2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______KING’S PARK TRAIL

Stop 1:

_____ Aquatics – Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Name two conditions of climate change that will negatively impact on Manitoba’s water quality.

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Answers: Warmer temperature Lower volumes of rivers and lakes in the summer Source: Climate Change in Manitoba – A45

Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 Due to the clouds of fine prairie dust that the Red River Cart brigades kicked up as the carts followed each other in a long row, the all-wood axel and hubs could not be greased because the dust would build up in the hub and eventually the wheels would cease up solid rendering the cart impossible to pull. The pressure of direct wood on wood contact resulted in a loud squeal being emitted as the wheel turned. The characteristic sound of a passing Red River Cart brigade could be heard for miles, and was as recognizable and well known as the chug- chug and whistle of the steam locomotives that replaced the carts during the 1880s. Sometimes it just became too unbearable for some of the drivers. To get temporary relief from the incessant high-pitched noise drivers sometimes did what? Circle the correct response. (2 points)

1. Used rendered bear fat to lubricate the axle;

2. Used Red River 'gumbo' clay, which when kept wet, acted as an acceptable lubricant;

3. Would insert frogs, which were plentiful during the spring and summer, between the wheel hub and axle to act as a lubricant;

4. The Métis drivers took to playing their violins to drown out the noise, and this was the manner in which the Red River Jig was born;

Page 1 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______5. Put Red River gumbo clay into their ears; when dried, the gumbo acted as an excellent sound plug. (The dried gumbo easily popped out at the evening camp by pulling on one's ear lobe. This pulling of one's ear would become a cultural tradition of the Métis, signifying the end of a good days' work.)

Answer: # 3 – Frogs were frequently used to lubricate the axles. Source: General Knowledge / Fun Question

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) Name Manitoba’s provincial tree? (1 point)

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B) Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) is.... (1 point)

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Answer: A) White Spruce, B) the process of developing management principles and implementing actions that will preserve and ensure its stability and sustainability. It takes into account the relationships between artificial and natural environments and people. Source: A) Manitoba's Forests, B) Binder, FEBM, page 7

Soils - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) A farmer submits a soil sample for analysis by an analytical laboratory. He/she receives fertilizer recommendations back from the laboratory and intends to plant canola during this upcoming field season. The target yield projection (average) for this field is 36 bushels/acre (bu/ac). According to the fertilizer recommendations received back from the lab, how much fertilizer should be purchased assuming the above target yield projection? (2 marks)

N ______

P2O5 ______

Page 2 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

K2O ______

S ______

B) The farmer contacts the local agricultural input dealer and inquires regarding fertilizer prices this spring. The prices are as follows:

N $0.44/lb. P2O5 $0.27/lb. K2O $0.18/lb. S $0.28/lb.

What is the total fertility bill if the producer follows soil test report recommendations assuming the target yield of 36 bushels/acre? (2 points)

N ______

P2O5 ______

K2O ______

S ______

Total fertility bill ______

C) Crop production costs budgeted by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives indicates that crop production costs (operating costs, fixed costs and labour) with the exception of fertilizer inputs are $185.92. If the producer achieves the target yield of 36 bu/ac, calculate if he/she will profit from planting canola in the field. Use a market price of $6.00/bu for the canola.

What is the profit or loss on a per acre basis? (3 points)

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Page 3 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

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What yield must be achieved in order to breakeven (neither profit nor lose on the canola crop)? (1 point) ______

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D) If you are an agronomist working with this producer, what information provided in the soil test report should be communicated to the producer given that he/she is considering growing canola? (1 point)

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What should the agronomist recommend to the producer? (1 point)

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Answers: A) 72 lb. N and 13 lb. P2O5 B) 72 lb. N @ $0.44/lb. = $31.68 13 lb. P2O5 @ $0.27/lb. = $ 3.51 Total = $35.19 C) Projected Revenue 36 bu/ac @ $6.00/bu = $216.00/ac Projected Expenses $35.19 + $185.92 = $221.11/ac Revenue – Expenses = ($5.11/ac) – Projected Loss Breakeven $221.11/ac / $6.00/bu = 36.85 bu/ac D) EC is 6.12 dS/m) Plant a more salt tolerant crop

Source: Calculation Source: Calculation Source: Calculation Source: Interpretation of soil test report

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2

Page 4 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Why is the Tall Grass Prairie Ecosystem one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America? (1 point)

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Name two (2) of the five (5) main habitat types making up the tall grass prairie ecosystem. (1 point) ______

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Answer: It is a meeting place of many different Habitat types allowing wildlife and plants to utilize all of the different opportunities to survive. Answer: Wetlands, Upland Grasslands, Aspen Parkland, Oak Savannah and Sedge Meadows. Source: Envirothon workshop & TGP Brochure Source: TGP Brochure

Page 5 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 2:

_____ Aquatics - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Many northern lakes are freezing later and breaking up sooner. In addition, warmer winter conditions associated with climate change are resulting in thinner ice on the lakes. List one (1) reason why this creates difficulties for residents of northern communities.

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Answer: The season is shorter for trucking supplies in OR trucking across the lakes is very dangerous – the rigs are more likely to fall through the ice. Source:

_____ Cultural Landscapes – 2 Points 2 While most of the pre-contact aboriginal groups living in what is now Manitoba lived a hunting and gathering lifestyle, it is known through archaeological discoveries near Lockport, that some native groups did practice horticulture. Most likely this group, or groups, moved in from the south where the Mandans were well known agriculturalists, and for a short period established semi- permanent campsites at the foot of the rapids, probably set up on a seasonal basis. Other similar villages were likely also established at strategic locations along the Red River, during this period. What two crops do you think would have been cultivated in these native settlements?

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Answers: corn, squash, beans Source: General knowledge.

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 1) A) What does PAI stand for? (1point)

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Page 6 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) What is the PAI trying to accomplish? (1 point)

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Answers: A) Protected Areas Initiative, B) To build a network of protected areas that cover the biological diversity of the landscape. Source: Mb’s Forests.

_____ Soils – Climate Change - 10 Points 10 a) Name six (6) major impacts of climate change on agriculture.

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b) Describe the impact of increased carbon dioxide on wheat

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Page 7 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

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Answers: increased carbon dioxide higher temperatures less water extreme weather events soil fertility and erosion increased pests and diseases Answers: Wheat increases its photosynthesis rate, converting more CO2 to sugars, starches and cellulose, increased CO2 also suppresses photo-respiration making wheat more water-efficient Source: Climate Change and Agriculture

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 When rotational grazing is used as a management tool, how does it benefit the prairie ecosystem?

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Answer: Benefits Prairie by mimicking natural forces (bison/elk) that the native plants evolved with. Increased growth of vegetation, return of nutrients back into the soil, reduced encroachment of woody species. Source: TGP Brochure

Page 8 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 3:

Aquatics - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 You are provided a map titled KILKENNY (KINGS) PARK – CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN 3/8 AB. It shows 0.5 meter contours for the park. It also shows an unnamed waterbody identified as a Lake (2.5 ha.) in size. Five locations are identified on this map by red numbered dots. You are currently standing near location #5.

Determine for each location, if it is in or out of the lake’s watershed. Circle the correct option below. (2 points each)

1. In Out

2. In Out

3. In Out

4. In Out

5. In Out

Answers: 1-out, 2-out, 3-in, 4-out, 5-in. Source: Envirothon workshop.

Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points _____ 2 Each spring, if the conditions were right, plains-living Aboriginal groups such as the Assiniboine and Sioux, often started prairie fires on purpose. What purpose would setting prairie fires serve the aboriginal groups living on the open prairie? Choose the one correct answer.

1. Burning off the dead grass each spring, would promote new growth and get rid of last season's dead grass, thereby enticing the buffalo herds to come and graze in the area.

2. The annual burn, when properly done, reduced mosquito populations by up 80% and reduced the constant nuisance the mosquito hordes caused to horses, dogs and people.

3. The Sioux who lived in what is now North Dakota and eastern Minnesota were traditional enemies with the Cree and Ojibwa in what is now southern Manitoba. They frequently attacked each other. The Sioux took

Page 9 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______advantage of the southern prevailing winds by setting prairies fires which burned north into Manitoba, destroying edible plants and chasing away much relied upon wildlife populations.

4. Setting prairie fires each spring was a native ceremonial ritual tied to the circle of the season, and the beginning of a new year. It is remembered today in native ceremonies by the burning of sweet grass.

5. The smoke from the large fires filled the air with fine dust, to which water vapour molecules attracted themselves. This enabled rain to form and thereby promoted a good crop of grass to attract the bison herds.

Answer: 1 Source: General Knowledge / Informed Deduction

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) What percentage of Manitoba’s harvested lands receive silvicultural treatment? Circle the correct response. (1 point)

a) 25 %

b) 50 %

c) 75 %

B) True or False. All Forestry companies operating on public land have the option to seek public input on their long-term forest management plans? (1 point)

T F

Answer: A) c) 75%, B) F Source: A) Mb’s Forests, B) Binder CFL, page 20

_____ Soils - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 ‘Carbon-friendly farming’ includes a variety of practices that slow carbon loss from soils and increases long-term soil organic carbon. List four farming practices that are not ‘carbon-friendly’. (0.5 points each)

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Page 10 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

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Answers:  Conservation tillage or no-till farming  Regrowth of native or perennial vegetation  Summerfallowing  Including perennial forages in rotation Source: Soils Binder, Climate Change and Agriculture, page 42

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Define cultural carrying capacity.

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Answer: The maximum number of animals (humans) an area can support while still supporting cultural luxuries (wine and beer, foods outside of staples, street lighting, private cars, air conditioning, etc.) Source: Theme Binder, Page 28

Page 11 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 4:

_____ Aquatics - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Cold water fish like trout will have to migrate to lakes, streams and rivers at higher latitudes and ______to escape warming water bodies caused by rising global temperatures.

