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California RPF Short Answers Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
1) Describe the effect of increased carbon dioxide on forest growth.
Ans: Increased CO2 can improve photosynthesis efficiency and
increase forest growth. However heat associated with incre ased
C02 may lead to more extreme weather events causing more
high intensity fires.
2) List three (3) conditions that demonstrate forest sustainability (note
this is not simply sustained yield).
Ans: When management decision take into account the
environment, economy and society
3) What is the primary cause of long term natural (not anthropogenic)
global climate change?
Ans: The Milankovitch cycle is the natural wobble in the earth's
tilt and rotation that change the relative position and alignment
between the earth and the sun leading to changes in climate.
This changes the
4) What is Tree Improvement?
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, Page |2
Ans: Improving the specific characteristics of a tree through
controlled breeding or cultural practices
5) What is a Provenance Trial?
Ans: A planting in which population samples from stands of
known geographic origins are grown together in one or more
location.
6) What is a Genotype?
Ans: An individual's hereditary (genetic) constitution.
7) List three (3) objectives of forest fuel treatments?
Ans: Reduce fuel loads to prevent stand destroying fires
Decrease competition among remaining trees
Generate biomass
8) List three (3) effects of sawtimber harvesting on forest carbon
sequestration?
Ans: Can begin the slow release of standing carbon in living
trees that are converted to lumber
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
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Can allow for vigorous new growth if harvesting overstocked
trees
9) List three (3) results of intense forest wildfire on carbon stocks?
Ans: Massive release of CO2 into the atmosphere from
sequestered carbon.
Can slow site from being capable of sequestering carbon due to
hydrophobic soils
Allow for increased carbon sequestration of new stand that has
not yet reached maximum growth rates.
10) What is biological diversity?
Ans: The variety and abundance of life forms, processes,
function and structure of plants, animals and other living
organisms including the relative complexity of species,
communities, gene pools and ecosystems and spatial scales
that range from local through regional to global. A measure of
diversity either among species, between species or of
ecosystems
11) List three (3) main sources of genetic diversity in forests?
Ans: Natural selection, mutation, genetic drift
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |4
12) What determines the extent of genetic impacts of forest
management?
Ans: The phenotypic variation of a tree species. Some trees
have very similar growth characteristics across a wide variety of
genotypes and instead growth rates are more attributed to the
environment. Some trees species have widely varying growth
characteristics based on genotype.
13) According to the FPRs and PRC, what is watercourse?
Ans: Any well-defined channel with distinguishable bed and
bank showing evidence of having contained flowing wa ter
indicated by deposit of rock, sand, gravel, or soil, including but
not limited to, Streams as defined in PRC 4528(f). Watercourse
also includes manmade Watercourses.
14) List three (3) potential impacts of water drafting on aquatic species.
Ans: Mechanical take of aquatic organisms from improper
pump equipment
Increased sedimentation of the water
Loss of habitat if overdrafting
Change in water temperature
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
California RPF Short Answers Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
1) Describe the effect of increased carbon dioxide on forest growth.
Ans: Increased CO2 can improve photosynthesis efficiency and
increase forest growth. However heat associated with incre ased
C02 may lead to more extreme weather events causing more
high intensity fires.
2) List three (3) conditions that demonstrate forest sustainability (note
this is not simply sustained yield).
Ans: When management decision take into account the
environment, economy and society
3) What is the primary cause of long term natural (not anthropogenic)
global climate change?
Ans: The Milankovitch cycle is the natural wobble in the earth's
tilt and rotation that change the relative position and alignment
between the earth and the sun leading to changes in climate.
This changes the
4) What is Tree Improvement?
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
Ans: Improving the specific characteristics of a tree through
controlled breeding or cultural practices
5) What is a Provenance Trial?
Ans: A planting in which population samples from stands of
known geographic origins are grown together in one or more
location.
6) What is a Genotype?
Ans: An individual's hereditary (genetic) constitution.
7) List three (3) objectives of forest fuel treatments?
Ans: Reduce fuel loads to prevent stand destroying fires
Decrease competition among remaining trees
Generate biomass
8) List three (3) effects of sawtimber harvesting on forest carbon
sequestration?
Ans: Can begin the slow release of standing carbon in living
trees that are converted to lumber
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
Can allow for vigorous new growth if harvesting overstocked
trees
9) List three (3) results of intense forest wildfire on carbon stocks?
Ans: Massive release of CO2 into the atmosphere from
sequestered carbon.
Can slow site from being capable of sequestering carbon due to
hydrophobic soils
Allow for increased carbon sequestration of new stand that has
not yet reached maximum growth rates.
10) What is biological diversity?
Ans: The variety and abundance of life forms, processes,
function and structure of plants, animals and other living
organisms including the relative complexity of species,
communities, gene pools and ecosystems and spatial scales
that range from local through regional to global. A measure of
diversity either among species, between species or of
ecosystems
11) List three (3) main sources of genetic diversity in forests?
Ans: Natural selection, mutation, genetic drift
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |4
12) What determines the extent of genetic impacts of forest
management?
Ans: The phenotypic variation of a tree species. Some trees
have very similar growth characteristics across a wide variety of
genotypes and instead growth rates are more attributed to the
environment. Some trees species have widely varying growth
characteristics based on genotype.
13) According to the FPRs and PRC, what is watercourse?
Ans: Any well-defined channel with distinguishable bed and
bank showing evidence of having contained flowing wa ter
indicated by deposit of rock, sand, gravel, or soil, including but
not limited to, Streams as defined in PRC 4528(f). Watercourse
also includes manmade Watercourses.
14) List three (3) potential impacts of water drafting on aquatic species.
Ans: Mechanical take of aquatic organisms from improper
pump equipment
Increased sedimentation of the water
Loss of habitat if overdrafting
Change in water temperature
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
