Land Resources Flashcards

Flashcards about Land Resources

What ecosystem services do nonurban land resources provide?

Provide wildlife habitat, flood and erosion control, groundwater recharge, and fresh water.

What percentage of land use is urban areas worldwide?

3% of land use worldwide.

What is Yellowstone?

The world’s first national park, established in 1872 by Congress and President Ulysses Grant.

What did the General Revision Act of 1891 do?

Authorized the president to create forest preserves, “whether of commercial value or not.”

What are the Federally managed land departments?

Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, US Forest Service.

What is the purpose of the National Park System?

Land set aside for recreation and preservation.

What is the most popular National Park?

Great Smoky Mountains (North Carolina and Tennessee).

What are the threats to National Parks?

Destruction & vandalism, Heavy traffic, Pollution of the soil, water, and air, Resource violations (poaching/illegal collection).

What is a Wilderness?

A protected area of land in which no human development is permitted.

Who manages Wilderness Areas?

Managed by NPS, USFS, FWS, BLM.

What is the mission of Wildlife Refuges?

To preserve lands and waters for the conservation of fishes, wildlife and plants of the US.

How do Wilderness Areas differ from National Parks?

Main differences: Wilderness Areas left completely unaltered by humans—no development or harvest.

What are the types of land resources?

Forests, Rangelands, Agricultural lands, Wetlands, Coastal lands, Suburban and urban lands.

Why are forests important?

They have an influence on climate. They are very important in biogeochemical cycles. Carbon dioxide is converted to wood. They stabilize soil and retain water. They house many species.

What are the types of Forest Management?

Traditional Forest Management and Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management.

What is Plantation Forestry?

A stand of single species planted in straight rows. Tree “farming”.

What are the forester's view of a forest?

Old-Growth Forest and Second-Growth Forest.

What are some harvesting trees techniques?

Selection cutting, shelterwood cutting, and seed tree cutting

What is Deforestation?

Temporary or permanent clearance of large expanses of forest for agriculture or other use.

What causes deforestation?

Causes: Fire, Clearing for agriculture, Construction of roads, Tree harvest, Insect and disease.

What are the immediate causes of disappearing tropical rain forests?

Subsistence agriculture, Commercial logging, Cattle ranching.

What are boreal forests?

World’s largest biome.

What is Rangeland?

Land that is not intensively managed and is used for grazing livestock.

What is overgrazing?

Animals exceed land’s carrying capacity.

What is Desertification?

Degradation of once fertile land into nonproductive desert.

What is Agricultural Land?

US has 300 million acres of prime farmland. Threatened by Suburban sprawl, Parking lots, Housing developments and Shopping malls.

What are wetlands?

Lands that are usually covered with water for at least part of the year.

What human activities threaten wetlands?

Draining for agriculture or mosquito control, Dredging for navigation, Channelization.

What is the Clean Water Act of 1972?

Required “no net loss” of wetlands in the U.S.

What do Coastal wetlands provide?

Provide food and habitat for many aquatic animals.

What is a fact about coastal demographics?

Many coastal areas overdeveloped and many people live within a certain distance of the coastline.