Answer: Altitudes Source:

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 10 Points 10 For many generations, aboriginal groups living in what is now southern Manitoba, made use of a variety of natural resources and locations in daily lives. Name five (5) natural resources or locations which would have been commonly used in by the native residents of the Red River Valley. (e.g. dyed porcupine quills were often used for decorating clothing and tipi covers)

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Answers include:  Bison provided the main source of food in terms of meat  Bison provided hides for tipi covers  Rivers were used for as transportation routes  River provided a source of drinking water  Rivers were a source of food in the form of fish.

Page 12 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______ Stone was used for the manufacture of hammers, scrapers and grinding tools.  Salt was obtained from natural salt springs,  Steep valley sides were used to drive bison off the edge  Fur bearing animals such as fox and mink used for winter garments.  Trees for firewood  Trees for lodge and tipi frameworks  Rocks and tree limbs were used to make fish weirs.  Edible plants for medicines and ritual ceremonies. Source: Crow Wing Study 2.0 and 2.1

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 List four (4) attributes to be measured in the Canada National Forest Inventory. 2 points - 0.5 points each

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Answer: area, land cover, forest type, age of trees, volume of trees, disturbance activity, land use changes, mortality, access, human influence, soil erosion. Source: Forestry Binder CNNFI, page 29

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A) Besides recycling programs, well-managed Manitoba municipalities now offer compost collection as a way to reduce household wastes.

Fill in the blanks. (4 x 0.5 points)

During composting, microorganisms, such as

(A)______and (B)______

decompose dead (C) ______into

(D) ______, which are essential nutrients for plant

growth.

Page 13 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answers: (A) and (B) any 2 of the following: Bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes. (C) Organic plant matter; also accept specific organic compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, etc. (D) Inorganic matter or minerals; also accept specific minerals, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, etc. Source: Microorganisms in Terrestrial Environments

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What is required for white-tailed deer and moose to survive the winter?

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Answer: There must be enough browse to last the winter and the browse must also have sufficient nutritional value. Source: Wildlife Binder Page 5

Page 14 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 5:

Aquatics - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) Identify this test. (1 point)

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B) Examine the test tubes which were inoculated with dilutions of Red River water and subsequently incubated at 370C for 48 hours. Using the provided table, calculate the Most Probable Number (MPN) of indicator microorganisms/100 mL of the undiluted Red River water. (2 points)

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C) Based on the results, how would you rate this water as to its quality for recreation and why? (2 points)

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D) Based on the results, how would you rate this water as to its potability and why? (2 points)

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E) Based on the 95% confidence level, what would you say about the accuracy of this test? (1 point)

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F) Name two (2) characteristics of the indicator organism(s) used in this test (2 points)

Page 15 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Answers: The multiple-tube (5) fermentation test technique has been used for many years for the sanitary analysis of water. Lactose broth tubes are inoculated with different water volumes in the Presumptive Test. Tubes that are positive for gas production are used to calculate the Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliforms using a special MPN Table. Samples from the positive tubes are also inoculated into Brilliant green lactose bile broth in the Confirmed Test. The Completed Test is used to establish that coliform bacteria are definitely present.

Equipment required:  Test tube rack containing a minimum of 9 tubes: 5 x 3 tubes inoculated with river water and showing growth (i.e. large air bubbles in the Durham tubes),  An MPN Table - i.e. Most Probable Number of coliforms

A) Multiple-Tube Fermentation Test or Presumptive test of the Multiple-Tube Fermentation Test (page 519). Bonus for “Presumptive” (0.5 Marks).

B) Answer will depend on the set-up & number of tubes. I will provide the answer on the day of the testing.

C) The water would also not be safe for recreation involving direct contact (swimming, etc.) because the number of coliform exceeds that recommended for safety. I will have to double check on the exact value here.

D) The water would not be potable because the number of coliforms exceeds the allowable limit recommended by Current Microbiological Standards, i.e. 1 positive sample found in:  < 40 samples/month  < 5% positive samples found in > 40 samples/month

E) Based on the 95% confidence limits, the results show that using this procedure provides a range of numbers, rather than one precise number. Therefore, this test is qualitative rather than quantitative.

F) Indicator organisms should:  Be suitable for analysis for all types of water  Be present whenever enteric pathogens are present

Page 16 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______ Survive longer than the hardiest enteric pathogen  Not reproduce in the contaminated water and produce an inflated value  Be easily cultured by standard laboratory methods  Be harmless to human beings  Be present in numbers that have a direct relationship to the degree of fecal pollution. Source: Appendix: Microorganisms in aquatic environments, page 633-635) and workshop.

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 The fur trade era in western Canada began with the voyage of the Nonsuch and the exploration of Hudson Bay, and the subsequent establishment of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1670. The fur trade in the Canadian northwest was a major economic enterprise. Fortunes were made by it, wars were fought over it, adventures and explorers were drawn to it. Few in the northwest were unaffected by it. Yet the industry, for the most part, shut down fairly suddenly during the early 1880s. Which of the following explanations is the one correct reason for the demise for the fur trade? Circle the correct response. (2 points)

1. The 'mini ice age' which Europe had experienced during the 1700s and 1800s ended as the natural climatic cycle shifted to a warming trend. This resulted in a decline in the need for furs and warm clothing.

2. Silk became the material of choice over fur and felt, for the making of hats in Britain and Europe. This lessoned the demand for beaver and other types of pelts.

3. The Industrial Revolution, particularly in England, resulted in cheap wool and cotton products being available, reducing the need for natural materials.

4. As homesteaders increasing took up land in western Canada after 1870, the numbers of fur-bearing wildlife rapidly declined as the farmsteads and wheat fields replaced wetlands and forests. This prompted a rapid increase in the price of furs and a subsequent collapse in the industry.

Answer: 2. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, began wearing hats made of silk, and the material quickly became the fashion rage across Europe killing the demand for felt and fur. Source: General Knowledge / Informed Deduction

_____ Forestry – Climate Change - 2 Points 2 The terrestrial biosphere stores carbon in what percentages?

Page 17 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Living plant biomass ______%

Soil ______%

Answers: 33, 66, Source: What Trees can do ….

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 The term “living soil” suggests that soil contains a multitude of living organisms which improve soil properties for optimal plant growth. Name two (2) soil properties which are the result from the presence of either macro- or micro- organisms.

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Answers: Any 2 (two) of the following: Provide organic matter, soil aeration, expand root surface area, essential for decomposition or mineralization. Source: Microorganisms in Terrestrial Environments

Wildlife - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT REQUIRED 2 A) Using the "Birds of Manitoba" book, identify the two (2) ducks. The ducks will be either in the creek or in photographs provided at the stop.

1. ______

2. ______

Answer: 1. TBD, 2. TBD Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 6

Page 18 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 6:

Aquatics - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 Using the guide provided identify the aquatic plants at this stop. There will be either photographs or samples. You can use either the common or scientific name. (1 point each)

1. ______

2. ______

Answers: 1. TBD, 2. TBD Source: Aquatics Binder, Through the Looking Glass

_____ Cultural Landscapes – 10 Points 10 Note five (5) human-induced changes to the natural landscape in and adjacent to Kings Park. (2 points each)

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Answers: walking paths, open spaces, "tall-grass" plantings, pagoda, baseball fields, serviced buildings, boat launch on opposite shore in Maplegove Park, retention pond Source: General Knowledge / Visual Clues

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) Name two (2) uses of harvested timber that results in sequestered carbon returning to the atmosphere as CO2 ? (1 point)

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Page 19 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______B) Name two (2) uses of harvested timber that results in sequestered carbon staying in long term storage? (1 point) ______

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Answers: A) fuelwood, allowed to decompose, B) housing timber, furniture. Source: What Trees can do ….

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 According to the Canada Land Inventory soil capability for agriculture classification system, which class has no limitations?

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According to the Canada Land Inventory soil capability for agriculture classification system, which class number indicates that the land is not suited for agricultural production?

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Answer: Class 1 Class 7 Source: Soils '84, pages 16-17

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 When birds or mammals temporarily exceed the carrying capacity of their habitat, what is the result?

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Answer: It results in social stress, competition for food, starvation and greater exposure to disease, predation and parasites, poor reproductive success, and damage to the habitat. Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 7

Page 20 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 7:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 At what temperature is water most dense?

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Answer: 4 degrees Centigrade Source: Aquatics, page 6

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 The open prairie regions produced few quality furs, but the region was extremely valuable as a source of pemmican, which was made from dried and pulverized bison meat mixed with ample amounts of grease and often berries such as Saskatoons. Why was pemmican so important to the fur trader companies?

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Answer: It was the main food item for the York Boat freighters who transported furs and trade goods to the lucrative northern posts, as they could not stop to hunt for food during the transport season. Source: Crow Wing Study, section 3.0

Forestry - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 Using your knowledge and the dichotomous key provided (Field Guide to the Native Trees of Manitoba), please identify the marked trees. (9 points – 3 points each)

1) ______

2) ______

3) ______

Page 21 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) Which species provides a valuable non-traditional forest product? (1 point)

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Answers: A) species 1), TBD 2)TBD 3)TBD B) species should be Manitoba Maple) Source: Field Guide

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 Why have organic matter levels decreased since European settlement of the Prairies? Provide two explanations or examples for why this has occurred.

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Answer: Tillage, stubble burning, draining of peaty areas, burning of peat soils Source:

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Explain the “cyclic population” relationship between snowshoe hare and lynx.

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Answer: Lynx, because of their large well-furred feet, are physically adapted to pursuing snowshoe hare and feed almost exclusively on them. Both populations follow a ten-year cycle of boom and bust. The cycle of the lynx follows that of the snowshoe hare by one or two years. When snowshoe hare numbers reach their “low,” the lynx population responds with a lower survival rate

Page 22 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______of young and a lower reproductive rate in females because of the reduced food source. Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 7

Page 23 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 8:

Aquatics -10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) If needed, use the key and glossary of terms provided at this stop to identify the following fish to species. You may use the common or scientific name:

a) ______(3 points)

b) ______(3 points)

B) At one time, fish a) was plentiful in both the Red and Assiniboine Rivers and was valued by the aboriginal people for it’s ______, as most of their protein came from lean meat, and the ______this fish produced in the spawning season. (2 points).

C) What are the two main factors that lead to a decline in the population of fish a).

