas with a high fuel load, as well as exposing the built environment to any baseline fire danger in “wild” areas.

Question 25

three primary determinants of fire danger

Answer 25

Existing fuel load (the amount of flammable organic material in an ecosystem)
Weather
Topography

Question 26

Wildlife site inventory and analysis

Answer 26

generally most concerned with identifying critical habitat and establishing the presence (or lack thereof) of threatened/endangered species

Question 27

Habitat Fragmintation

Answer 27

the breaking up of a continuous habitat into smaller patches with diminished ecosystem function and lesser biodiversity. These changes affect the movement of organisms (especially migration) and can alter ecosystem characteristics to the extent that they no longer support native vegetation and wildlife.

Question 28

Patches

Answer 28

Fragmented habitat

Question 29

Corridors

Answer 29

Areas that connect patches

Question 30

Gaps

Answer 30

Areas between patches that are not connected by a corridor, possess little ecosystem value

Question 31

Patch size

Answer 31

larger patches and those located closer to one another tend to support greater biodiversity and improved ecosystem function.