Louisiana Arborist Exam
What type and how much insurance is an arborist required to have?
$25,000 - personal injury; $50,000 property damage.
If you want to fertilize a tree by broadcasting 4 lbs. of actual nitrogen and want to use 16-4-8 fertilizer, how often would you apply it over 1000 sq. ft. in one year?
1 lb. of Nitrogen / .16 (N in fertilizer) = 6.25 lbs per 1,000 ft. 6.25 lbs of Fertilizer x 4 lbs of N = 25 lbs of Fertilizer annually. 6.25 lbs. of 16-4-8 fertilizer should be applied 4 times a year.
What circumstances warrant lightning protection for a tree?
1) Historical trees. 2) Expensive trees. 3) Trees people will seek shelter under.
What are some problems associated with topping or heading back a tree?
1) Removes much of the leaf surface area needed to produce food and the food storage reserves. 2) Leaves large wounds that are slow to heal and becomes entry points for insects and disease organisms. 3) Allows strong sunlight to enter the central parts of the tree, resulting in sunscald, cracks and peeling bark.
List 3 benefits of mulch.
1) Retains moisture. 2) Reduces weeds. 3) Insulates roots.
Discuss Shingo's theory of walling off infections in trees called CODIT (Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees).
1) Trees are highly compartmentalized. 2) If the tree is wounded, it will heal itself by walling itself off from injury.
What is the minimum diameter for a climbing rope?
1/2" diameter.
A felling notch should not generally exceed a depth of how much?
1/3 the diameter of the tree.
How much actual nitrogen does a 50-lb bag of 20-10-5 fertilizer contain?
10 lbs.
A pH of 5 is how many more time acidic than a pH of 7?
100 times
Using 2 lbs. of actual N per 1,000 sq. ft. with a 13-13-13 fertilizer, how much would you need to cover 2,000 sq. ft.?
2 lbs of N / .13 (Fertilizer = 15.4 lbs. of fertilizer 15.4 * 2 = 30.8 lbs. of fertilizer
What is the rate often recommended for tree fertilization?
2 to 4 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft.
An 80-lb bag of 10-6-4 fertilizer contains how many pounds of actual nitrogen?
8 lbs. (10%)
A characteristic of sandy soils in arid regions is that they: a) tend to become alkaline, and salts build up due to lack of heavy rainfall. b) tend to become acid because basic ions leach out. c) are fine in texture due to high sand content. d) have a high water-holding capacity because rainfall is scare.
A
A condition characterized by a cluster of dwarf shoots on affected twigs is called: a) witch's broom. b) anthracnose c) chlorosis d) Verticillium wilt
A
Damage caused by nonliving factors tend to be: a) uniform with definite borders. b) uniform, but generally not affecting the new growth. c) random and concentrated on the new growth. d) random with irregular borders.
A
Fastigiate trees have a growth form that is: a) upright b) weeping c) overaching d) vase-shaped
A
If the terminal bud is removed in pruning, a) growth may be stimulated in lateral buds. b) flowering is stimulated to enhance fruit production. c) the branch will die off. d) all of the above.
A
Microorganisms tend to congregate in the rhizosphere, in part, because: a) sugar exudates from root tips are a source of food. b) mycorrhizae fix nitrogen and make it available. c) root hairs tend to collect cations essential to microorganism growth. d) bacteria preferentially feed on the meristem tissue at the root tips.
A
Most of the fine, absorbing roots are typically found near the soil surface because: a) roots grow where conditions are favorable. b) roots need UV light to drive respiration. c) the pH of the soil is generally higher near the surface. d) phosphorus and potassium are more available.
A
Sulfur-coated urea or urea formaldehyde is sometimes included in nitrogen fertilizers because: a) slow-release is desired. b) the soil pH must be adjusted to optimize nutrient uptake. c) the soil's buffering capacity may inhibit nitrogen absorption. d) urea is a good, natural source of phosphorus.
A
Twig dieback from periodical cicadas is primarily a result of: a) ovipositing (egg-laying). b) adults feeding on the foliage. c) larvae feeding on the roots. d) feeding induced galls on the twigs and foliage.
A
Discuss the differences between "flush cuts" and proper cuts made to outer portions of branch collar. How do "flush cuts" affect growth?