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Answers: A) a)sturgeon b)goldeye B) oily flesh, roe or caviar C) overexploitation and habitat degradation

Source: B)Aquatics Binder – Crossroads of the Continent: A History of the Forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. C) Aquatics binder - Cold and Warm Water Fishes

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 What claim-to-fame does the rail line completed in 1878 connecting St. Boniface and the US border at Emerson possess?

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Page 24 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answer: It was the first operating railway line in western Canada. It was built as a supply line connecting to the USA rail system and thereby points in eastern Canada for the purpose of bringing up building materials and rolling stock to construct CPR Transcontinental across the prairies without having to tackle the huge expense of crossing the rugged Canadian shield landscape of northwestern Ontario. Source: Crow Wing Study, section 6.2.3

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) What does the term DBH refer to? (1 point)

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B) Why are standardized measurements important? (1 point)

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Answers: A) Diameter at Breast Height (1.3 m), B) Allow to calculate growth over time and remove a source of surveyor bias or inaccuracy. Source: April workshop

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 How does phosphorus from fields enter the rivers and lakes of Manitoba?

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Answer: Water erosion Source: Prairie Soils: The case for Conservation

Page 25 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Explain a coniferous forest succession and the wildlife associated with the change in habitat.

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Answers: The coniferous forest, burned or logged, is replaced by a low ground cover of grass and flowering plants. Over the next few years, shrubs, bushes, willows, aspens and coniferous trees, each in turn make their appearance. Finally the forest is once again as it was composed almost entirely of coniferous trees. This final or climax will remain until, as a result of fire or logging, the successional cycle is triggered once again. At the willow, aspen and low shrub stage white-tailed deer and moose take advantage of the abundance of preferred food. The climax coniferous stage accommodates such species as fisher, marten and red squirrels. Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 9

Page 26 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 9:

Aquatics - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 Taking the boat and equipment provided at this stop, paddle out and attach to the buoys. Using the equipment provided in the boat answer the following questions:

A) Secchi depth measurement (m) (2 points)______(m) (The dots on the rope indicate 10 cm intervals and a ruler is provided to get a closer measurement if required)

B) What side of the boat should you take the secchi depth measurement from? (1 point)

______

C) pH reading is ______(1 point)

D) Oxygen measurement ______(mg/l) (1 point)

E) Please circle the correct answer. (1 point) If you were to come back and take an oxygen measurement just before dawn tomorrow morning would you expect the oxygen reading to be higher or lower than your measurement now.

Why? (1 point)

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F) Temperature measurement ______oC taken at what time of the day ______. (1 point)

G) Name two ways vegetation along a river affects water temperature? (2 points)

1.______

2. ______

Page 27 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answers: A) TBA, B) shady, C) TBA, D) TBA E) lower, during the night there is no photosynthesis occurring so a reduction in oxygen production while respiration and CO2 production continues. F) TBA, G) 1. Provides shade, removing can increase water temp by as much as 4oC 2. Reduces the amount of sediment that enters the river via erosion – sediment absorbs solar radiation and raises the water temperature. Source: April Workshop handout and Aquatics binder

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 The first steam locomotive in western Canada was known as the: a) Countess of Dufferin

b) Empress of Ireland

c) SS Winitoba

d) Anson Northup

e) Lord Selkirk

Answer: a) Countess of Dufferin Source: Crow Wing Study, section 6.2.4

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) What does the term declination refer to? (1 point)

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B) How is it used to navigate or calculate the correct heading? (1 point)

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Answers:

Page 28 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______A) The difference between magnetic north and true north B) bearings on most maps must be modified by the declination so that the compass when properly used is pointing to true north, Sources: April Workshop and How to Use a Compass

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A) If the percent slope increases two times (doubles), the water erosion potential of the soil approximately increases by? (1 point)

a. 2.5 times

b. 4 times

c. 1 time

d. 8 times

B) The nutrient concentration of the fertilizer 16-20-0 (14) is: (1point)

a. 20% nitrogen, 14% P2O5, 16% K20

b. 16% nitrogen, 20% P2O5, 14% K20

c. 16% nitrogen, 20% P2O5, 14% Sulphur

d. 16% nitrogen, 20% P2O5, 0% Sulphur

Answer: A) a. 2.5 times, B) c. 16% nitrogen, 20% P2O5, 14% Sulphur Source: A) Soils ’84, Conservation, page 11 B) Soil and Plant Ecology, Teacher’s Manual, page 33 and Soils’ 84, Soil Fertility, page 21

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What is the “edge effect”? What would be considered the best wildlife habitat?

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______

______

Page 29 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Answer: Edge effect is where edges or borders or habitats overlap each other, change is vegetation is most noticeable. The best wildlife habitat has an abundance of edge arranged so that food, cover, water and space are close to each other. Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 30

Stop 10:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 Give two (2) examples of a ‘mismanaged’ cultural landscape that can result in the deterioration of the water quality of its nearby water systems (e.g. Red River, Lake Winnipeg, etc.)

______

______

______

Answers: Any 2 from the following:  Intentional or unintentional release of raw or improperly-treated sewage from toilets, septic tanks, outhouses, etc. Building of toilet facilities too close to the water.  Leaking sewage lagoon because of improper construction  Location of migrating bird lure crop sites too close to water systems  Drainage from fertilized landscape (lawn) or fields – may involve pesticide spraying (weed or mosquito control, P fertilizer application, etc.)

Note: ‘Managed’ cultural landscapes (Oak Hammock Marsh is a very good example) often grapple with the problem of how to deal with sewage disposal, especially in areas that are not serviced. In addition, because people complain about mosquitoes and dandelions, these sites are often sprayed to control these pests Source: Workshop handout

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 St. Pierre, St. Malo, and Steinbach share an unusual claim-to-fame that almost all other communities in Manitoba cannot claim, besides being among the earliest communities ever established on the prairies.

Which of the following answers is the most unusual?

Page 30 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______a) Each survived without ever having had a railway connection.

b) All were formed along major early fur-trade era ox-cart trails routes.

c) All were formed along navigable waterways, which played a major transport role in early years.

d) All were connected to Winnipeg by the first all-weather, all-season highway built in Manitoba.

e) Traditional languages (French & German) are still in everyday use.

f) They all have long histories in dairying and cheese production.

Answer: a) Each survived without ever having had a railway connection Source: Evident on town maps

_____ Forestry –Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Other than carbon dioxide, name two other naturally occurring greenhouse gases?

______

______

Answer: methane, nitrous oxide Source: Tree Canada: What Trees can do to reduce atmospheric CO2

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A) What macronutrient increases winter hardiness? (1 point)

______

B) The breakdown of gypsum can result in the release of what macronutrient? (1 point)

______

Answers: A) K (Potassium) or K2O (Potash): B) S (Sulphur) or SO4 (Sulphate) Source: Soils Binder, page 18 and page 19

Wildlife - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED

Page 31 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______10 A) List and discuss the various mechanisms for plant dispersal (pictures provided). (3 points)

______

______

______

B) Using the Bear pelt provided, list and discuss 3 physical adaptations this animal has for survival (3 points)

______

______

______

C) What animal is this object from? (1 point)

______

D) List three (3) reasons why animals would possess this object? (3 points)

______

______

______

Answers: A) Wind dispersal. Seed Adaptations designed to catch the wind (dandelions) Hitchhiker. Seed casing construction like velcro - catch on feathers or fur of passing animal Berry. Seed Casing appealing to animals, eaten and dispersed in droppings B) 1. Colouration - camoflage 2. Thick fur coat, designed for coolness/warmth and dryness 3. Excellent sense of smell 4. Eyes set forward in head - binocular vision, aid in pursuing food. 5. Excellent sense of hearing 6. Claws for digging and climbing C) White-tailed deer D) Antlers used for wrestling contest for mates, visual status, marking territory

Page 32 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Source: Envirothon Workshop

Page 33 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 11:

Aquatics - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 You are provided an aerial photograph mosaic, a string, a metre stick and a calculator.

The aerial photograph mosaic shows the Red River from Kings Park to the confluence of the Assiniboine River (The Forks) during the peak of the 1997 flood at a scale of 1:20,000. The center of the meander loop that contains King’s Park is indicated by a green arrowhead, the Forks is indicated by a red arrowhead. Low lying un-dyked areas adjacent to the river are flooded as evident by the darker grey tones most notably in some of the meander loops. Most of King’s Park is flooded.

Orient yourself on this mosaic and determine your location beside the Red River. How long would it take during mid-summer, if you put a raft in the river at this location, to travel to the Forks? (If you traveled by car it would take about 30 minutes.) Assume you could steer your raft to remain in the center of the river where the water velocity would be 0.5 meters per second. Show your work.

Page 34 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Answer: T = D/V Time = 1.196m x 20, 000 / 0.5 = 47, 840 seconds = 797.3 minutes = 13.3 hours Source: Envirothon Workshop

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 Where was western Canada's first prairie grain elevator constructed, and why was it built where it was?

______

______

Answer: It was built along the first railway line in Manitoba to help some of the first grain farmers in Manitoba market their crops. It was built by the colony's immigration agent, Wm. Hespler in 1878 at Niverville, on the St. Boniface to Emerson 'Soo' Line to serve the Mennonite East Reserve. It never succeeded as the land to the east was marshy and the settlers couldn't easily get to the railway siding for many decades. Source: Crow Wing Study: Section 7.2.1

_____ Forestry – Climate Change - 2 Points 2 A) Climate change models are predicting warmer temperatures and drier conditions from Manitoba. These changes will result in shifts of Manitoba’s ecozones. The southern portion of the Boreal forest is expected to shift how far north due to these changes? (1 pt)

a) < 100km

b) 100 – 150 km

c) 150 – 200 km

d) > 200 km

B) Define biotic potential. (1 point)

______

______

______

Page 35 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answer: A) c) 150 – 200 km, B) biotic potential is the capacity of a population of animal or plants to increase in numbers under optimum environmental conditions. Source: Climate Change and Forests

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A) How many acres are in a quarter section? (1 point)

______

B) How many acres are in a legal subdivision? (1 point)

______

Answer: A)160, B)40 Source: Understanding Western Canada’s Land Survey System, page 6

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What organization is responsible to evaluate the status of wildlife/species at risk in Canada?

