AP Environmental Science Full-length practice exam 3

Which factor is a density-DEPENDENT limiting factor for a deer population?

A population of cheetahs shows very little variation in immune system genes, making them highly susceptible to the same diseases. This problem illustrates a loss of:

DDT was banned in the United States in 1972 primarily due to evidence that it:

Wolves were reintroduced to a habitat with an existing deer population of 800. The area's carrying capacity for deer is 600. Based on logistic growth principles, what should happen to the deer population over the next few years even WITHOUT wolves?

The Ogallala Aquifer underlies much of the U.S. Great Plains and is used for agricultural irrigation. It is being depleted at a rate 10–40 times faster than natural recharge. This situation is an example of:

Tropical rainforests cover ~6% of Earth's land surface but contain an estimated 50–80% of all terrestrial species. The primary reason for this extraordinary species richness is:

A farmer in an arid region uses drip irrigation rather than flood irrigation. The primary environmental benefit of drip irrigation is:

The 'tragedy of the commons' concept, as applied to fisheries, predicts that:

Which of the following human demographic trends is associated with Stage 3 of the demographic transition?

Which of the following correctly compares wind energy and hydroelectric energy as electricity sources?

Urbanization increases impervious surface cover (roads, parking lots, buildings). Which hydrological consequence does this MOST directly cause?

A homeowner installs solar panels (photovoltaic cells) on their rooftop. Which of the following accurately describes how they generate electricity?

Which renewable energy source provides the MOST electricity globally and domestically in the United States as of recent years?

Ecological succession on a newly formed volcanic island begins with:

Country X has high birth rates, high death rates, and a young population with rapid growth. Country Y has low birth rates, low death rates, and a stable or slightly declining population. According to the demographic transition model, Country X is in _______ and Country Y is in _______.

A city's sewage treatment plant discharges treated effluent into a river. Primary treatment removes ___; secondary treatment removes ___.

Photochemical smog forms most intensively on hot, sunny, calm days in urban areas. Which pair of precursor pollutants are MOST directly responsible for initiating the formation of ground-level ozone in smog?

LED lighting is more energy efficient than incandescent lighting primarily because:

A population of 1,000 rabbits grows at an annual rate of 3.5%. Using the Rule of 70, approximately how many years will it take for the population to double?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is toxic to humans primarily because it:

The water cycle returns precipitation to the atmosphere through two main processes from the land surface. Which pair correctly names these processes?

Clear-cutting a tropical forest for cattle ranching causes which of the following environmental consequences MOST directly?

Ice core data from Antarctica and Greenland are used as evidence for past climate change. What property of ice cores provides the most direct record of past atmospheric CO₂ concentrations?

Methylmercury in aquatic systems is most hazardous to organisms at the top of the food chain because of:

The Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970 and its amendments established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six 'criteria pollutants.' Which of the following is correctly identified as a criteria pollutant?

Rising global temperatures are shifting the geographic ranges of many species poleward and to higher elevations. A species living on a mountaintop that cannot move higher as temperatures rise faces:

At a convergent boundary where an oceanic plate meets a continental plate, which of the following features is most likely to form?

A landscape ecologist comparing two forest fragments finds that the 100 ha fragment supports more species than the 10 ha fragment. An additional finding is that even within the 100 ha fragment, interior forest species are more abundant than edge-tolerant species. These observations together support the importance of:

A population of 200 squirrels lives in a woodland. Ecologists estimate the carrying capacity of that woodland at 400 squirrels. Using logistic growth, at what population size would the growth rate be at its maximum?

The Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989) and Deepwater Horizon spill (2010) differed in that Deepwater Horizon released oil:

A wildlife biologist documents that in a white-tailed deer population, mortality is highest during the first year of life and then remains relatively low and constant throughout adulthood. This describes a:

A food chain shows: phytoplankton → zooplankton → small fish → tuna. If phytoplankton store 100,000 kcal of energy, approximately how many kcal are available at the tuna level (assuming 10% efficiency at each step)?

A conservation biologist studying wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone observed that elk began avoiding stream banks, allowing willows and aspens to recover. This ripple effect through the ecosystem is an example of:

The tropical rainforest, coral reef, and Mediterranean shrubland are all considered biodiversity hotspots. What TWO criteria define a biodiversity hotspot?

Nuclear fission power plants and coal-fired power plants share which fundamental similarity in how they generate electricity?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports conclude that global warming since 1950 is 'unequivocally' caused primarily by:

In a food web, a hawk eats rabbits, which eat grass. If a disease eliminated 50% of the rabbit population, which of the following is the most likely short-term outcome?

