module 1

Question 1

what three factors affect plant growth?

Answer 1

light(red, far red) and temperature moisture

Question 2

Before humans arrived in New Zealand, the landscapes were largely dominated by:(A) native tussock grasslands;

(B) fern and shrubland;

(C) deciduous rainforest;

D) evergreen rainforest;

(E) kauri forest.

Answer 2

D) evergreen rainforest;

Question 3

The 1860-1910 wheat boom in the South Island resulted in:

(A) approximately 250,000 ha ploughed and sown to wheat;

(B) wheat being the main export of New Zealand;

(C) no livestock being farmed at that time in the South Island;

(D) wheat is the main feed for livestock;

(E) a glut of wheat in New Zealand.

Answer 3

(a)1890 250,000ha of wheat planted – 20% of export earnings

Question 4

The grassland revolution (1920-1970) included the introduction of:

A) novel fungal endophytes in ryegrass;

(B) portable electric fences;

(C) refrigerated ships for meat and butter exports;

(D) dairy cows;

(E) European grasses & legumes.

Answer 4

(B) portable electric fences;

Question 5

The pastures in New Zealand are:

(A) almost entirely based on indigenous species;

(B) almost entirely based on introduced species;

(C) a 50:50 mix of introduced and indigenous species;

(D) based on species from North America;

(E) based on species from South America.

Answer 5

(B) almost entirely based on introduced species;

Question 6

Which of the following was not involved in a typical North Island ‘bush burn’ pasture establishment process:

(A) felling the forest;

(B) logging the forest;

(C) burning fallen brush after drying;

(D) burning the old fallen logs and removing standing tree stumps;

(E) sowing pasture seed and grazing the young pasture together with any shrub regrowth.

Answer 6

(B) logging the forest;

Question 7

The grassland revolution (1920-1970) included the introduction of:

(A) aerial topdressing of fertilisers;

(B) novel fungal endophytes in ryegrass;

(C) refrigerated ships for meat and butter exports;

(D) European grasses & legumes;

(E) dairy cows.

Answer 7

(A) aerial topdressing of fertilisers;

Question 8

The grassland revolution (1920-1970) included the introduction of:

(A) significant new pasture plant species;

(B) novel fungal endophytes in ryegrass;

(C) refrigerated ships for meat and butter exports;

(D) selection and breeding of new ryegrass and white clover cultivars;

(E) the introduction of plant variety rights (PVR).

Answer 8

(D) selection and breeding of new ryegrass and white clover cultivars;

Question 9

Approximately 40% of the land area of New Zealand has which vegetation growing on it?

(A) horticultural crops;

(B) cereal crops like wheat and barley;

(C) indigenous grassland;

D) introduced pasture;

(E) pine forest.

Answer 9

D) introduced pasture;

Question 10

The grassland revolution (1920-1970) included the introduction of:

(A) widespread use of superphosphate;

(B) refrigerated ships for meat and butter exports;

(C) Plant Variety Rights (PVR);

(D) European grasses & legumes;

(E) novel fungal endophytes in ryegrass.

Answer 10

(A) widespread use of superphosphate;

Question 11

In the eastern South Island the vegetation transition mainly as a result of human activities (fire, sheep grazing, other introduced animals, over grazing) could be described as:

(A) forest to tussock to shrubland to forest;

(B) forest to pasture to shrubland;

(C) forest to tussock to short tussock to mat plants;

(D) forest to gardens to shrubland;

(E) forest to improved pastures.

Answer 11

(C) forest to tussock to short tussock to mat plants;

Question 12

. The grassland revolution (1920-1970) included the introduction of:

(A) refrigerated ships for meat and butter exports;

(B) Plant Variety Rights (PVR) protection for breeders of new cultivars;

C) aerial application of phosphate fertilisers;

(D) novel fungal endophytes in perennial ryegrass and tall fescue;

(E) European grass & legume species.

Answer 12

C) aerial application of phosphate fertilisers;

Question 13

New Zealand predominantly has which type of climate?

(A) Mediterranean;

(B) sub-tropical;

(C) tropical

(D) continental;

(E) temperate maritime.

Answer 13

(E) temperate maritime.

Question 14

Grassland farming is the backbone of the New Zealand economy but the destruction of indigenous forest had negative environmental and ecological effects. List two negative effects:

Answer 14

loss of wildlife habitat and biodiversity

Nutrient and sediment run-off

Question 15

Write short notes describing how much of the indigenous forest of New Zealand was converted to pasture.

Answer 15

originally 72% of the land was native bush

1871 and 1911 saw the most rapid expansion of sown pasture in the history of New Zealand. The all-time peak was about 18 million acres (7.3 million hectares),

now only 24% remains native bush

Question 17

Today, the combined high–producing and low-producing grasslands account for approximately .……………….% of New Zealand’s land cover.

Answer 17

40%

Question 18

Name any three (3) pasture grasses or legumes sown in a typical bush burn seed mixture during the establishment of grassland farming in New Zealand: .…………………., .…………………. and …………………….

Answer 18

perennial ryegrass, white clover, browntop