______

______

Answer: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 36

Page 36 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 12:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 A) According to the ‘Manitoba Water Stewardship’, what is one (1) of the most common illnesses contracted by bathers in polluted waters? (1 point)

______

B) Name the causative organism responsible for this illness. (1 point)

______

Answers: Any 1 of the following:  Infections of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat caused by either the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) or the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)  Gastroenteritis or stomach upset typically caused by the bacterium Salmonella or enteric viruses (Enteroviruses)  Mild gastroenteritis including a mild fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps due to elevated levels of coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli – E. coli) Source: Manitoba Water Stewardship Bulletin, Envirothon workshop

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 Since 1950, average farm size in Manitoba has increased from approximately 400 acres to 4,000 acres over the period of a single generation. The resultant population loss affected many rural institutions and activities in rural Manitoba. With fewer farmers on the land, there are fewer customers for the rural business community. With declining population rural schools and churches similarly were forced to consolidate into district and regional centers. Farming as big business has spelled economic death for a majority of small communities and major changes on the rural landscape.

The introduction and adoption of what major technological innovations after World War II, caused such radical economic, sociological, and physical changes in the rural landscape. Name two (2) changes. (2 points)

______

______

Page 37 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answers: 1. Farm Mechanization. 2. Rural Electrification. 3. All weather all season municipal roads. 4. Truck Transportation. 5. High speed highways. Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 6.0, 6.2, 7.0 & 7.4

_____ Forestry – Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Name two (2) ways forestry can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

______

______

Answer: Improve energy efficiencies in harvesting and process Increase replants to sequester more carbon Source: Tree Canada: What Trees can do to reduce atmospheric CO2

_____ Soils - 10 Points 10 A) You have been handed a soil survey report. The parcel you have been asked to identify is classified as Hr8Wp2: What does this mean? (2 points)

______

______

______

B) What is the predominant soil in NW 1/4 17-3-26WPM? Use the series name in full rather than just soil code (2 points)

______

C) What is the surface texture in the soil identified in part (B) (1 point)

______

D) What is the typical depth to groundwater during the growing season of the soil identified in part (B) (1 point)

______

Page 38 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______E) What is the agricultural capability (dryland) of the soil identified in part (B) (1 point)

______

F) What is the surface texture of a Broomhill soil? (1 point)

______

G) Would the construction of a septic field be appropriate on a Broomhill soil with no topographical constraints? Why or why not? (2 points)

______

______

Answers: A) 80% Horton series 20% Wakopa series B) Newstead C) Loam D) 10 feet E) 3m1 F) Gravelly loamy sand G) Slight, very rapid permeability, contamination to groundwater is high Sources: A) On pullout map following page 204, Soils of the Boissevain-Melita area B) Map, page 19, Soils of the Boissevain-Melita Area C) On pullout map following page p. 204, Soils of the Boissevain-Melita area D) Soils of the Boissevain-Melita Area, p. 86 E) Soils of the Boissevain-Melita Area, p. 110 F) On pullout map following page 204, Soils of the Boissevain-Melita area p. 158, Soils of the Boissevain-Melita area

Wildlife – 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 A) What bird made this hole in the marked tree? (1 point)

______

B) What type of insect in the tree the bird was feeding on? (1 point)

______

Page 39 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answer: pileated woodpecker; carpenter ants Source: General knowledge

Page 40 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 13:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 Fill in the blanks. (4 x 0.5 marks) Most of the oxygen (O2) in the lake comes from ______

of primary producers such as ______and

______. This process occurs only when light and

______are present.

Answers: Photosynthesis; aquatic plants, algae, or cyanobacteria; chlorophyll Source: Aquatics, page 13

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 ‘Single-product’ hog and poultry production in Manitoba began during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Why would the Great Depression prompt a move to increased animal production?

______

______

______

______

Answer: Grain production during the 'dust bowl' drought conditions of the 1930s proved to be practically impossible, so farmers wanting to stay on the farm looked to 'building intensive' rather than land intensive production types such as hogs and poultry. Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 7.0, 7.4, 7.8

_____ Forestry - 10 Points 10 Forest Certification (2 points each)

A) True or False? Canada has more area of original forest cover than any other country.

True False

Page 41 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______B) True or False? Canada has the largest area of protected forest in the world. True False

C) With regards to forest industry certification, what does the term ‘chain of custody’ mean?

______

______

______

______

D) Which of the following are features of a forest certification standard? Circle the correct response.

i. scientifically supported

ii. is based on a open process

iii. produces repeatable and consistent independent audits

iv. includes continual improvement

v. all of the above

E) Annually, Canada harvests how much of its managed forest? Circle the correct response.

i. 1 %

ii. 5 %

iii. 10 %

iv. 25 %

Answers: A)T, B)T, C) The ability to track wood products cuts from their place of harvest to the point of sale, D) iv, E)i. Source: What Buyers Need to Know

Page 42 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Soils - 2 Points 2 EQUIPMENT PROVIDED Which sample (A) or (B) would have a higher CEC value? (1 point)

______

Why? (1 point)

______

Answer: (B) clay sample Clays have higher CEC values than sands Source: Soils '84, page 7

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 A) What is the difference between an extirpated species and endangered species in Manitoba? (1 point)

______

______

______

______

B) Name two (2) plants or animals that are Extirpated from Manitoba? (0.5 points each) ______

______

______

Answers: A)Extirpated species is any species once native to Manitoba that has disappeared through all of its Manitoba range. An endangered species is any native Manitoba species that is threatened to disappear throughout all or most of its Manitoba range. B) Greater Prairie Chicken, Long-bill curlew, Trumpeter Swan, Riding’s satyr, Grizzly bear, Muskox, Pronghorn Antelope, Swift fox.

Source: Wildlife Binder, Page 39 and 40

Page 43 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Stop 14:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 A) ‘Managing a cultural landscape’, such as King’s Park, for example, involves unpleasantries such as wastewater disposal. In the absence of city-maintained utilities (e.g. combined sewer pipes), the most convenient method of such disposal would be directly into the nearest water system (e.g. Red River). This of course is not only illegal but also indicative of a ‘mismanaged’ cultural landscape. In the absence of the usual city- maintained facilities, suggest one (1) alternate method or approach to deal with wastewater treatment and/or disposal? (1 point)

______

______

B) Explain your reasons why such method would not only be environmentally sustainable but would also be a sign of a progressive, ‘well-managed’ cultural landscape. (1 point)

______

______

______

______

______

Answer: i. Constructed wetland: Develop a wetland (such as that seen at King’s Park) using the basic components of a natural wetland (soils/sediments, aquatic plants, waters, etc.) to treat wastewater. The system can use floating, emergent, and/or submerged aquatic plants (Cattails, bulrushes, etc.). The plants (primary producers) provide nutrients in the root zone, which can support microbial growth. Especially with the emergent plants, the root zone can be maintained in an anaerobic state in which sulfide can trap heavy metals. Other inorganic matter (i.e. especially P, N) will be used by the plants as nutrients; organic matter will be decomposed by microorganisms in the water and the sediment. Note: Although King’s Park has a central wetland area, if there is not sufficient water in it, it really would not function as a useful wetland. The students might comment on this or express on this being a potential site for a “constructed wetland”.

Page 44 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Although (i) is the preferred answer, some of the students may propose (ii), which would also be acceptable, but not as environmentally oriented.

Ii. Septic Tank: System combines anaerobic waste liquefaction unit (septic tank) with an aerobic leach field. Biological oxidation of the liquefied waste takes place in the leach field, unless the soil becomes flooded. Source: Appendix: Microorganisms in aquatic environments, pages 641- 642.

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 From the time of settlement (1880s) to about the end of World War II, most farms on the prairies were mixed farms, and the people generally ate what they raised, in terms of both meat products and for a time even cereal grains. Despite what some butter commercials on television may like to portray, the quintessential family farm with its big red barn and quaint farmhouse, and pigs, chickens and cows, no longer exists. What are some of the reasons for the demise of the family operated mixed-farm? List one (1) reason for the decline of the mixed- production farm.

______

______

Answers: Electricity meant you could freeze your meat, so there was no need to have animals constantly on hand for domestic consumption. It is cheaper and efficient to feed and raise one large herd of cows, or hogs than several smaller herds of two or three types of animals. Specialization has better economies of scale. The advent of All season / All weather roads meant most farm and domestic supplies were now available and easily obtained at the general store in the nearest town. They no longer needed to be produced on the farm. With increased crop specialization,mixed use barns and outbuildings were no longer needed on the farmstead and were converted into storage buildings or simply demolished. Source: Crow Wing Study, section 7.1

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) Define "secondary fibre". (1 point)

______

B) Give an example. (1 point)

______

Page 45 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answers: A) fibre used as a raw material, B) recycled newspaper used in making new paper or cardboard. Source: Forestry Binder, Glossary and Page 43

_____ Soils – Climate Change - 2 Points 2 What type of plants are less responsive to higher levels of carbon dioxide? (1 point)

______

Provide an example of this type of plant. (1 point)

______

Answer: C4 Corn, sorghum, millet Source: Soils Binder, page 39

Wildlife - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) Give the common name of the plant shown in the photograph provided at this stop. (1 point)

______

B) What European insect is used as a biological control agent? (1 point)

______

C) What bird have the three (3) nesting boxes seen from this stop been created for? (1 point)

______

D) Does this skull belong to an herbivore, omnivore or carnivore? (1 point) How can you tell? (1 point)

______

______

E) This fur belongs to an aquatic rodent. Name it. (1 point)

Page 46 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

______

F) What animal does this pelt belong to? (1 point)

______

G) Identify the three animal sounds recorded on the tape recorder. (3 points)

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

Answer: A) Purple loosestrife, B) Galerucella calmariensis, C) Wood ducks, D) carnivore (weak incisors, long, sharp canines for holding live prey, and molars for slicing meat), E) TBD, F) TBD, G) 1. 2. 3.

Page 47 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______RED RIVER TRAIL

Stop 15:

_____ Aquatics - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Climate change predictions to Prairie climate claim what type of changes to rainfall and temperature?

