Joshua Tree National Park - Exam
  • 1. What is the special habitat of Yucca brevifolia?
A) The higher and cooler Mojave Desert
B) The Colorado Desert
C) The lower Coachella Valley
D) Desert saltbush scrub
  • 2. Which tree is the park named after?
A) Cylindropuntia chuckwallensis
B) California juniper
C) Piñon pine
D) Joshua tree
  • 3. What type of geologic displays are found in the western part of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Desert saltbush scrub
B) Interesting geologic displays with hills of bare rock and loose boulders
C) Sandy soil grasslands
D) Natural gardens of cactus
  • 4. What is the average high temperature in spring and fall at Joshua Tree National Park?
A) 85 °F (29 °C)
B) 100 °F (38 °C)
C) 60 °F (16 °C)
D) 75 °F (24 °C)
  • 5. Which season brings freezing nights to Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Spring
B) Summer
C) Fall
D) Winter
  • 6. What is the forecasted temperature increase by 2099 under a high emission scenario?
A) 12 °F
B) 8 °F
C) 10 °F
D) 5 °F
  • 7. What percentage of suitable Joshua tree habitat could be lost under the low emission scenario?
A) 70%
B) 50%
C) 60%
D) 80%
  • 8. Which species' population has decreased due to habitat loss and climate change in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) California fan palm
B) Desert tortoise
C) Quercus cornelius-mulleri
D) Cattle
  • 9. What is the native range of the California fan palm in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Below 3,000 feet (910 m)
B) Throughout the entire park
C) In desert dunes
D) Five oases where water occurs naturally year-round
  • 10. Which invasive plant species contributes to worsening wildfires?
A) Ocotillo
B) Cholla cactus
C) Cheat grass and red brome
D) Desert saltbush
  • 11. What happens to cheat grass and red brome during drier times?
A) They die back but do not quickly decompose
B) They attract more wildlife
C) They thrive and grow rapidly
D) They become dormant and survive underground
  • 12. What was introduced to the park in the 1990s that competes with native grasses?
A) Fountain grass
B) Cheat grass
C) Desert saltbush
D) Cholla cactus
  • 13. What type of habitat is found below 3,000 feet in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Mojave Desert with Joshua trees
B) Colorado Desert with creosote bush scrub and ocotillo
C) Hills of bare rock
D) Lower Coachella Valley with sandy soil grasslands
  • 14. What type of oak is found in the Mojave Desert part of the park?
A) Quercus john-tuckeri (Tucker's oak)
B) Quercus turbinella (desert scrub oak)
C) Quercus cornelius-mulleri (Muller's oak)
D) None of the above
  • 15. What is a notable feature of the flatland between hills in the Mojave Desert?
A) It features natural gardens of cactus
B) It has abundant desert saltbush scrub
C) It is sparsely forested with Joshua trees
D) It is densely populated with piñon pine
  • 16. What is the impact of invasive grasses on wildfires?
A) They prevent wildfires from occurring
B) They make wildfires hotter and more destructive
C) They have no effect on wildfires
D) They reduce the intensity of wildfires
  • 17. What is a consequence of invasive grasses forming a thick layer after wildfires?
A) It creates more oases in the park
B) It makes it harder for pine and oak seedlings to get a foothold
C) It helps native grasses grow better
D) It increases the number of Joshua trees
  • 18. What was one effect of human development on the original vegetation?
A) Cattle grazing reduced natural cover, making it less resistant to changes
B) Human development had no impact on the vegetation
C) It improved the resilience of native plants
D) It increased the number of Joshua trees
  • 19. What is a characteristic of the lower Coachella Valley?
A) Hills of bare rock
B) Creosote bush scrub
C) Sandy soil grasslands and desert dunes
D) Natural gardens of cactus
  • 20. What is the impact of climate change on bird species in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Bird populations have increased significantly
B) Bird species have remained stable
C) There has been no noticeable impact on bird species
D) Bird species have declined 43% according to studies conducted between 1908–1968 and 2013–2016
  • 21. Who persuaded state and federal governments to protect Joshua Tree, leading to its designation as a national monument?
A) The Mojave Desert Land Trust
B) Minerva Hoyt
C) John D. Dingell Jr.
D) Franklin D. Roosevelt
  • 22. Under which act was Joshua Tree National Monument established?
A) John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act
B) National Park Service Act
C) 1906 Antiquities Act
D) Desert Protection Act
  • 23. What was the original size of Joshua Tree National Monument when it was established in 1936?
A) 234,000 acres
B) 290,000 acres
C) 825,000 acres
D) 4,518 acres
  • 24. In what year was the size of Joshua Tree reduced to allow more mining?
A) 1994
B) 1936
C) 1950
D) 2019
  • 25. How much land was added to Joshua Tree National Park under the Desert Protection Act?
A) 234,000 acres
B) 825,000 acres
C) 290,000 acres
D) 4,518 acres
  • 26. In what year did Joshua Tree National Park expand by 4,518 acres?
A) 2019
B) 1950
C) 1994
D) 1936
  • 27. How many acres did the Mojave Desert Land Trust sell to the National Park Service?
A) 4,518 acres
B) 10,290 acres
C) 25,801 acres
D) 234,000 acres
  • 28. In which year was Joshua Tree first declared a national monument?
A) 1772
B) 1936
C) 1994
D) 1823
  • 29. Who were the earliest known residents of the area that became Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Pinto Culture
B) Chemehuevi
C) Serrano
D) Cahuilla
  • 30. What year did the United States take over the territory that includes Joshua Tree National Park?
A) 1776
B) 1848
C) 1823
D) 1936
  • 31. Which group used the local resources while traveling between the Colorado River and the Pacific coast?