A proper cut leaves the branch bark ridge, branch collar, and swollen collar in tact. It enables the cut to close in a circular fashion. Flush cuts remove it and opens the tree to decay by removing dead wood which branch defense zones form.
What is the definition of a tree?
A woody perennial with one or several trunks which grow higher than 12-15 ft in height.
Leaf scorch, girdling roots, and mineral deficiencies are examples of what kind of disorder?
Abiotic
Term - mostly located in the upper 12 inches (30 cm) of soil.
Absorbing Roots
Name the functions of the root system.
Absorption Conduction Anchorage Storage Hormone Production
What is the gradual process by which a tree adapts to changes in its environment?
Acclimation
In the scientific name Acer saccharum, what does Acer identify and what does saccharum identify?
Acer identifies the genus and saccharum identifies the specific epithet.
What is the most important factor for good uptake of fertilizer elements?
Adequate water
What is the proper acknowledgement a climber must hear, in response to "Stand clear," before proceeding?
All clear
What is produced by trees that have toxic and deterrent effects on certain insects?
Allelochemicals
What is the chemical inhibition of growth and development of one plant to another called?
Allelopathy
What are vascular plants whose seeds are covered (by an ovary) called?
Angiosperms
What are materials sprayed on plants to reduce water loss through transpiration?
Antitranspirants
What species of tree would not be appropriate for planting under utility wires?
Any species that grows higher than the wires.
Name 5 types of tree insect pests with piercing/sucking mouth parts.
Aphids, Adelgids Scales Leafhoppers Mealybugs True bugs Psyllids
What is the difference between arborculture and urban forestry?
Arboculture focuses on the tree while urban forestry focuses on the forest.
Plant damage associated with a sap-feeding insect pest might appear as: a) leaves that have been skeletonized. b) distorted leaves or shoots. c) leaf miners or blotches. d) webs or tents in the tree.
B
Scale damage to plants is the result of: a) fungal spore growth depleting xylem reserves. b) phloem-feeding insects causing a loss of vigor. c) vascular damage from fungal invasion. d) a physiological disorder due neither to insects nor to disease.
B
What is the disease Fire Blight caused by?
Bacterium
What is it called when a tree is leaning in the direction of a fall or has internal faults, and splits upward from the back cut?
Barber chair, and it is extremely dangerous
What protects the branch and trunk of a tree from mechanical injury and desiccation?
Bark
When cutting through a tree with a chain saw or drilling into a tree, what order would you pass through the following: xylem, bark, phloem, cambium?
Bark, Phloem, Cambium, Xylem
What is decay located in the lower trunk and/or base of the tree called?
Basal rot (butt rot)
Name 5 types of tree insect pests with chewing mouth parts.
Beetles Caterpillars Weevils Leafminers Borers Webworms
List 3 natural, organic fertilizers.
Bone and blood meal, manure, and sewer sludge.
What is formed as the branch and trunk tissues expand against each other in the branch union?
Branch Bark Ridge
What is formed when truck tissue grows around branch tissue?
Branch Collar
Name five methods used to apply fertilization to trees.
Broadcasting, drill hole, injection, foliar application, and implants
What is the soil property called that resists changes to pH?
Buffering capacity
A soil test may not identify a nutrient deficiency problem in a plant because: a) the tests are not reliable. b) the nutrient content can change after collection. c) the soil may be inhibiting uptake. d) no one knows which levels of nutrients are adequate.
C
If a planting hole in a clay soil site is backfilled with sandy soil: a) drainage will be improved, helping the tree to establish. b) nutrients will be more available to the newly established roots within the planting hole. c) water will drain very slowly out of the planting hole. d) the improved texture of the backfill will reduce the chances of girding roots forming later.
C
Mycorrhizae are: a) collar-rot fungi. b) elongated underground stems producing sucker sprouts. c) a symbiotic relationship between fungi and roots. d) cells in which photosynthesis takes place.
C
Which conifers have needles in bundles? a) hemlocks b) firs c) pines d) spruces
C
Which genus of tree does not have an opposite leaf arrangement? a) Acer (maples) b) Fraximus (ash) c) Quercus (oaks) d) Cornus (dogwoods)
C
What is the layer of meristematic cells located between the phloem and the xylem?