______

______

Answer: Less rain, more heat Source: Aquatics Binder, page 56

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 10 Points 10 EQUIPMENT PROVIDED

Which of the fur trade post sites noted on the attached map are actual former long-standing major fur-trading post sites, which are minor winter houses, and which are completely fictitious locations? Keep in mind that prior to the 1840s most of the posts were supplied by canoe and York Boat; after 1830 Red River Cart brigades increasingly were used to transport goods; and that the open prairie produced few valuable fur-bearing animals but was important as a source of pemmican.

Identify 5 major sites; 3 minor sites and 2 fictitious sites.

A) Five (5) major sites: (5 points)

______

______

______

______

Page 48 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) Three (3) minor sites: (3 points)

______

______

______

C) Two (2) fictitious sites (2 points):

______

______

Answer: (Correct locations are all strategically located at the junctions of major water systems, except on the southern open prairies.)

Major sites Minor sites. Fictitious sites. 1: Fort Edmonton 6. Touchwood Hills House 2. non-site 3. Cumberland House 8. Ft. Quappelle 7. non-site 4. Fort. Carlton 9. Moose Mountain House 10. non-site 5. Fort. Pelly 13. Manitoba House 12. non-site 11. Nelson House 14. Riding Mountain House 15. Fort Ellice 16. Brandon House 17. Fort Garry 18. North Ft. Pembina Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 2.0.1 & 2.0.2

_____ Forestry - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 A) ‘Secondary Fibre’ is… (1 point)

______

______

______

B) Give an example. (1 point) ______

______

Page 49 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Answers: A) Fibre used as a raw material B) Recyled newspaper used in making new paper or carboard. Source: Binder Glossary, page 43

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 What is a grassed waterway and what is it used for?

______

______

Answers: A grassed waterway is a broad, shallow, grass lined channel designed to carry runoff water, while minimizing water erosion effects. Used to prevent or reduce water erosion effects and prevent gully formation within fields. Source: Prairie Soils: The Case for Conservation, page 5

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Name two (2) animal species that are currently listed as endangered in Manitoba.

______

______

Answers: Baird’s sparrow, Burrowing owl, Eskimo curlew, Loggerhead shrike, Peregrine falcon, Piping plover, Whooping crane, Uncas skipper Source: Wildlife Binder, page 40

Page 50 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 16:

_____ Aquatics – Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Climate appears to be the single most important factor controlling the

______in Canadian lakes.

Answer: Biodiversity Source: Climate Change and Lake Winnipeg

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 Why are there so few visible sites and structures remaining from the Native occupation/land use as historical sites? Circle the one correct answer.

a) With agricultural settlement, most sites were destroyed when the land was developed into farmland.

b) Natives lived a nomadic lifestyle and followed the sources of food and shelter as the seasons changed and availability of vegetation and wildlife changed with it. Thus structures were temporary and made of natural materials, which decomposed rapidly after the site was abandoned.

c) The Native populations lived in complete harmony with the land and their lifestyle was virtually silent on the land.

d) When moving to new camps, the old sites were completely cleaned up so as to not frighten the wildlife away with human disturbances. When they returned to the campsite the next year, the wildlife would still be in the area and available for a source of food.

e) The annual spring fires set by the Native would erase most evidence of campsite locations.

f) Aboriginal populations are more concerned with ceremonial activities and not so much physical sites. All land is considered sacred and in most aboriginal cultures individual sites are not given special designations.

Answer: a) Source: Crow Wing Study, section 2.0

Page 51 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) The Bur Oak is one of the dominant tree species living on the tall grass prairie. It is able to survive wild fires, when aspen would die. Explain why. (1 point)

______

______

B) List and explain the main method that trembling aspen use to reproduce? (1 point)

______

______

Answers: A) The bark is tougher and able to withstand the extreme temperatures, B) Cloning – Main tree sends suckers up from its roots creating more trees surrounding it which are genetically identical. Source: TGP Brochure

Soils - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 Using the Canadian System of Soil Classification (CSSC) provided, key out the soil to the subgroup level. (Hint: Not a Podzol).

A) Soil Order (2 points)

______

B) Great Group (2 points)

______

C) Subgroup (2 points)

______

D) What is the depth of the Ah horizon (1 point)

______

Page 52 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______E) Does the B horizon contain carbonates? (1 point)

______

F) Using Table 8 in the CSSC what would this soil be classified as using the U.S. system? (2 points)

______

Answers: TBD Sources: Spring Workshop, 2005 and CSSC

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What are 2 key features of Conservation Agreements?

______

______

Answers: The landowner retains ownership of the land, the CA identifies the habitats on the property that are to remain protected, allowing various land uses as long as the habitat is protected. When a CA is signed a caveat is placed on the land title. The habitat protection defined by the CA remains in place when the land changes hands. Source: Envirothon binder

Page 53 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 17:

_____ Aquatics - 10 Points 10 A) Complete the crossword puzzle: (8 points)

Down 1. name of karst dependent species that have evolved to living exclusively in the total darkness of caves 2. karst is shaped by dissolving action of water on ______bedrock 3. the process of karst formation involves what is referred to as the "______cascade". 4. a surface karst feature 5. a subsurface karst feature

Across 6. Wigwam/teepee used by ______people for shelter 7. features commonly found hanging from cave ceiling 8. upper layer of karst topography

B) What do the subsurface drainage systems of karst lack that can result in harmful substances or materials having the potential to seriously affect karst environments, human water supplies, and important fish rearing streams? (2 points)

______

______

Page 54 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Answers: A) 6. Aboriginal, 7. stalactites, 8. Epikarst, 1. Troglobite, 2. carbonate, 3. carbon dioxide, 4. Sinkhole, 5. cave B) lack many cleansing and filtering mechanisms of surface streams. Source: Aquatics binder; Karst in B.C. web material

Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 The Roseau Rapids site twelve (12) miles northeast of the Roseau River Indian Reserve has long been an important habitation site for First Nations Peoples, having been used by the Assiniboine and later Ojibwa. What was so useful and attractive about this site? ______

______

Answer: The areas of the rapids provided shallow water with a firm bottom, making it an ideal location for fishing and crossing the river, and the sheltered riverbottom forest along the Roseau River provided a source of firewood, building material and useful and edible plants. Source: Crow Wing Study section 2.1

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) is what? (1 point)

______

______

______

______

B) What can it be compared to? (1 point)

______

______

______

Page 55 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Answers: A) amount that can be harvested annually based on the growth of the forest, B) spending the interest on a bank account without touching the principal. Source: Mb’s Forests.

Soils - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 A) What is the predominant soil (class and subclass) in the NE¼ 15-13-15WPM? (1 point)

______

B) What is the limitation as stated by the map legend? (1 point)

______

Answers: A) 5s, B) One or more of the following – undesirable structure, low permeability, a restricted rooting zone because of soil characteristics, low natural fertility, low moisture holding capacity, salinity Sources: Canada Land Inventory – Soil Capability for Agriculture, Neepawa Map Sheet

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Define ecology. ______

______

Answer: Ecology is the science of the environment, the study of how the world works as a unit. It is the study of organisms in their home, a study of the structure and workings of nature and of the relationships and interactions among living things and their surroundings. Source: Wildlife Binder, page 4.

Page 56 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 18:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 During respiration, producers, consumers, and decomposers use oxygen to ‘burn up’ foods, like compound X produced during photosynthesis. Name the four (4) major end products of respiration. (0.5 points each)

______+ ______+ ______+ ______

Answers: Any order: Carbon dioxide, water, heat energy, biological energy (ATP). Source: Aquatics Binder, page 13

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 10 Points 10 EQUIPMENT PROVIDED

During earlier decades, it was often quite obvious as to who were the original settlers of a region when one was traveling through rural Manitoba. Language, dress, food, social customs, domestic and religious architecture were very telling. With major changes in rural population and economy the landscape has been so altered that it sometimes takes a knowing eye to see the old ‘ethnic’ landmarks. However some of these signs are still on the landscape, as illustrated and discussed in the Crow Wing Study.

A) On the map attached from of the Crow Wing study region report and provided at this stop, identify the numbered regions with the appropriate settlement group. (Ukrainian, Mennonite, Scandinavian, Cree, Icelandic, Jewish, French, Sioux, Anglo- American, Anglo-Ontarian, German, Belgium, Romanian, Ojibwa) (8 points)

1. Anglo-Ontarian 5. Ukrainian 2. French 6. German 3. Mennonite 7. Icelandic 4. Anglo-American 8. Ojibwa

Page 57 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Insert map to be completed by students.

Page 58 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) The early homesteaders and settler groups in Manitoba, were fortunate to have been able largely to choose the districts and lands they wanted to purchase or lay claim to. Distinct cultural groups like the Métis, Anglo- Ontario, French, Icelandic and Mennonites were among the earliest of Manitoba's ethnic mosaic to take up land start farms and build communities. Different groups were drawn to different types of physical environments for cultural reasons.

In general terms, what was it about the physical nature of the land that attracted the Icelanders to the Interlake and the Mennonites to the open prairie land of south-central Manitoba, and the early homesteaders from Ontario to select land in southwestern Manitoba? (2 points)

______

______

______

Answers: Short answer: Each selected physical environments reminiscent to their former homelands. Detailed answer: The Icelanders hoped to recreate their traditional Icelandic livelihood of fishing & livestock grazing on the eastern shores of Lake Winnipeg. The Mennonites had been living in small religious colonies on the open steppes of southern Russia, near Crimea for more than a century. Their hard-working and semi-communal way of life made for a group support system which allowed them to survive, and even thrive on the open prairie – a landscape that other early settlers to Manitoba clearly avoided. The early Anglo-Ontario settlers much preferred homesteads containing a combination of timber land, close to river or major body of water, and with hilly or rolling topography - just as much of southern Ontario was, from which they came. Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 5.1 & 5.4

Page 59 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 Name four (4) benefits that forest fires create in the forest? (0.5 point each)

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Answers: reduces dead and dry organic matter, stimulates new growth, exposes mineral soil, stimulates germination of certain species, reduced fire hazard by reducing litter accumulation. Source: Fire Ecology

Soils - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 A) Identify the structure of the sample provided. (1 point)

______

B) What soil Order would one most likely encounter such structure? (1 point)

______

Answers: A) Columnar, B) Solonetzic Source: Spring Workshop, 2005

Page 60 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 A) In North America, what animals became extinct due to the lack of hunting laws? (1 point)

______

______

B) What was the key in the development of all future wildlife management in North America? (1 point)

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______

Answer: Passenger pigeons and wild buffalo The shift from private ownership to public ownership was key. Source: Wildlife Binder, page 4.

