State Forest Service — Assistant Conservator of Forests (state PSC exams) · India · State Public Service Commissions (e.g. TNPSC, MPPSC, UPPSC, HPPSC, KPSC, MPSC)
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersSpecies by species: distribution, site requirements, phenology, regeneration, nursery and planting technique, tending, growth and uses of the important trees of tropical and temperate forestry.
In the exams: IFoS Forestry Paper I Section A (silviculture of named trees, a long species list); ICAR AICE-JRF 59 Unit 2 (Populus, Eucalyptus, Dalbergia, Acacia, Tectona, Shorea, Prosopis, Casuarina, Pinus, Gmelina, Azadirachta and others); state forest service exams
State Forest Service, Range Forest Officer and Forester examinations
Silviculture of the state's important species, nursery and planting practice, and pests.
How our questions for State Forest Service spread across the units of Silviculture of Important Tree Species. Difficulty: 3 easy, 7 medium, 16 hard.
| Teak (Tectona grandis) | 2 | |
| Sal (Shorea robusta) and dipterocarps | 2 | |
| Eucalyptus species | 2 | |
| Poplars (Populus) and willows | 2 | |
| Acacias, Albizia and other leguminous trees | 2 | |
| Casuarina and Gmelina | 2 | |
| Dalbergia, Pterocarpus and other rosewoods | 2 | |
| Sandalwood (Santalum album) | 2 | |
| Neem, Melia dubia, Ailanthus excelsa and Simarouba | 2 | |
| Prosopis, Hardwickia, Anogeissus and dry-zone species | 2 | |
| Pines, deodar and temperate conifers | 2 | |
| Oaks and temperate broadleaves | 2 | |
| Bamboos | 2 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
Why is natural regeneration of teak often scarce?
C. Fire, grazing, weeds and light needs
Teak is a strong light demander and its seedlings are suppressed by weeds and damaged by fire and grazing.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Poplar ETPs are usually planted:
D. In winter in deep auger holes
Poplar entire transplants are planted in winter in deep auger holes so that roots reach moist soil. Monsoon planting in shallow pits, summer planting on ridges and broadcasting do not suit them.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Why do leguminous trees benefit from rhizobial inoculation on some soils?
C. Rhizobia are lacking there
On soils lacking suitable rhizobia, inoculating legume seedlings ensures nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Rhizobia do not kill weeds, legumes can fix nitrogen, and inoculation does not stop flowering.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Why are Casuarina seeds sown in sand beds?
D. The seed is tiny
Casuarina seeds are tiny, so they are sown in fine, well-drained sand beds and the seedlings pricked out. They are not large, not sown a metre deep, and do not need seawater.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Shisham regenerates readily by:
B. Root suckers
Shisham regenerates readily from root suckers and coppice. Serotinous cones, vivipary and bulbils belong to other plants.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Sandal spike disease is caused by:
B. A phytoplasma
Sandal spike disease is caused by an insect-spread phytoplasma; infected trees are removed. It is not a rust fungus, a bark beetle or a nematode.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Neem does not tolerate:
C. Waterlogging and frost
Neem is hardy against drought, poor soils and heat, but does not tolerate waterlogging or frost.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Prosopis juliflora management today combines:
D. Fuel use plus local control
Prosopis juliflora is an invasive introduced species, so management combines harvesting it for fuel and charcoal with control in sensitive areas. Planting it everywhere, protecting it or using it only as an ornamental would worsen the problem.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Why are oaks important to Himalayan village farming?
A. Fodder, fuel and manure
Himalayan oaks supply fodder, fuelwood and leaf litter that villagers use as manure for their fields. They do not produce edible grain, fix nitrogen like legumes, or give tapping resin.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Why is seed propagation of bamboo opportunistic?
B. Seed is rare and short-lived
Bamboo seed appears only after flowering at long intervals and keeps its viability briefly, so seed propagation is opportunistic and vegetative methods dominate. Bamboo seed does not last decades, and bamboos do flower, but not monthly.
Further reading: Troup, The Silviculture of Indian Trees (1921, revised); Luna, Plantation Trees (1996); Evans & Turnbull, Plantation Forestry in the Tropics (3rd ed., 2004)
Ten here, 26 in the app. The Laisha app has every practice question we have written to State Forest Service in this subject, marked as you go, with timed papers, a jump-to-unanswered list and a certificate when you pass at 70 per cent.
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