Cambium
Which layer of cells is responsible for outward trunk growth and increased girth of a tree?
Cambium
What is localized dead tissue, often shrunken and discolored called?
Canker
What occurs when trees take up CO2 in the atmosphere and "store" it in the form of wood and other carbon-based tissues?
Carbon sequestration
What are the positively charges particles called that are formed from essential elements dissolved in soil water?
Cations
What does brown rot fungi decay, leaving behind the stiff lignin and thereby reducing the bending strength of the tree?
Cellulose
What parts in tree cells are indigestible to many insects and other animals, and even to some pathogens?
Cellulose and Lignin
Term - green pigment.
Chlorophyll
What is the yellowing of leaf veins called, which may be the result of mineral deficiencies?
Chlorosis
What is the most serious damage to a tree caused by construction?
Compaction.
What does CODIT stand for?
Compartmentalization Of Decay In Trees
What is the process of decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms?
Composting
List five species of trees to plant under a power line.
Crape myrtle, chaste tree, red bud, silver bell, dogwood.
Distinguish between narrow and wide crotch angles. Could either harm the tree?
Crotch angles are where branches fork, or where a main limb joins the trunk. Narrow Crotch angles (Tight) are where the angle between two branches is too narrow (less than 45 degrees). they can lead to structure weaknesses and tree failure Wide Crotch angles (Strong) are where the angle between the two branches 45 degrees or more.
Term - waxy covering of a leaf.
Cuticle
A tree may not respond immediately to fertilizer application if: a) a slow-release fertilizer was used. b) there is inadequate soil moisture. c) the tree is not actively growing. d) all of the above.
D
In sites where poor drainage can be a problem, which of the following will NOT help ensure plant survival? a) careful plant selection and shallow planting. b) improvement of surface drainage by changing the grade, or trenching. c) installation of drainage tiles. d) placing gravel in the bottom of the planting hole and backfilling with sandy soil.
D
Some trees acclimate to shade conditions by: a) developing larger leaves b) developing smaller leaves c) variegated foliage losing variegation, or colored foliage tending to be greener. d) any or all of the above
D
The growth ring of many trees, a) are visible because of rapid growth of earlywood relative to latewood. b) can be counted to approximate a tree's age. c) can give information about growing conditions in previous years. d) all of the above.
D
When soil is compacted: a) micropores combine to form macropores. b) soil particles are broken up, giving soil a finer texture. c) a high water content will reduce the damaging effects. d) total pore space and the percentage of macropores are reduced.
D
What are trees that lose their leaves in autumn called?
Deciduous
What type of trees lose their leaves?
Deciduous
What are the growth habits called for more rounded trees, which are often broader than they are tall?
Decurrent growth habits
Studies show that nitrogen fertilization can trigger a tree's energy allocation toward growth, sometimes at the expense of what?
Defense
Name or describe 3 cabling techniques.
Direct, triangular, and box or rotary.
How do trees take up essential elements through their roots?
Dissolved in water.
What should fertilization recommendations be based on?
Element requirements
What is a measure of the rate of water used by plants and evaporation from the soil known as?
Evapotranspiration
What are trees that maintain their leaves for more than one year called?
Evergreen
What is the term for trees with upright growth and a strong, central leader called?
Excurrent growth
A tree listed as adaptable to wet soil conditions will always thrive if planted in those conditions.
False
Fertilizer is always recommended at the time of planting.
False
Most fungi cause plant disease.
False
Most soil organisms cause disease or decay in tree roots.
False
Short, shallow, and frequent irrigation is better than long, deep, infrequent irrigation?
False
The overriding objective of an arborist involved in a development project is to save every tree on the site.
False
Vascular diseases are rarely fatal to trees.
False
Insect damage to trees is usually the result of what?
Feeding and egg laying
What is listed on the container label that gives the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium?
Fertilizer analysis
What is the biggest problem with deep root fertilization?
Fertilizer is placed below the absorbing roots.
Wilting, marginal burning, and dieback may be symptoms of what kind of excess in the root zone?
Fertilizer salts
What is the term for soil, following drainage?
Field capacity
Name 3 plant characteristics that may make a tree aesthetically desireable?
