WorksheetsAPES Exam Review 2017
Total questions: 44
Worksheet time: 22mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
Species diversity can be quantified by using which of the following sets of data about an ecosystem?
a)
The number of species and the area
b)
The number of individuals of each species and the net primary productivity
c)
The number of species and the number of individuals of each species
d)
The number of individuals of each species and the area
2.
The goals of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act include which of the following?
a)
To prevent the unsafe disposal of high-level radioactive wastes at sea
b)
To prevent the illegal disposal of hospital waste contaminated with infectious agents
c)
To prevent the unsafe disposal of hazardous wastes on land
d)
To clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites
3.
A scientist wishes to test the effects of different amounts of water and fertilizer on yields of corn. In a series of experimental fields, she varies the supply of water and the amount of fertilizer applied to a given strain of corn and measures the yield of the crop that results. In this experiment, which is/are the dependent variable(s)?
a)
Corn yield and the variety of corn
b)
Corn yield
c)
Water supply
d)
Amount of fertilizer and variety of corn strain
4.
A fig tree that provides shelter and fruit that are essential to the survival of numerous other species is an example of
a)
A keystone species
b)
An exotic species
c)
An indicator species
d)
An endemic species
5.
Which of the following would decrease one’s ecological footprint?
a)
Eating more meat
b)
Walking to school rather than driving
c)
Eating more processed and packaged food
d)
Purchasing a larger home
6.
Fishing licenses are a legislative attempt to avoid which of the following?
a)
A tragedy of the commons
b)
A cost-benefit analysis
c)
The enforcement of the Endangered Species Act
d)
A negative feedback loop
7.
Which of the following does NOT emit greenhouse gases?
a)
The decomposition of animal waste
b)
The burning of biomass
c)
The photosynthesis of oceanic phytoplankton
d)
The production of photovoltaic cells
8.
It is determined that a soil sample is composed of 42% sand, 15% clay, and 43% silt. According to the soil triangle, which of the following is the soil texture of the soil?
a)
Loam
b)
Clay
c)
Silt loam
d)
Sandy loam
9.
Of the following, the largest storage reservoir of the world’s freshwater is
a)
The atmosphere
b)
Lakes
c)
Groundwater
d)
Living organisms
10.
The U.S. law that requires developers to study the environmental impact of projects funded by the federal government is
a)
RCRA
b)
NEPA
c)
CITES
d)
ENSO
11.
Which of the following ways of managing e-waste has the fewest negative environmental and social consequences?
a)
Disposal in sanitary landfills or hazardous waste facilities
b)
E-waste collection by manufacturers required to take back their products for recycling
c)
E-waste collection and shipment to developing countries for recycling
d)
E-waste collection and local recycling
12.
Which of the following is NOT an ecosystem service provided by forests?
a)
Carbon sequestration
b)
Water purification
c)
Food production
d)
Road construction
13.
In an experiment, a researcher fills three aquariums labeled A, B, and C with seawater collected from a local estuary. To aquarium A, nitrate and phosphate are added. To aquarium B only nitrate is added. To aquarium C only phosphate is added. The results show that algae growth accelerated in aquariums A and B, but not in aquarium C. One conclusion that may be drawn from these results is that
a)
phosphate is not required for algae growth in seawater
b)
for algae in seawater, nitrate is a more essential nutrient than phosphate
c)
phosphate is a limiting agent for algae growth in seawater
d)
nitrate is not required for algae growth in seawater
14.
In general, far less than 100% of the energy from one trophic level is converted to energy at the next trophic level. This is best explained by
a)
The competitive exclusion principle
b)
The first law of thermodynamics
c)
The second law of thermodynamics
d)
Resource partitioning
15.
This layer of soil is also known as the topsoil; it contains much humus.
a)
A horizon
b)
B horizon
c)
C horizon
d)
H horizon
16.
The surface mining technique known as mountaintop removal is associated with the extraction of
a)
Oil
b)
Silver
c)
Coal
d)
Aluminum
17.
Which of the following is the best example of mitigation?
a)
A developer wants to fill in a marsh. He locates similar land nearby that was previously filled and restores that marsh to compensate for the new development.
b)
A company uses plants to take up contaminants on land they own. The plants are then disposed of in a landfill.
c)
A landowner sells property to a non-government organization for use as wilderness preserve.
d)
A mining company re-contours and restores the vegetation on land that it formerly mined for coal.
18.
Which of the following is most likely true of human activity along the river?
a)
The river is being polluted at the point labeled “A.”
b)
The river is being polluted at the point labeled “B.”
c)
The river is being polluted at the points “B” and “D.”
d)
The river is being polluted at all of the labeled points.
19.
The healthiest aquatic ecosystem can most likely be found at
a)
The point labeled “C.”
b)
The points labeled “C” and “D.”
c)
The points labeled “A” and “E."
d)
The points labeled “B” and “D.”
20.
Sushi containing fish higher in the food chain (tuna, grouper, sea bass, etc.) could cause health risks due to bioaccumulation of
a)
lead
b)
radon
c)
mercury
d)
asbestos
21.
Which region of the world has exported the most petroleum over the last few decades?
a)
Middle east
b)
USA
c)
China
d)
United Kingdom
22.
Seafloor spreading creates new crust at
a)
a divergent plate boundary
b)
convergent plate boundary
c)
fault line
d)
all of these
23.
Which biome would have the highest diversity of tree and animal species?
a)
tropical rain forest
b)
tundra
c)
desert
d)
seasonal grassland
24.