A) Serrano
B) Chemehuevi
C) Cahuilla
D) Mojaves
  • 32. What is the name of the reservation owned by the Twentynine Palms Band of Mission Indians?
A) Palm Springs
B) Mojave
C) Indio
D) Twentynine Palms
  • 33. Which mountain range lines the southwest edge of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Santa Rosa Mountains
B) San Gabriel Mountains
C) Sierra Nevada
D) Little San Bernardino Mountains
  • 34. Who led a group of American fur trappers and explorers along the Mojave Trail in 1826?
A) Kit Carson
B) Pedro Fages
C) Jedediah Smith
D) John C. Frémont
  • 35. Which city is approximately 78 miles east of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) San Bernardino
B) Palm Springs
C) Indio
D) Los Angeles
  • 36. What year did Mexico achieve independence from Spain, leading to exploration of the park area?
A) 1776
B) 1848
C) 1936
D) 1823
  • 37. In which year did white settlers begin grazing cattle in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) 1870
B) 1888
C) 1900
D) 1945
  • 38. What was the purpose of 'tanks' like White Tank and Barker Dam built by ranchers?
A) Settlements
B) Rainwater catchments
C) Mining operations
D) Cattle shelters
  • 39. Who improved the original Barker Dam after it was built in 1900?
A) William 'Bill' Keys
B) James B. McHaney
C) Johnny Lang
D) J.D. Ryan
  • 40. Until what year did grazing continue in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) 1888
B) 1975
C) 1900
D) 1945
  • 41. How many pit mines were worked between the 1860s and the 1940s in what later became Joshua Tree National Park?
A) 50
B) 100
C) 500
D) About 300
  • 42. What type of mill did J.D. Ryan install at the Lost Horse Mine?
A) 10-stamp steam-powered mill
B) Two-stamp gasoline-powered mill
C) 8-stamp electric-powered mill
D) 5-stamp diesel-powered mill
  • 43. What type of mill did William 'Bill' Keys move to his ranch in the early 1930s?
A) Gasoline-powered two-stamp mill, the Wall Street Mill
B) Diesel-powered eight-stamp mill
C) Steam-powered ten-stamp mill
D) Electric-powered five-stamp mill
  • 44. In what year was Barker Dam added to the National Register of Historic Places?
A) 1888
B) 1900
C) 1975
D) 1945
  • 45. When was the Desert Queen Mine added to the National Register of Historic Places?
A) 1976
B) 1945
C) 1975
D) 1900
  • 46. What is the plant hardiness zone at the Cottonwood Visitor Center in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) 7a
B) 8b
C) 6b
D) 9a
  • 47. By how much has annual precipitation dropped in Joshua Tree National Park from 1895 to 2016?
A) 10%
B) 39%
C) 50%
D) 25%
  • 48. What is the age of the park's oldest rocks, such as Pinto Gneiss?
A) 1.7 billion years old
B) 75 million years old
C) 250 million years old
D) 100 million years old
  • 49. What tectonic activity has influenced Joshua Tree National Park's geology?
A) Oceanic crust subduction
B) Continental drift causing rift valleys
C) Isostatic rebound from glacial melting
D) Tectonic plate movements forming granites
  • 50. What is the name given to prominent outcrops in Joshua Tree National Park shaped by erosion?
A) Buttes
B) Mesas
C) Inselbergs
D) Canyons
  • 51. How many established campgrounds are there in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Seven
B) Fifteen
C) Nine
D) Twenty-one
  • 52. What type of rock is predominantly found in Joshua Tree National Park for climbing?
A) Basalt
B) Quartz monzonite
C) Limestone
D) Sandstone
  • 53. Which climbing route at Joshua Tree is permanently closed to protect sensitive wildlife?
A) Energy Crisis
B) Yosemite Valley
C) El Capitan
D) Half Dome
  • 54. Which organization designated Joshua Tree a Dark Sky Park in 2017?
A) World Wildlife Fund
B) United Nations Environment Programme
C) National Geographic Society
D) International Dark-Sky Association
  • 55. How many combined plant, fungi, and animal species have been documented within Joshua Tree National Park?
A) About 1,500
B) Around 2,145
C) Over 3,000
D) Less than 1,000
  • 56. Which nocturnal mammal is known for hunting rodents and small animals in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Desert bighorn sheep
B) American barn owl
C) Mountain lion
D) Kangaroo rat
  • 57. Which species is responsible for pollinating the Joshua trees?
A) Monarch butterfly
B) Honeybee
C) Hummingbird
D) Yucca moth (Tegeticula synthetica)
  • 58. Which reptile species is known to spend most of its life buried underground in a state of torpor?
A) Kingsnake
B) Coyote
C) Desert tortoise
D) Red-spotted toad (Bufo punctatus)
  • 59. What is required for overnight camping in the wilderness areas of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) No special requirements
B) Registration at specific locations called registration boards
C) A permit for bicycles
D) Open campfires
  • 60. Which of the following is prohibited in the wilderness areas of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Using a tent
B) Camping with Leave No Trace techniques
C) Open campfires
D) Hiking
  • 61. What must visitors use for cooking in the wilderness areas of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) A camp stove
B) No cooking allowed
C) Solar cookers
D) An open fire
  • 62. Which type of transportation is not allowed in the wilderness areas of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) Bicycles
B) Walking
C) Horses
D) Camels
  • 63. What must be obtained in advance for travel with horses in the backcountry of Joshua Tree National Park?
A) No special requirements
B) A guide
C) A permit
D) A map
  • 64. Who was convicted of vandalizing a boulder in Joshua Tree National Park?
A) A visitor during the 2018-2019 shutdown
B) A park ranger
C) Casey Schreiner
D) André, a graffiti artist
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