Page 61 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 19:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 Explain why cyanobacteria are important in waters that have been polluted with phosphorus additions.

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Answers: i. If P is added to water, cyanobacteria play the major role in nutrient accumulation, even in the absence of extra nitrogen. (If nitrogen is limiting, cycanobacteria produce special nitrogen-fixing structures called “heterocycsts” to compensate – Inside the heterocysts atmospheric inert dinitrogen is converted into ammonium which can be assimilated by the cyanobacterium into amino acid, which in turn are used to produce protein for cell growth). ii. Because cyanobacteria have a selective advantage over other photosynthetic organisms (i.e. they can bind iron, they produce toxins which prevents predation by zooplankton, they tolerate pH extremes, etc.), they will contribute toward massive blooms promoting eutrophication. Source: Microorganisms in Aquatic Environments, page 629

Page 62 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 Beginning in the 1830s, long ‘trains’ of Red River Carts began to be extensively used for transporting trade goods and furs between the Hudson Bay Company inland headquarters at Upper Fort Garry at The Forks and the many posts located throughout the western prairies. The carts were made entirely of wood and leather straps, had two large wheels, were capable of carrying as much as four (4) packhorses could, and were pulled by a single ox and driven most often by Métis. The cart was ideally suited for transporting goods on the prairies and in the parkland areas.

Provide two (2) reasons why the Red River Cart's was such an effective and much-used vehicle in its time (e.g. the success of the Ox-driven Red River Cart as a transport vehicle).

______

______

______

______

Answers: Any two of the following: 1. Being all wood, construction material for repairs and replacement wheels could be made almost anywhere you found wooded bluffs or 'river bottom' forest growth. 2. Being all wood and sufficiently large enough, they could be converted into a raft for river crossings, by lashing the wheels to the underside of the cart box. 3. In dire straits, when game for food could not be found, you could eat one ox. 4. The carts could easily be maneuvered into a defensive circle. With the Métis and Sioux both competing over dwindling bison herds, encounters and skirmishes on the buffalo hunting grounds were not unusual during the 1850s and 1860s. 5. The carts were relatively easily made, and consequently many Métis built their own vehicles and hired themselves out to the fur trade companies, explorers, scientists, hunters and a growing host of people traveling across the western plains. Freighting by Red River Cart was a major industry and employer of the Métis during the latter half of the 19th century. Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 5.1 & 3.8

Page 63 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) What does the term ‘fire exclusion’ mean? (1 point)

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______

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B) What is its common result? (1 point)

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______

Answers: A) removing or controlling fires and remove its influence from the landscape, B) allows fuel build up which creates large, fires could become more severe and harder to control. Source: Forests of Manitoba

_____ Soils - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 A) Soils can regain lost carbon by reabsorbing it from the atmosphere. This

process is called ______.

B) Climate change will impact soil quality. Warmer temperatures speed the

breakdown of ______, which is critical to soil fertility,

water retention and crop production.

Answers: A) carbon sequestration B) soil organic matter Source: Soils Binder, pages 41-42

Page 64 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Wildlife - 10 Points 10 A) List and discuss two (2) benefits of burning this tall grass prairie garden every two (2) to three (3) years? (2 points)

______

______

______

______

B) List and discuss two (2) concerns of burning this prairie garden. (2 points)

______

______

______

C) Is it possible to successfully reestablish a complete tall grass prairie ecosystem within this garden area? (2 points)

______

______

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D) Name two (2) plant species found on the Tall Grass Prairie that are listed as endangered species in Manitoba. (2 points)

______

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Page 65 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

E) List two (2) factors that have led to their endangered status. (2 points)

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______

Answers: A) Reduce the accumulation of dead material, allowing sun to penetrate the soil for regrowth. Reduce competition from week plants (non-native). Return nutrients back into soil. B) Could burn out forest area if not controlled, could pose hazard to people living around park. C) No, we can not create an entire ecosystem. We do not know all of the intricate relationships and components. This area is too small for plants and animals to flourish on a natural basis. Most of the key mammals (bison/elk/plains grizzly, etc.) are gone. We can plant some representations of this ecosystem, but not all. D) Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, Small White Lady’s slipper or Great Plains Ladies’-tresses. E) Habitat reduction due to agriculture and urbanization, competition from non-native plant species, decrease in pollinator numbers. Source: TGP Brochure, Spring Workshop and Wildlife Binder

Page 66 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 20:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 The aquatic “microbial loop” is a concept that illustrates the essential roles of bacteria in water ecosystems. Name the two (2) major roles: ______

______

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Answers: i. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) released by phytoplankton is used by bacteria as nutrient, resulting in bacterial growth. Bacteria then enter the food chain to become food for protozoa. (Bacteria become part of the aquatic food web). ii. Particulate organic matter (POM) from dead plan/ animals and detritus is decomposed (mineralized) by the bacteria into inorganic compounds (phosphorus, nitrogen) as essential nutrients for primary producers (phytoplankton). (Bacteria mineralize organic matter into inorganic matter). Source: Appendix: Microorganisms in aquatic environments, page 620

_____ Cultural Landscapes – 2 Points 2 There are few sites in the Crow Wing Study Region that can be considered as an example of a ‘managed’ cultural landscape. On such, a small but superb example, is located near the community of St. Malo. Name this site. ______

______

Answer: St. Malo Roman Catholic Grotto located on the banks of the Rat River. Source: Crow Wing Study

Page 67 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 What is the purpose of a preharvest survey? (2 points)

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Answer: identifies values in an attempt to mitigate impacts of forest management activities on sensitive sites, waterways, wetlands, wildlife and their habitat and conserve biodiversity. Source: PHSurveys.

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A) What happens when materials with a high C:N ratio are added to the soil? (1 point)

______

______

B) What will potentially happen to a growing crop if this occurs? (1 point)

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______

Answers: A) Nitrogen will be tied up. B) Reduced amount of nitrogen available to a crop. Source: Soil Management, page 26

Page 68 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Wildlife - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) Identify the plant provided. (2 points)

______

B) What factors and forces shaped the original tall grass prairie ecosystem? List four (4) and briefly explain what effect they each had on shaping this ecosystem. (8 points)

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Answers: A) TBD B) Fire: reduced aspen and shrub encroachment, cleared away dead material allowing rapid regrowth of vegetation, nutrients released back into the soil. Glaciation: changed topography of region, deposition of soils, new drainage systems. Grazing mammals: reduced encroachment of aspen, spread seeds, fertilizer, stimulate growth of vegetation. Precipitation: Determine what type of vegetation will grow in what region. Tall Grass Prairie evolved in Southeastern Manitoba with over 50 cm of annual precipitation, Short Grass Prairie in Southwestern Manitoba evolved on 25 to 50 cm of annual precipitation. Sources: A) TGP Brochure B) TGP Brochure

Page 69 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 21:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 Aquatic plants are typically divided into four major categories based on where they normally grow and their shape. Identify two of these categories and provide the name of a plant found in each (e. g. Free-floating plants – duckweed). (0.5 point each)

Category: Plant:

______

______

Answers: Emergent plants: cattails, iris, bur-reed, brush sedge, bullrush, spikerush, arrowhead, pickerelweek; Floating Leaf Plants: water lily, lotus; Submersed Plants; naiad, waterweed, pondweed, coontail, milfoil Source: Aquatics binder - Through the Looking Glass: A Field Guide to Aquatic Plants

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 Big Blue Stem, one of the dominant grasses of the tall grass prairie, grows to a height of 2 metres tall, while its roots reach a depth of 4 metres into the soil.

In what ways was this plant used by settlers? List and describe two uses.

______

______

Answer: Build sod huts from cutting the roots and soil into bricks, roofing from stems Source: TGP Brochure

Page 70 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Forestry - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 Tree Measurements Using the Suunto and Diameter Tape provided, measure the trees indicated. Record your measurements in the spaces provided and using the volume table provided, calculate the trees volume and determine which tree has more total volume.

Tree A:

Diameter (dbh): ______cm (2 points)

Height (h): ______m (2 points)

Volume: ______(m3) (0.5 point)

Tree B:

Diameter (dbh): ______cm (2 points)

Height (h): ______m (2 points)

Volume: ______(m3) (0.5 point)

Largest Volume: ______(1 point)

Answers: To be determined Source: Forestry Equipment at Spring Workshop

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A) What is tillage erosion? (1 point)

______

______

Page 71 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) On what areas of a landscape would tillage erosion most likely occur? (1 point)

______

______

Answer: Soil moving downslope via gravity as a result of tillage equipment Sloping lands Source: Soil Management, page 46

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What are two (2) of the problems associated with an over population of geese?

______

______

Answer: Geese nesting or feeding in an urban area can cause significant damage to lawns, parks, golf courses and even nearby agricultural crops. Without doubt, good droppings foul lawns and sidewalks and can degrade water quality on urban lakes and reservoirs, posing a threat to human health. As well, increasing numbers of geese around the Winnipeg International Airport can be dangerous to arriving and departing aircraft. Geese are major source of several pathogenic microorganisms, Cryptosporidium, E. coli (Workshop brochure). Source: Wildlife Binder, page 41.

Page 72 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 22:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 During the summer stagnation period deep lakes can be divided into three layers based on water temperature. Name them and identify their vertical sequence.