The sun has an impact on all of the following EXCEPT
a)
plate tectonics and continental drift
b)
ocean currents and gyres
c)
hurricanes and tropical storms
d)
cloud formation
25.
Phytoplankton live near the surface of the water because
a)
they eat krill which only are abundant near the surface of the water
b)
there are less predators near the surface of the ocean
c)
sunlight cannot reach great depths and they need it for photosynthesis
d)
they are blown there from the land and end up floating on the surface of the water until they are consumed
26.
Which type of soil would be used for the liner of a landfill?
a)
soil high in gravel
b)
soil high in sand
c)
soil high in clay
d)
soil high in silt
27.
Which would be classified as "loam"?
a)
Sand: 40, Silt: 40, Clay: 20
b)
Sand: 60, Silt: 10, Clay: 30
c)
Sand: 20, Silt: 50, Clay: 30
d)
Sand: 50, Silt: 10, Clay: 40
28.
The arctic ice could experience which of the following positive feedback loops?
a)
ice melts, ocean water increases in temperature, more ice melts
b)
ice melts, ocean water decreases in temperature, more ice melts
c)
ice melts, ocean water decreases in temperature, less ice melts
d)
ice melts, ocean water increases in temperature, less ice melts
29.
Which tree species probably grows best with full sunlight?
a)
tulip poplar
b)
white oak
c)
sugar maple
d)
beech
30.
Most organisms experience logistic growth. The point where the growth levels off is called
a)
density independent factor line
b)
carrying capacity
c)
exponential growth model
d)
line of best fit
31.
Applying herbicide to crops kills weeds. However, after many generations of use there are actually more weeds than before. How is this possible?
a)
The weeds were able to change their DNA and become a different type of species
b)
Use of herbicides selected for resistant weeds over time
c)
The farmer must have used less of the herbicides with each generation
d)
More herbicide use results in increased growth of crops, but not in weeds
32.
All of the following are disadvantages of nuclear power EXCEPT
a)
no CO2 is emitted
b)
nuclear power plants are expensive to build
c)
radioactive waste is produced and difficult to dispose of properly
d)
uranium is unlimited and a renewable resource
33.
Why is the open ocean considered one of the most productive areas for biodiveristy?
a)
phytoplankton and other smaller organisms are abundant and feed entire foodchains
b)
there is little to no competition between species
c)
open oceans are not susceptible to things like climate change or pollution
d)
Invasive species are not found in aquatic environments
34.
Which is most likely the reason that Darwin's finches were similar genetically, but had different beak sizes and shapes?
a)
each bird chose which type of beak would be best suited for its environment
b)
the birds had different beaks to begin with and just traveled to the island that made the best use of their beak
c)
selective pressure was placed on the birds by the environment and the types of foods readily available on each island
d)
The founders arriving at the island consisted of many different finches
35.
What is hydraulic fracturing (fracking)?
a)
pumping water and chemicals underground to create pathways to release oil and gas
b)
thumper trucks smash into the ground to create a controlled earthquake and release methane deposits that can be collected and used for fuel
c)
the capture of volatile organic compounds from smokestacks and tailpipes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
d)
a process to treat and remove acid deposition from abandoned mine sites by adding neutralizing chemicals
36.
Algal blooms and eutrophication are usually caused by
a)
increased N and P from agricultural runoff from fertilizers
b)
the average increase in temperature globally
c)
the thermohaline circulation
d)
CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels
37.
A major downside to solar energy is that
a)
it cannot reliably produce as much electricity on cloudy days
b)
it is relatively cheap to manufacture and maintain
c)
solar energy releases much more particulate matter than any other energy source
d)
it can only be used for large scale businesses and buildings
38.
All of the following are anthropogenic sources of nitrogen pollution EXCEPT
a)
discharge of sewage into surface waters
b)
commercial fertilizers
c)
vehicle exhaust and industrial air pollution
d)
disposal of refrigeration units including air conditioners
39.
Eutrophication can result in death for certain fish due to
a)
lack of dissolved oxygen in the water
b)
extremely high levels of dissolved oxygen in the water
c)
toxic levels of lead in the water from nearby farms
d)
pH well above the range of tolerance that many fish species can survive
40.
Which is an example of a "carbon sink"?
a)
organic matter deposited on the deep ocean floor
b)
clear-cutting rainforests
c)
burning fossil fuels and releasing ancient and stored carbon into the atmosphere
d)
release of particulate matter that ends up on reflective surfaces over time
41.
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is most likely to result in which of the following environmental problems?
a)
ozone depletion
b)
contamination of groundwater by fracking chemicals
c)
deforestation
d)
eutrophication of rivers and streams due to the fracking chemicals
42.
K-selected species
a)
produce few offspring, but with high levels of parental care
b)
produce many offspring, but with low levels of parental care
c)
have medium levels of offspring produced as well as parental care
d)
none of these
43.
Bioaccumulation
a)
happens exclusively in marine mammals and is the reason that the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed
b)
is the transfer of persistent pollutants from one generation to the next
c)
can only happen with water soluble chemicals such as mercury
d)
is when the absorption of a substance happens at a greater rate than the elimination of the same substance in an organism
44.
What is tragedy of the commons?
a)
when chemicals travel up the food chain and pile up in the fatty tissue of larger mammals
b)
when people over harvest an area that is not privately owned and tend to take more than the environment can successfully replace on its own
c)
when there is a global problem, but everyone sees it as "everyone else's problem"
d)
people tend to feel a greater responsibility to protect land or sea that belongs to everyone compared to if it belongs to an individual or company
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