Flowers Attractiveness to birds Fall color Exfoliating bark Growth habit
Name five plant characteristics used to identify trees.
Form or growth habit, bark texture, leaves, flowers, fruit, seed, buds, leaf scars, scent.
Name the common causes of plant disease.
Fungus and bacteria.
What is swollen plant tissue, often insect or mite induced, called?
Gall
Name the two parts of a scientific name.
Genus and species.
What is water that drains from the macrospores called?
Gravitational water
Name 3 site characteristics that must be considered in tree selection.
Growing space Light conditions Soil conditions Climate Functional requirements
What are the 4 primary functions allocated to plant resources, produced through photosynthesis?
Growth Maintenance (reproduction) Storage Defense
What type of important tree selection are upright, pyramidal, and weeping?
Growth habits
What controls stomata?
Guard Cells, which regulate the intake of CO2 and the release of water vapor.
What are vascular plants with "naked seeds" called?
Gynosperms
What is the ability of a tree to withstand low temperatures and winter stresses in a given site?
Hardiness
What are curling and cupping of the foliage, and parallel venation, common symptoms of?
Herbicide
What kind of buffering capacity do clay soils and soils high in organic matter have?
High
What is the purpose of crown restoration?
Improves structure and appearance of improperly pruned or storm-damaged trees by encouraging new growth.
What is the rate in which water soaks into the soil?
Infiltration
List 3 ways cavities are started in trees.
Insects, lightning, and wounds.
Term - between the nodes of a twig.
Internode
Why is the use of spurs prohibited on living trees?
It causes wounds and damages the tree.
How will pruning a tree at time of transplanting affect tree growth?
It decreases root growth. You should avoid pruning except for broken or damaged limbs.
Explain thinning cut and describe how they will affect the tree.
It is removing the branch back to the lateral branch, large enough to assume terminal role. It opens the tree, reduces weight, reduces height, and retains its shape.
What is the major objective in crown cleaning?
It removes dead, diseased, and dying crowded or wealdy attached limbs from the crown. the objective is to correct small growth problems before they get big growth problems.
What do you call organisms that are frequently encountered in landscapes, predictably cause injury to plants, and may induce particularly noxious pests in the area?
Key pests
List the levels of plant classification.
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Specific Epithet (KPCOFGS)
When are the most beneficial times to irrigate plants?
Late night or early morning.
What is the process called where ions of essential elements wash down through the soil profile and are lost?
Leaching
What is the washing out of chemicals down through the soil called?
Leaching
What are dead spots on foliage called?
Leaf spot
List the major parts of a tree and their function.
Leaves - photosynthesis, transpiration. Trunk/Stems - conduct, support, storage. Roots - anchorage, absorbing, storage, conduction. Flowers - reproduction. Fruit-ripened seed, pistil
Term - small opening in stems for gas exchange.
Lenticel
Name 2 limitations to trunk implants and microinjections.
Limited to trees over 4 inches in diameter. Not suited for addressing macronutrient deficiencies. Resulting wounds limit ability to repeat applications.
What is the climatic factor that determines hardiness in zones?
Low temperature extremes
What elements are required by trees in large quantities?
Macronutrients
List the benefits of mulch.
Maintain moisture, control weeds, insulation, aeration, aesthetic value, and reduce soil pathogens.
Sites of rapid cell division in the root tips, and cambiums are called?
Meristems
What type of deficiencies are foliar application fertilizers sometimes used to correct?
Micronutrient
Copper, chlorine, and boron are what?
Micronutrients
What is Mistletoe and is it harmful to a tree?
Mistletoe is a parasite that grows in the branches of conifers and leeches nutrients away.
What is the general term given to the process of reducing risk potential.
Mitigation
What is the group of plants called that grasses, banana and palm trees belong to, which have only one seed leaf?
Monocotyledons (monocots)
What is an extensive planting of the same plant species called?
Monocultures
What do roots and fungi form, which are a symbiotic relationship, aiding in the uptake of water and minerals?
Mycorrhizae
What are microscopic worms that sometimes feed on trees and may carry diseases called?
Nematodes
What macronutrient is a constituent of chlorophyll and , if deficient, can cause reduced growth and yellowing of foliage?
Nitrogen
10-6-4 represents percentages of what in fertilizers?
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
Are the use of wound dressings beneficial?
No
Are there advantages of pruning a tree at planting time?
No
Are wound dressings or paint recommended after making pruning cuts? Why?
No, studies show it does no good.
What is the naming of things called?
Nomenclature
How many buds will a compound leaflet with multiple leaflets have?
One
Name 3 types of notches used in tree felling?
Open face Traditional (45 degrees) Humboldt
When two leaves and /or buds are located at the same node on a twig, what is the arrangement called?
Opposite
What form of fertilizer are manure and sewer sluge?
Organic
What is the process by which water enters young roots or mycorrhizal roots?
Osmosis
Where along the branch, should a pruning cut be made?
Outside of the branch collar.
When removing a dead limb over 2 in. in diameter, where is the removal cut made?
Outside of the collar or around the dead branch stub if it contains live trunk wood.
What is a causal agent of disease called?
Pathogen
What is it called when a pest population rapidly rebounds in the absence of natural enemies, which are slower to repopulate than the pest?
Pest Resurgence
Term - "stalk" of a leaf.
Petiole
What conducts carbohydrates within a tree?
Phloem
Describe how to cut down a large limb.
Place the rigging point above the work, tie the limb at the butt, then cut and lower the limb to the ground.
Describe Xylem and Phloem, and their function.
Plants have tissues to transport water, nutrients and minerals. Xylem transports water and mineral salts from the roots up to other parts of the plant. Phloem transports sucrose and amino acids from the leaves and other parts of the plant.
Name the spaces between soil particles.
Pore spaces, micropores (water), macropores (oxygen).
What is a landscape specifically designed to collect and hold stormwater runoff called?
Rain Garden
Term - cells that cross the phloem and xylem for a radial transport.
Ray
What do trees produce to provide stability to compensate for lean.
Reaction wood
What is the process called by which chemical energy, stored as sugar and water, is released?
Respiration
If the concentration of salts within the surrounding soil is much greater than the concentration of solutes found in root cells, water is "drawn out" of the roots by a process called what?
Reverse osmosis
What is the zone of intense biological activity near the actively elongating roots called?
Rhizosphere
Name 3 tree health problems associated with flooding:
Root suffocation/death Soil organisms killed Predisposition to other stress factors Root collar rot Tree prone to toppling Mineral toxicities
List the most important pieces of safety equipment when using a chainsaw.
Safety glasses, earplugs, face shield, hard hat, leg protection, and boots.
What is ANSI 2-133.1?
Safety standards for tree care operations.
Term - uses more energy than it produces.
Sink
What should you know about a tree before you plant or recommend it to a customer?
Size limits, growth rate, hardiness, form, soil pH, adaptability, disease/insect resistance.
What type of fertilizer should be used if "burn" or leaching are potential problems?
Slow-release
Name 3 items used to monitor soil wetness or dryness.
Soil probes, tensiometers, and electronic moisture sensors
Term - mature, green leaves - sugar producers.
Source
Is Spanish Moss harmful to a tree?
Spanish Moss absorbs water and nutrients, using other plants for support.
List 4 types of data that are typically collected in a tree inventory.
Species Diameter Location Condition codes Maintenance codes Notes
What can be used as a technique to reduce soil compaction around trees on a construction site?
Spread a temporary, thick layer of mulch.
What state and federal licenses are required before an arborist applies pesticides?
State commissioned pesticide applicators license. Federal in accordance with all federal regulations, may apply pesticides for the purpose of retarding decay or disease.
What is reduced growth called?
Stunting
By definition, a tree cannot pose a risk if there is no what?
Target
What is the classification of plants called?
Taxonomy
What is the most critical time after transplanting a tree and why?
The 1st year to focus on root establishment.
What is soil pH and does it affect nutrient availability of a tree?
The acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Trees may exhibit nutrient deficiency or toxicity symptoms from unbalanced soil pH levels.
What is the program Plant Health Care used to manage?
The appearance, structure, and health of plants.
What does the mortality spiral describe?
The cumulative effects of stress causing decline of a plant over time.
What is the Standard of Care?
The gauge against which acts are judged as reasonable.
What is critical in controlling the direction of a tree falling?
The hinge
What is the term for the diversity of organisms living, moving, and interacting in the soil called?