______

______

______

Answer: Top to bottom - epilimnion, metelimnion or thermocline and hypolimnion Source: Aquatics binder, page 11

Cultural Landscapes - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) The riverlot land survey system was characterized by long narrow lots fronting on a river or other body of water with a road paralleling the course of the river and traversing each lot. An area consisting of a number of adjacent riverlots was normally known as a parish and had a church centrally located within the riverlot parish to serve the residents of the settlement. The riverlot system, first used in 1812 in what is now Manitoba, was used to facilitate the creation and establishment of the Red River Settlement near The Forks. It was an idea imported by Lord Selkirk, the colony’s founder, from where? (2 points)

______

______

B) On the attached map of the Lorette district, note the different distribution pattern of farms and rural residences in the township surveyed areas versus the parish riverlot areas. This riverlot system has several intrinsic advantages over the township. Name two advantages. (2 points)

______

______

Page 73 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

C) Given that the Canadian government of the day was keen on getting the transcontinental railway completed and the prairies filled with settlers as quickly as possible, what advantage was there to use the township system rather than the parish-long-lot system? (2 points)

______

______

D) The commencement in 1869 of the Dominion Survey precipitated the Métis-led Red River ‘Uprising’ or the Red River ‘Resistance’, as it was viewed in eastern Canada. What about the commencement of the Dominion survey so incensed the Métis population that they, by show of force, stopped the survey crews and forced a confrontation with the Dominion Government and Ontario over the issue? (2 points)

______

______

E) Of what social/cultural value are significant cultural landscapes to society? (2 points)

______

______

Answers: A) The Seigniorial land holding system commonplace in Quebec. B) Answer any two of the following:  Neighbours are closer, better for social and community development.  Lower cost of providing utilities and roads as development is linear and concentrated rather than dispersed.  More equitable access to rivers for water supply and transportation.  The riverlot system was familiar to homesteaders from Quebec, and helped to create a more familiar and comfortable landscape for the new settlers. C) The uniformity of the township system made it relatively easy to survey and to administer. The township plan could be laid down on the land easily and quickly, regardless of the physical landform. All parcel sizes were identical (160 acres), and the checkerboard system permitted individual quarter sections to be easily identified. Being most often oriented according to river course, the riverlot

Page 74 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______parish boundaries were irregularly shaped, and the individual parcels within them usually varied in length, width and area making them difficult to administer. D) The crews were spreading rumours that the existing informal riverlot survey in the Red River Valley used for several generations by the Métis and the Red River colonists was to be ignored and surveyed over into townships, and that the Métis were to be dispossessed of their undeeded land holdings. E) Cultural landscapes give us a sense of place by revealing our relationship with the land over time. Sources: A) Crow Wing Study, Section 4.0 B) Crow Wing Study, Section 4.0.3 C) Crow Wing Study, Section 4.0 D) Crow Wing Study, Section 4.0 E) Managing Cultural Landscapes 2005 handout, page 10

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 List two components of a Model Forest.

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Answers: Should include two of the following:  a diverse partnership of stakeholders and rights holders  a large-scale working model of sustainable forest management  site for developing and applying new knowledge and technologies  a focus for promoting ecologically sound forest management practices  a consensus-driven partnership working with shared decision-making to achieve social, environmental and economic sustainability in forest management  a creator of on-the-ground solutions addressing local needs and global concerns  a place where communities and traditional knowledge play a role in forest management  a link in a network to facilitate an exchange of ideas and approaches to sustainable forest management Source: Forestry binder, Canada's Model Forest Program web site

Page 75 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______Soils - 2 Points 2 A) What soil Order is prevalent in the Red River Valley allowing shrinking and cracking in dry periods resulting in deep cracks filling with topsoil? (1 point)

______

B) What is the most significant characteristic of these soils? (1 point)

______

Answer: Vertisol High clay content Source: Soils and Vegetation 2203/6, Lab Reading #3, page 22

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Name four (4) main problems encountered by wildlife living within a cultural landscape?

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Answer: Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation, introduction of new species. Source: Theme binder, page 29

Page 76 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 23:

Aquatics - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 Using the key provided at this stop, identify the invertebrates. You may use common or scientific names. (1 point each)

A) ______

B) ______

Answers: A) TBD B)TBD Source: Aquatics Binder

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 Virtually all bridges constructed after the 1950s, featured flat decks without large overhead steel or timber trusses, or above-deck concrete arches. What was one major reason for the change in design? Was it simply a matter of new and stronger construction materials?

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Answer: As farm tractors and cultivation equipment got large and larger, they could no longer pass over the old style bridges with their equipment. Constant complaints and accidents prompted government engineers to design wide, low-sided bridges. Source: Crow Wing Study, section 6.3

_____ Forestry - 10 Points 10 A) An Ecoregion is? (2 points)

______

______

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Page 77 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) King’s Park falls within which Ecoregion of Manitoba? (2 points)

______

C) Name two (2) of the top three (3) tree species in Manitoba in terms of growing stock volume. (2 points)

______

______

D) Approximately what percentage of Manitoba’s annual allowable cut is harvested annually? Circle the correct response. (2 points)

a) 25%

b) 45%

c) 65%

d) 85%

E) List four (4) non-timber forest products. (2 points)

______

______

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______

Answers: A) a broad area that shows similarities in geography, climate and vegetation B) Lake Manitoba Plain C) Trembling Aspen, Black Spruce, Jack Pine D) a) (25%) E) mushrooms, berries, herb and medicinal plants, maple syrup, ecotourism, Xmas trees (and others check with Glenn) Source: Manitoba’s Forests

Page 78 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 Circle the correct response.

A) With respect to field crops, barley has a ______salt tolerance. (1 point)

high low

B) With respect to forage crops, tall wheatgrass has a ______salt tolerance. (1 point)

high low

Answer: high, high Source: Soils ’84, Salinity and Drainage, page 6

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Explain why moose, a large mammal in the boreal forest, relies more on auditory calling than any other sense in order to locate a mate?

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Answer: Because of dense cover, sound is more important. It is very difficult to locate other moose due to the limited view in the dense boreal forest. Source: April Workshop

Page 79 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 24:

Aquatics - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 Identify the external feature on this fish. (1 point)

______

What is the function of this feature? (1 point)

______

Answers: A) lateral line B) sensory system that detects vibrations in the water around the fish. Source: Aquatics Binder page 34

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 10 Points 10 EQUIPMENT PROVIDED

With widespread settlement in the Red River Valley and throughout southern Manitoba, the vegetation, wildlife patterns and zones began to change. Among the most dramatic over the long run, but yet largely going unnoticed involved the cutting down of the river-bottom forests. The open prairie did not escape unaffected, either.

A) Name six (6) types of human activity that affected the natural vegetation and wildlife populations of the Red River valley. (Example: The use of DDT as an insecticide by farmers during the 1950s almost extinguished the eagles and osprey populations in southern Manitoba). (6 points)

______

______

______

______

______

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Page 80 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

B) The Ukrainians were the last of the large pioneer settlement groups to take up land in Manitoba. Even the earliest of the Ukrainian settlers who arrived in 1896, were too late to have much of a choice of districts in which to homestead. The only available land left was in the so-called Aspen Parkland zone, in southeastern Manitoba, the Interlake and Parkland regions, on land frequently described as being nothing more than a jumbled mix of ‘bush, swamp and stone’. Yet the Ukrainians willingly, even eagerly, settled in the Parkland, in areas earlier settlers had tried to make a living off of, but abandoned after only a few years if trying.

What was it about the Ukrainian peasant society and their situation that made these lands so attractive to them? (2 points)

______

______

C) What are some of the physical landmarks on the rural Manitoba landscape which give clues to the cultural background of district's original settlers. Name two (2) of these. (2 points)

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Answers: Any 6 of the below:  Riverbottom forests cut down to fuel steam-wheelers on the Red. From 1850s to 1900s lots of firewood needed for this purpose. Another purpose was for firewood for domestic heating and cooking.  Riverbottom forests cut down for timbers and lumber for building purposes.  Riverbottom forests cut down for field crop production.  Introduced diseases such as Dutch Elm Disease, and noxious plants like Purple Loosestrife, Canada Thistle, and Wild Oats brought in by settlers spreading without check and forcing out indigenous species.  Tree plantings. Shelterbelts planted around homesteads and fields to help prevent wind blown soil erosion. Wide-open spaces, miles across, become less common.  Forest expansion. With end of frequent prairie fires, willow, aspen and other deciduous trees began to grow in uncultivated areas, such as unused road allowances and coulees.

Page 81 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______ Marshlands and fields drained for field crop production. Improved drainage adds to annual spring flooding on the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.  Large decrease in natural plant species, with conversion of natural prairie into wheat fields, reducing insect, bird, and mammalian populations.  The ploughing up of the open prairie and conversion in to cropland.  Stream straightening and digging drainage systems impact fish spawning habitat. B) Anything touching on the following: For the self-reliant peasant Ukrainian immigrant, the spruce, swamp and stone covered lands, provided rich resources of building materials, firewood, grazing lands, and wildlife for hunting and edible mushrooms and berries, etc. for food. The land provided all the materials for a subsistence level lifestyle which was all the Ukrainian settlers could afford upon arrival. Without the large sums of capital needed to develop and farm the open prairies, the 'bush' provided the poor Ukrainian settlers with a variety of natural resources they could use to build small but productive farms and a better life for they children. C) Possible answers:  Town names.  Street names.  Cultural traits of early buildings, especially churches.  Billboards for cultural festivals & town mascot statues  Historical cairns  Cemeteries & war memorials  School names  Section Road names Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 5.0 & 5.5

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 Circle the correct response.

A) What percentage of Canada’s forests are publically owned? (1 point)

d) 24%

e) 44%

f) 74%

g) 94%

1. Rutting potential is: (1 point)

a) the ability of moose to successfully mate

Page 82 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______b) the susceptibility of an area to be damaged by repeat passage of machinery

c) the damage caused to hiking trails by inappropriate mountain bike use

Answer: A) d) 94% B) b) the susceptibility of an area to be damaged by repeat passage of machinery Sources: A) WBNTK B) Binder, PHS Glossary, page 46

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 True or false?

A) Emergency tillage is a good method of reducing wind erosion potential when there is no cover crop and no straw on the field.

True False

B) Justify your response. (1 point)

______

______

Answer: A) True, B) Emergency tillage can be effective in reducing wind erosion potential as it can serve to roughen the surface of the soil. Source: Soils ’84, Conservation, page 8

Page 83 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What are the contrasts between Wilderness Reserves and Ecological Reserves?

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______

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Answer: Wilderness reserves are large areas, few in number, designed to protect significant portions of our wild landscape. People can hunt, fish, travel or otherwise experience and appreciate a natural environment. Ecological reserves are much smaller, but more plentiful in number. They provide areas for scientific research and the conservation of habitat for rare or endangered plant and animal species, and a standard by which development in other areas may be measured. There is no hunting or trapping allowed. Source: Wildlife Binder, page 12.

Page 84 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 25:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 The hydrologic cycle describes how water moves through the earth’s atmosphere, over the earth’s surface and through the earth’s surface materials. Name four of these water movements. (0.5 point each)

______

______

______

______

Answer: Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation, Surface Runoff, Percolation, Groundwater Flow, Streamflow Source: Aquatics, page 25

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 Why is it that dairying developed so early and persisted for so long in the study area? Consider what geographic advantage the region possessed over such places as Dauphin or Portage la Prairie.

______

______

______

______

Answer: Its strategic location in terms of proximity to a large urban centre. Its close proximity to Winnipeg, and the fact that the province's first railroad into Winnipeg passed through the region, making daily shipments possible led to the early development of the dairy industry in southeastern Manitoba. Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 7.0 & 7.4

Page 85 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

_____ Forestry - 10 Points 10 A) How many European tree feeding insect species have successfully invaded North America? Circle the correct response. (2 points)

a) 50

b) 100

c) 200

d) 300

B) How many North American tree feeding insect species have successfully invaded Europe? Circle the correct response. (2 points)

a) 14

b) 24

c) 34

d) 44

C) Alien species share these characteristics: (4 points - 1 point each)

______

______

______

______

D) Name two (2) introduced pests which have had or have the potential to cause major impacts on Canadian forests. (2 points)

______

______

Page 86 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Answers: A) d (300) B) c (34) C) generalists, reproduce quickly, disperse widely tolerate broad range of habitat, general lack of predators, resist eradication once established, D) gypsey moth, DED, asian longhorned beetle, spruce sawfly larcj sawfly, chestnut blight, sclerroderis canker, many more, check with Glenn. Source: Alien Forest Pests

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 A number of dead patches of grass can be seen at this location. Given the location, what may be causing this phenomenon?

______

______

______

______

Answer: Urine spots caused by nitrogen burning at off-leash dog park. Source: Observation

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Name two (2) animals that would respond to the sound of an injured animal such as the rabbit.

______

______

Answer: fox, coyote, hawks, and other raptors Source: April workshop

Page 87 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Stop 26:

Aquatics - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 A) What is the common name of this non-indigenous aquatic species? (1 point)

______

B) From the list provided circle the non-indigenous aquatic species that are known to occur in Manitoba. (1 point)

a. Eurasion ruffe

b. Common carp

c. Spiny waterflea

d. Rainbow smelt

e. Eubosmina coregoni (cladoceran)

f. Round goby

Answers: A) zebra mussel, B) b) common carp, d) rainbow smelt, e) Eubosmina coregoni Source: Aquatics Binder, pages 44-47

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 With the onset of World War II and rationing, sugar became an increasingly scarce commodity, prompting a number of farmers in the Red River Valley to begin cultivating sugar beets. A processing plant was built in Winnipeg and for over forty (40) years sugar beet production was an important agricultural industry in the Red River valley, before abruptly shutting down in the mid-1990s. What factor, natural or otherwise killed the industry in Manitoba - even though just south of the border in North Dakota, sugar beets continue to be an important cash crop?

______

______

Page 88 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

______

______

Answer: The one Manitoba based sugar beet processing plant was bought out and closed by its main competitor, Roger’s Sugar of Alberta, when it consolidated all of its operations in southern Alberta. Source: Crow Wing Study, sections 7.5

_____ Forestry - 2 Points 2 A) Globally, what percentage of vertebrates that are thought to be in danger of extinction are threatened by invasive species? Circle the correct response. (1 point)

a) 10

b) 20

c) 30

d) 40

B) True or False? Manitoba’s Initial Attack system relies heavily on fire prediction, fire weather conditions and available suppression resources. Circle the correct response. (1 point)

T F

Answer: A) (20) B) T Source: Alien Forest Pests

_____ Soils - 2 Points 2 True or false?

A) Because phosphorus fertilizers are water soluble, when applied to the soil, the fertilizer phosphate can move considerable distances (40-60 cm) (16-24 inches) with the movement of the water. Circle the correct response. (1 point)

True False

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B) Justify your response. (1 point)

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Answer: False, nitrate can move considerable distances Source: Soils ’84, Soil Fertility, page 12

_____ Wildlife – 10 Points 10 List five (5) reasons why animals vocalize. Provide an example for each. (2 points each)

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Answer:  to assemble the group - crows, coyotes  to locate lost offspring - deer, elk  to locate a mate - moose, deer  to lure or invite others to a feeding site - ducks, geese  because of pain, injury - rabbit Source: April workshop

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Stop 27:

_____ Aquatics - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is transported to water bodies by runoff. DOC is important to the health of aquatic organisms. It prevents the penetration of harmful ultraviolet radiation into the water column. A lack of DOC from reduced precipitation has resulted in sun burned fish in some Canadian lakes. Name a group of natural pigments that function as DOC in our freshwater bodies.

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Answer: Tannins Source: Climate Change and Water, Aquatics Binder

_____ Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points 2 The ox-cart trails developed by the fur traders during the mid 1800s continued to be used and expanded upon right up to the development of the section grid roads and graded highways beginning in the 1920s & 1930s. Name one (1) general characteristic about these early 'wagon trails' that made them useful and efficient for such a long period of time.

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Answer:  They were routed cross country and went directly from post to post, town to town and farmstead to farmstead.  They tended to follow the high ground and gentlest grade. Source: Crow Wing Study, section 6.

_____ Forestry - Climate Change - 2 Points 2 What are two (2) potential local positive effects on forest growth which could result from climate change?

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Page 91 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

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Answers: Longer growing season, increased growth due to increased CO2, changes to precipitation patterns, increased efficiency of water use in plants Source: CC I &A

Soils - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 At this station, you have been provided with a sample of a legume plant root showing prominent structures on the root hairs.

A) Identify this/these structure(s). (2 points)

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B) Name one (1) bacterial genus responsible for forming such a structure. (2 points)

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C) Identify the specific type of symbiotic association this root structure- bacterial relationship represents. (1 point)

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D) Briefly explain the biological significance of this symbiotic association. (2.5 points).

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E) Briefly explain the ecological or ‘practical’ significance of such an association and how it contributes towards a well-managed, sustainable landscape. (2.5 points)

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Answer: A) Root nodule B) Accept any one of the following: Rhizobium Bradyrhizobium Allorhizobium Sinorhizobium Mesorhizobium d) Mutualism e) Bacteria inside the root nodule are able to fix inert atmospheric nitrogen (N) and convert it (i.e. reduce it) to ammonia (NH3), which in turn can b assimilated (taken up by plant cells) to produce amino acids, which in turn will be used to make proteins. f) N is a limiting factor for plant growth, farmers have to apply fertilizer in order to ensure a good crop. If farmers rotate legumes (with nitrogen fixing bacteria) with non-nitrogen fixing crops, they can reduce their fertilizer cost and farm in a more environmentally friendly way. When the legumes are harvested, the root nodules break down releasing any nitrogen that was not utilized by the plant into the soil. The N can subsequently be used by the next crop. Source: Microorganisms in Terrestrial Environments, page 652

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_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 Name four (4) of the eleven (11) wildlife management techniques. (0.5 point each)

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Answer:  Research  Monitoring  Refuges  Management areas  Seasons and bag limits  Habitat management and conservation  Hunting and trapping  Public education  Compliance (laws)  Co-operative, co-management or joint management agreements  Species re-introduction Source: Wildlife binder, page 10.

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Stop 28:

_____ Aquatics - 2 Points 2 List four (4) beneficial environmental services that wetlands provide. (0.5 point each)

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Answer: Clean water, wildlife habitat, reduce flooding, treat wastewater, replenish groundwater, prevent erosion Source: Aquatics Binder, page 50

Cultural Landscapes - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 As the attached map nicely illustrates, during early decades of the 1900s, as railway branch construction reached it zenith in Manitoba most town locations tended to be fairly equal-distantly spaced at about 6-8 miles apart along the railway line, as were the railway line themselves.

What was the significance of this distance, given the common modes of transportation at the time?

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Answer: This was typically the maximum distance that a horse and wagon could travel and return in single day. Source:

Page 95 of 97 2005 Manitoba Envirothon Team Number:______

Forestry - 10 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 10 A) Please age the sample provided. (2 points)

Years: ______

B) Please match the traditional use or term on the left with a definition or species from the right column. (8 points)

Forests Historical or Traditional Use

A Roseau River 1 White Spruce B fence posts 2 spruce pitch C Ile des Chênes 3 Seneca Root D roof shingles 4 logs laid side by side E York boat construction 5 ‘Island of the Oaks’ F glue/waterproofing agent 6 Tamarack G medicinal herb 7 ‘River of Willows’ H ‘corduroy’ road 8 Spruce bark

A = _____ B = _____ C = _____ D = _____ E = _____ F = _____ G = _____ H = _____

Answers: A) 90 years +/- 5 B) A=7, B=6, C=5, D=8, E=1, F=2, G=3, H=4 Sources: CWS, MbForests

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Soils - 2 Points _____ EQUIPMENT PROVIDED 2 Using the hand texturing guide provided, what is the texture of the soil sample? (2 points)

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Answer: TBD Source: Envirothon Workshop

_____ Wildlife - 2 Points 2 What signified the start of the modern fur trade? (0.5 points)

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Name three (3) things aboriginal people used fur bearing mammals for? (0.5 points each) ______

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Answers: Licensing of the Hudson Bay Co. in 1670 Clothing, food and trade goods Source: Envirothon workshop 2005

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