Soil texture is determined by the relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay particles. A soil with 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay is classified as:

A coral reef ecosystem provides habitat for hundreds of fish species and protects coastlines from wave erosion. Which pair of ecosystem service categories does this represent?

Stratospheric ozone is depleted by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Which chemical process explains how a single CFC molecule can destroy thousands of ozone molecules?

A coal-fired power plant converts chemical energy in coal to electricity with an efficiency of 35%. If the plant consumes 1,000 kJ of energy from coal, how much electrical energy is delivered to the grid?

Methane (CH₄) contributes to global warming despite being present at far lower atmospheric concentrations than CO₂. The reason methane is such a significant greenhouse gas concern is that:

Which of the following best describes the biological oxygen demand (BOD) of a water sample?

Dandelions produce thousands of lightweight seeds and have short life spans, reaching maturity quickly. This reproductive strategy classifies them as:

Superfund (CERCLA) sites are designated locations where:

The phosphorus cycle differs from the carbon and nitrogen cycles primarily because phosphorus:

Strip mining for coal removes entire hillsides of overburden to access coal seams near the surface. The most significant long-term water quality problem associated with strip mining is:

A forest has GPP of 2,000 g C/m²/yr and plant respiration of 800 g C/m²/yr. What is the NPP available to consumers?

During a temperature inversion, a layer of warm air traps cooler air (and pollutants) near the ground. This situation most directly worsens which air pollution problem?

A valley along the California coast experiences frequent morning fog that burns off by midday, mild temperatures year-round, wet winters, and dry summers. This climate pattern is characteristic of a:

Which type of rock forms from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava?

A forest fire destroys a pine forest. Five years later, the area is dominated by fast-growing shrubs and grasses. After 50 years, pines re-establish dominance. This process is called:

Geothermal energy for electricity generation is most viable in which locations?

The difference between tropospheric ozone (bad) and stratospheric ozone (good) is primarily:

Biomass energy (e.g., burning wood, crop residues, or biofuels) is sometimes considered 'carbon neutral.' This claim assumes that:

Industrial monoculture agriculture maximizes yield per acre by growing a single crop variety across large areas. Which of the following is a significant environmental drawback of this approach?

The concept of sustainable agriculture includes which of the following practices?

Deforestation of a watershed causes increased sediment runoff into a nearby river. Which biogeochemical cycle is MOST directly disrupted by the loss of plant root systems holding the soil?

Which conservation strategy is most likely to protect the greatest number of species across a landscape?

The horizon sequence O-A-B-C describes a soil profile. Which horizon is most important for plant growth and contains the highest concentration of organic matter?

The CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards regulate which aspect of energy use in the United States?

During the nitrogen cycle, which process converts nitrate (NO₃⁻) in waterlogged soils back into atmospheric nitrogen gas (N₂)?

A river downstream of a cattle feedlot shows high concentrations of nitrates, fecal coliform bacteria, and ammonia. Which source category best describes this pollution?

Solid waste in landfills undergoes anaerobic decomposition that produces:

A population that initially grows slowly, then rapidly, then slows again as it approaches the environment's carrying capacity (K), is exhibiting:

During an El Niño event, which of the following patterns is observed in the Pacific Ocean?

La Niña conditions are characterized by which oceanic and atmospheric pattern in the Pacific?

A farmer applies excess nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer to fields near a lake. After a heavy rain, runoff enters the lake. Over the following weeks, which sequence of events is most likely to occur?

Which of the following fishing practices has the MOST indiscriminate impact, capturing and killing non-target species (bycatch)?

According to the species-area relationship, if an island's area is reduced by 90%, approximately what fraction of its species are expected to survive?

Which of the following actions most directly addresses climate change by reducing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (mitigation), as opposed to adapting to climate change impacts?

A small island 500 km from the mainland has fewer bird species than an equally sized island located 50 km from the mainland. This pattern is best explained by:

A scientist measures the amount of carbon dioxide fixed by phytoplankton in a lake over one year and reports 500 g C/m²/yr. This figure represents the lake's:

The Coriolis effect influences atmospheric circulation by causing winds in the Northern Hemisphere to deflect:

Natural gas emits approximately half the CO₂ of coal per unit of energy produced. However, natural gas has a significant climate disadvantage compared to coal because:

Soil erosion is accelerated by all of the following EXCEPT:

Particulate matter (PM₂.₅) is considered more dangerous to human health than PM₁₀ primarily because:

The concept of carbon sequestration refers to:

Under the U.S. Clean Air Act's cap-and-trade (emissions trading) system for sulfur dioxide, power plants that reduce SO₂ emissions below their cap can:

Lead contamination in drinking water systems (e.g., Flint, Michigan crisis) most commonly enters drinking water through: