ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST ACTUAL
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔What is the minimum slope for drainage pipes placed above an impervious layer?
(A) 1/16" per ft (B) 1/8" per ft (C) 1/4" per ft (D) 1/2" per ft - ✔✔C
✔✔The main function of a rain garden is which of the following?
(A) Collect and hold stormwater runoff
(B) Increase water infiltration
(C) Distribute runoff to dry areas
(D) Facilitate deep root systems - ✔✔A
✔✔What macronutrient most often has the largest requirement for the health of trees?
(A) Iron(B) Sulfur(C) Potassium (D) Nitrogen - ✔✔D
✔✔What essential element is more readily available in an acidic environment than
alkaline?
(A) Iron(B) Calcium (C) Sulfur (D) Potassium - ✔✔A
✔✔Required fertilizer distribution rates for quick release are ______________ than for
that of slow-release.
,(A) Greater(B) Less(C) Equal(D) No relationship - ✔✔B
✔✔What project factor listed below has a detrimental effect on the surface application of
fertilizer?
(A) Constrained time(B) Inexperienced workers (C) Surface runoff(D) Shallow root
structure - ✔✔C
✔✔What element can be classified as a micronutrient?
(A) Magnesium (B) Calcium(C) Iron(D) Sulfur - ✔✔C
✔✔What method of fertilizer application may result in the development of thick patches
of grass in spots surrounding the tree?
(A) Liquid injection(B) Surface application (C) Foliar application (D) Implants - ✔✔A
✔✔What characteristic is used to differentiate between vascular plant classifications?
(A) Roots (B) Leaves (C) Seeds (D) Skin - ✔✔C
✔✔Of the options listed below which has the broadest level of taxonomic hierarchy?
(A) Genus (B) Order (C) Class (D) Family - ✔✔C
✔✔What characteristic below is used to differentiate between a simple leaf and a
compound leaf?
(A) Number of buds (B) Length of petiole (C) Shape of leaflet (D) Number of leaflets -
✔✔D
✔✔What major group of conifers is defined by needles borne in clusters?
(A) Pine (B) Spruce (C) Fir(D) Juniper - ✔✔A
✔✔What leaf margin type is characterized by having a smooth edge?
(A) Entire (B) Serrate (C) Serrulate (D) Dentate - ✔✔A
✔✔What characteristic below is associated with dicots rather than monocots?
(A) Parallel leaf veins(B) Floral parts usually in multiples of four or five (C) Fibrous root
system(D) One cotyledon - ✔✔B
✔✔A tree is to be planted close to a newly built retaining wall for beautification. What
habit is most likely appropriate for the selection of the tree.
(A) Pyramidal (B) Upright (C) Weeping (D) Spread - ✔✔B
✔✔Hardiness refers to a plant's ability to survive which of the following?
(A) Drought(B) Low temperatures (C) Impact(D) Shade - ✔✔B
✔✔What tree can be identified as having palmately compound leaves?
, (A) Buckeye (B) Ash(C) Ailanthus (D) Walnut - ✔✔C
✔✔What statement is true below regarding deciduous trees?
(A) Allows light in the summer and allows light in the winter
(B) Allows light in the summer and blocks light in the winter
(C) Blocks light in the summer and allows light in the winter
(D) Blocks light in the summer and blocks light in the winter - ✔✔C
✔✔What USDA hardiness zone has an average annual extreme minimum temperature
of -60 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit?
(A) 1 (B) 5 (C) 9 (D) 13 - ✔✔A
✔✔What is the minimum distance from the edge of a planting hole to any buried utility?
(A) 6" (B) 12" (C) 18" (D) 24" - ✔✔C
✔✔What tree species listed below is best suited for heavy shade?
(A) English oak (B) Willow(C) Gingko(D) American elm - ✔✔B
✔✔What tree species listed below is the most likely to be tolerant to storm damage?
(A) American elm (B) Cottonwood (C) Live oak(D) Willow - ✔✔C
✔✔The first part of a tree's scientific name indicates which of the following?
(A) Family(B) Order(C) Genus(D) Common name - ✔✔C
✔✔Sweating is a pre-planting procedure often required for which of the following
nursery stock types?
(A) Bare root
(B) Containerized
(C) Container grown
(D) balled and bur lapped - ✔✔A
✔✔When is it acceptable to plant a nursery stock tree without removal of the root
protection?
(A) Biodegradable container
(B) Synthetic burlap
(C) Biodegradable burlap
(D) Wire basket burlap - ✔✔A
✔✔What is the minimum number of primary roots that must be buried 1 to 3 inches
below the soil surface when transferring nursery stock?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 - ✔✔B
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔What is the minimum slope for drainage pipes placed above an impervious layer?