The soil food web.
What is chlorosis in a tree and how is it treated?
The yellowing of leaves can be treated with Manganese.
Why is it desirable to use slow-release fertilizers?
They release nutrients, usually nitrogen, over an extended period of time.
Why is it recommended to use a block when lowering a heavy limb?
To carry the load and reduce injury to a crotch from a climber's line.
What are the benefits of mulching a young tree?
To conserve moisture, reduce competition from weeds and grass, improve soil structure, and aesthetic value.
When can spurs be used to climb trees?
To perform a rescue, to remove the tree, or with written permission from the owner.
What is the purpose of dead wooding?
To remove dead, diseased, or dying limbs. This increases air circulation and improves beauty.
What other activities can a climbing rope be used for?
To secure a climber to the tree for use of 2-hands, to swing, and for rescue.
What is the orientation of growth in response to an external stimulus called?
Tropism
Construction fences should be placed as far from the trunk as possible.
True
Current research indicates that filling cavities may do more harm than good because decay can develop in the interface between filler and tree.
True
Diseases that affect only the foliage of a tree may not be a serious problem unless defoliation occurs in several consecutive years.
True
Drought problems can be especially severe following periods of moderate to high soil moisture conditions.
True
If a tree declines or dies within the first year following installation, a likely cause is excess or insufficient water.
True
In most instances, it is preferable to minimize water irrigation directly to the foliage of plants.
True
Iron and manganese may be in a chemical form that is unavailable to trees if the pH level is too alkaline.
True
Many tree roots exist in a symbiotic relationship with fungi that assist the tree in water and mineral absorption.
True
Negatively charged clay particles hold cations near the surface.
True
Over time, mulching can improve soil structure, reduce compaction, and add organic matter to the soil.
True
Pollution damage is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may mimic other problems, such as insect injury and mineral dificiencies.
True
Researchers have observed that rapidly growing trees are sometimes less resistant to certain insects and diseases.
True
Soil can hold water in microspores that the ability of tree roots to absorb the water is restricted.
True
Surface application of fertilizer is relatively inexpensive and makes the fertilizer available in the upper few inches of soil.
True
The pathogens that cause plant disease are primarily fungi.
True
Trees that lean because of ground failure or root injury have a high potential to fail.
True
Mites are not actually insects.
True, they are closer related to spiders and ticks.
What are insects that carry plant pathogens called?
Vectors
Explain CODIT.
When a tree is wounded, cells undergo changes to form "walls" around the wound, slowing or preventing the spread of disease and decay to the rest of the tree.
Which type of decay primarily affects the lignin within and between the cell walls in the wood, reducing the tree's compressive strength?
White rot
What transports water and dissolved essential minerals within a tree?
Xylem
In the cross-section of a tree trunk, what tissues are present and what are the functions of each?
Xylem (wood cells)- conveys water and dissolved minerals throughout the tree and provides support. Phloem (bast tissues)- transports the soluble organic compounds made during photosynthesis, in particular the sugar sucrose, to the rest of the tree. It is the inner-most layer of bark. Cambrium - the layer of plant tissue, between the Xylem and Phloem, responsible for the secondary growth of roots and stems by producing new xylem and phloem cells.
Is a contract required between an LA licensed arborist before tree work is performed?
Yes
Besides primary, what are the meristems located at the end of the shoots called?
apical
What is the tendency for terminal buds to inhibit the growth of lateral buds called?
apical dominance
The green color in leaves is created by the presence of what, which is necessary for photosynthesis to take place?
chlorophyll
What is a cultivated variety of plant called?
cultivar
What are the "food factories" of trees?
leaves
What are products of photosynthesis?
oxygen and sugars
What are the 2 most important levels measured in a soil analysis?
pH and salt levels
What is the process that combines carbon dioxide and water in a reaction driven by light to produce sugars?
photosynthesis
What are 2 examples of tropism?
phototropism and geotropism
The opening and closing of what in leaves allows for gas exchange and transpiration?
stomata
What is a branch collar?
the area where a limb or branch joins the trunk and xylem tissues are interwoven.
What is the loss of water vapor from leaves called?
transpiration
What can species be subdivided into when they have distinct differences in from the general species?
varieties and cultivars
