Grasslands: Conservation & Management

Which of the following is NOT a type of grassland?
• Temperate
• Deciduous
• Savanna
• Montane

Deciduous

Grasslands can be found on every continent EXCEPT which of the following?
• Antarctica
• South America
• Asia
• Australia

Antarctica

Which of the following does NOT prevent woody vegetation like shrubs and trees from thriving?
• Use of pesticides
• Fire
• Grazing
• Drought

Use of pesticides

Which of the following qualities determines if an area should be considered a grassland?
• Height of plants
• Amount of precipitation
• Location
• Amount of stored carbon in soil

Amount of precipitation

Some climate scientists even believe grasslands may be more efficient and reliable at removing carbon from the atmosphere than forests, because grasslands are more resilient after fires and drought.
• True
• False

True

Most grasslands are publicly owned.
• True
• False

False

What percentage of grasslands are currently protected?
• Less than six
• Less than eight
• Less than two
• Less than three

Less than eight

The Dust Bowl lasted how many years?
• 12 years
• 11 years
• 15 years
• 10 years

10 years

Which of the following limits the biodiversity of grasslands?
• Loss of topsoil
• Pesticides and fertilizers
• Farming a single variation of a crop
• Grazing animals

Farming a single variation of a crop

Cattle may decimate vegetation through overgrazing and their heavy hooves compact soil leading to erosion and loss of sod.
• True
• False

True

Which of the following services was formed by the federal government due to the Dust Bowl?
• Land and Water Conservation Service
• Soil Conservation Service
• Duck Stamp Service
• Granger-Thye Service

Soil Conservation Service

What percentage of the proceeds from the Duck Stamp Act is provided for wetland and waterfowl habitat acquisition?
• 98
• 50
• 75
• 90

98

Which of the following agricultural practices ensures an area is NOT overgrazed by moving cattle from pasture to pasture?
• Continuous grazing
• Rotational grazing
• Set stocking
• Tactile grazing

Rotational grazing

Which of the following is NOT a reason why cover crops are important?
• Provides habitat for spiders to eat crop pests
• Provides shade to the main crops
• Increases water retention
• Prevents soil erosion

Provides shade to the main crops

Why is fire considered a common management practice?
• Fire burns and removes topsoil so more fertile soil will be available
• Teaches grazing animals to stay away from specific areas
• Fire is not a common management practice and should be avoided
• Suppresses invasive species such as shrubs and trees

Suppresses invasive species such as shrubs and trees

Grasslands typically exist between which of the following?
• Wetlands and deserts
• Fire-prone areas and areas of urbanization
• Forest and desert
• Shrubland and desert

Forest and desert

Select all the services grasslands provide.
• Build deep and rich soils
• Store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• Provide very important habitat for wildlife
• Filter runoff from precipitation

• Build deep and rich soils
• Store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• Provide very important habitat for wildlife
• Filter runoff from precipitation

Why do temperate grasslands have the most fertile soil on earth?
• Temperate grasslands receive the most rainfall compared to other grasslands
• Grass roots decaying below the surface enriches the soil with nutrients
• Trees require substantial amounts of nutrients to grow, so the lack of trees in grassland areas allows for more fertile soil
• Grasslands have the least number of invasive species who absorb nutrients from the soil

Grass roots decaying below the surface enriches the soil with nutrients

Where are savannas typically found?
• Africa, Australia and South America
• Higher altitudes
• South of the Tropic of Capricorn
• Europe and North America

Africa, Australia and South America

Which of the following best describes the Farm Bill?
• Contract which states farmers and ranchers who own a certain amount of land must provide the government with proof they are utilizing conservation practices
• Enables federal government to fund grazing programs to improve and manage rangelands
• Incentives provided to landowners to conserve grassland habitats
• Special tax farmers must pay each year which goes towards conservation

Incentives provided to landowners to conserve grassland habitats

Which of the following is the specific mission of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service?
• To conserve soils for agricultural production
• To improve water resources on grasslands
• To enforce the Farm Bill
• To keep grasslands in their condition and not allow trees and invasive species alter the land

To conserve soils for agricultural production

How much of the earth's land surface is covered with grasslands?
• 20 to 30 percent
• 20 to 40 percent
• 40 to 45 percent
• 10 to 19 percent

20 to 40 percent

Tillage is primarily used for which of the following?
• To prepare the grasslands for intentional burning
• Control weeds and aerate soil
• Move cattle from one pasture to another
• To harvest the crops

Control weeds and aerate soil

When topsoil is lost, the loss is fairly permanent because the process to create just three centimeters of topsoil takes about 1,000 years.
• True
• False

True

Which of the following is NOT a main threat which plagues grasslands
today?
• Climate change
• Unsustainable agriculture
• Lasting effects from Dust Bowl
• Urbanization

Lasting effects from Dust Bowl