(A) 1/16" per ft (B) 1/8" per ft (C) 1/4" per ft (D) 1/2" per ft - ✔✔C
✔✔The main function of a rain garden is which of the following?
(A) Collect and hold stormwater runoff
(B) Increase water infiltration
(C) Distribute runoff to dry areas
(D) Facilitate deep root systems - ✔✔A
✔✔What macronutrient most often has the largest requirement for the health of trees?
(A) Iron(B) Sulfur(C) Potassium (D) Nitrogen - ✔✔D
✔✔What essential element is more readily available in an acidic environment than
alkaline?
(A) Iron(B) Calcium (C) Sulfur (D) Potassium - ✔✔A
✔✔Required fertilizer distribution rates for quick release are ______________ than for
that of slow-release.
,(A) Greater(B) Less(C) Equal(D) No relationship - ✔✔B
✔✔What project factor listed below has a detrimental effect on the surface application of
fertilizer?
(A) Constrained time(B) Inexperienced workers (C) Surface runoff(D) Shallow root
structure - ✔✔C
✔✔What element can be classified as a micronutrient?
(A) Magnesium (B) Calcium(C) Iron(D) Sulfur - ✔✔C
✔✔What method of fertilizer application may result in the development of thick patches
of grass in spots surrounding the tree?
(A) Liquid injection(B) Surface application (C) Foliar application (D) Implants - ✔✔A
✔✔What characteristic is used to differentiate between vascular plant classifications?
(A) Roots (B) Leaves (C) Seeds (D) Skin - ✔✔C
✔✔Of the options listed below which has the broadest level of taxonomic hierarchy?
(A) Genus (B) Order (C) Class (D) Family - ✔✔C
✔✔What characteristic below is used to differentiate between a simple leaf and a
compound leaf?
(A) Number of buds (B) Length of petiole (C) Shape of leaflet (D) Number of leaflets -
✔✔D
✔✔What major group of conifers is defined by needles borne in clusters?
(A) Pine (B) Spruce (C) Fir(D) Juniper - ✔✔A
✔✔What leaf margin type is characterized by having a smooth edge?
(A) Entire (B) Serrate (C) Serrulate (D) Dentate - ✔✔A
✔✔What characteristic below is associated with dicots rather than monocots?
(A) Parallel leaf veins(B) Floral parts usually in multiples of four or five (C) Fibrous root
system(D) One cotyledon - ✔✔B
✔✔A tree is to be planted close to a newly built retaining wall for beautification. What
habit is most likely appropriate for the selection of the tree.
(A) Pyramidal (B) Upright (C) Weeping (D) Spread - ✔✔B
✔✔Hardiness refers to a plant's ability to survive which of the following?
(A) Drought(B) Low temperatures (C) Impact(D) Shade - ✔✔B
✔✔What tree can be identified as having palmately compound leaves?
, (A) Buckeye (B) Ash(C) Ailanthus (D) Walnut - ✔✔C
✔✔What statement is true below regarding deciduous trees?
(A) Allows light in the summer and allows light in the winter
(B) Allows light in the summer and blocks light in the winter
(C) Blocks light in the summer and allows light in the winter
(D) Blocks light in the summer and blocks light in the winter - ✔✔C
✔✔What USDA hardiness zone has an average annual extreme minimum temperature
of -60 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit?
(A) 1 (B) 5 (C) 9 (D) 13 - ✔✔A
✔✔What is the minimum distance from the edge of a planting hole to any buried utility?
(A) 6" (B) 12" (C) 18" (D) 24" - ✔✔C
✔✔What tree species listed below is best suited for heavy shade?
(A) English oak (B) Willow(C) Gingko(D) American elm - ✔✔B
✔✔What tree species listed below is the most likely to be tolerant to storm damage?
(A) American elm (B) Cottonwood (C) Live oak(D) Willow - ✔✔C
✔✔The first part of a tree's scientific name indicates which of the following?
(A) Family(B) Order(C) Genus(D) Common name - ✔✔C
✔✔Sweating is a pre-planting procedure often required for which of the following
nursery stock types?
(A) Bare root
(B) Containerized
(C) Container grown
(D) balled and bur lapped - ✔✔A
✔✔When is it acceptable to plant a nursery stock tree without removal of the root
protection?
(A) Biodegradable container
(B) Synthetic burlap
(C) Biodegradable burlap
(D) Wire basket burlap - ✔✔A
✔✔What is the minimum number of primary roots that must be buried 1 to 3 inches
below the soil surface when transferring nursery stock?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 - ✔✔B
