This type of energy utilizes heat that is stored beneath Earth’s surface to heat water and produce steam.

This energy source is used to generate electricity with photovoltaic (PV) cells.

Which curve in the graph best represents a

K-selected species?

Dandelions grow quickly and produce many seeds, ensuring that at least some plants will survive and produce seeds themselves. Which curve best represents the survivorship of dandelions?

Certain lizards display a survivorship curve where the chance of survival is independent of age. Which line on the graph best depicts the survivorship of these lizards?

This is the location of the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, with a generating capacity of 22,500 MW

At this site a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, which occurred at a nearby subduction zone, triggered one of the largest nuclear reactor disasters in history.

Geothermal energy is the main energy source at this location because it is located on a large divergent boundary.

This type of irrigation is often used by small-scale farming operations, and it requires extensive labor to set up individual irrigation lines.

This type of irrigation uses a large system of sprinklers that must be manually moved from field to field and has very large evaporative losses.

This type of irrigation, often used in orchards growing tree crops, distributes water to plants through small parallel channels between crop rows but often leads to increased soil erosion in the field.

Which of the following is the best example of a tragedy of the commons?

Which of the following correctly pairs a greenhouse gas with its primary anthropogenic source?

Which of the following best describes a disadvantage of using genetically engineered crops over crops that are not genetically modified?

At which of the following locations in the stream was there most likely a discharge of excess organic matter into the water?

New York City is home to thousands of acres of rooftop [and] some of the most expensive electricity in the country. . . . Yet New York has been slower than other big cities in tapping into one constant source of clean energy: the sun.

Now though . . . some of the biggest expanses of flat roof in New York are being turned into sources of cheap and green electricity.

This year, the corporate owner of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan completed the installation of the country’s largest array of solar panels on an apartment complex. And soon, the Bronx could have an even larger one, at the massive Co-Op City complex. . . .

In June, the state said that it aimed for 70 percent of its power to be generated from renewable sources by 2030. Two months before, the New York City Council passed an ordinance that will require most new buildings to be topped with solar panels or roofs covered in grass or other vegetation. . . .

The project at StuyTown, as the complex is known, incorporated more than 9,000 solar panels onto 56 rooftops, making it by far the biggest in Manhattan. It effectively doubled the borough’s solar capacity, adding 3.9 megawatts, or enough to power more than 1,100 apartments [said Noah] Ginsburg, [director of the Here Comes Solar project at Solar One, a nonprofit that promotes solar energy]. . . .

The city and state have driven much of the investment in solar power by providing tax breaks and other incentives to homeowners and landlords. The state incentives began in 2014 with a goal of creating 3 gigawatts — 3,000 megawatts — of solar capacity statewide by 2023. . . .

Still, the projects illustrate the limitations so far of solar power, given that they would produce only a fraction of the electricity consumed on their own sites.

But even though not enough energy is generated to power all of the [StuyTown] complex, the solar energy will take pressure off the power distribution network on hot summer days when demand from Con Edison’s customers is peaking, said Damian Sciano, the utility’s director of distribution planning.

New York now ranks sixth among American cities in the capacity of its installed solar panels, according to Environment America, an advocacy group. Still, its total of about 200 megawatts is less than half of the capacity in Los Angeles, which has the highest capacity of any city in the country. . . .

From The New York Times. (c) 2019 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Based on the article, which of the following best identifies the author’s claim?

New York City is home to thousands of acres of rooftop [and] some of the most expensive electricity in the country. . . . Yet New York has been slower than other big cities in tapping into one constant source of clean energy: the sun.

Now though . . . some of the biggest expanses of flat roof in New York are being turned into sources of cheap and green electricity.

This year, the corporate owner of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan completed the installation of the country’s largest array of solar panels on an apartment complex. And soon, the Bronx could have an even larger one, at the massive Co-Op City complex. . . .

In June, the state said that it aimed for 70 percent of its power to be generated from renewable sources by 2030. Two months before, the New York City Council passed an ordinance that will require most new buildings to be topped with solar panels or roofs covered in grass or other vegetation. . . .

The project at StuyTown, as the complex is known, incorporated more than 9,000 solar panels onto 56 rooftops, making it by far the biggest in Manhattan. It effectively doubled the borough’s solar capacity, adding 3.9 megawatts, or enough to power more than 1,100 apartments [said Noah] Ginsburg, [director of the Here Comes Solar project at Solar One, a nonprofit that promotes solar energy]. . . .

The city and state have driven much of the investment in solar power by providing tax breaks and other incentives to homeowners and landlords. The state incentives began in 2014 with a goal of creating 3 gigawatts — 3,000 megawatts — of solar capacity statewide by 2023. . . .

Still, the projects illustrate the limitations so far of solar power, given that they would produce only a fraction of the electricity consumed on their own sites.

But even though not enough energy is generated to power all of the [StuyTown] complex, the solar energy will take pressure off the power distribution network on hot summer days when demand from Con Edison’s customers is peaking, said Damian Sciano, the utility’s director of distribution planning.

New York now ranks sixth among American cities in the capacity of its installed solar panels, according to Environment America, an advocacy group. Still, its total of about 200 megawatts is less than half of the capacity in Los Angeles, which has the highest capacity of any city in the country. . . .

From The New York Times. (c) 2019 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Which of the following best describes the author’s perspective on the use of solar energy in New York City?

New York City is home to thousands of acres of rooftop [and] some of the most expensive electricity in the country. . . . Yet New York has been slower than other big cities in tapping into one constant source of clean energy: the sun.

Now though . . . some of the biggest expanses of flat roof in New York are being turned into sources of cheap and green electricity.

This year, the corporate owner of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan completed the installation of the country’s largest array of solar panels on an apartment complex. And soon, the Bronx could have an even larger one, at the massive Co-Op City complex. . . .

In June, the state said that it aimed for 70 percent of its power to be generated from renewable sources by 2030. Two months before, the New York City Council passed an ordinance that will require most new buildings to be topped with solar panels or roofs covered in grass or other vegetation. . . .

The project at StuyTown, as the complex is known, incorporated more than 9,000 solar panels onto 56 rooftops, making it by far the biggest in Manhattan. It effectively doubled the borough’s solar capacity, adding 3.9 megawatts, or enough to power more than 1,100 apartments [said Noah] Ginsburg, [director of the Here Comes Solar project at Solar One, a nonprofit that promotes solar energy]. . . .

The city and state have driven much of the investment in solar power by providing tax breaks and other incentives to homeowners and landlords. The state incentives began in 2014 with a goal of creating 3 gigawatts — 3,000 megawatts — of solar capacity statewide by 2023. . . .

Still, the projects illustrate the limitations so far of solar power, given that they would produce only a fraction of the electricity consumed on their own sites.

But even though not enough energy is generated to power all of the [StuyTown] complex, the solar energy will take pressure off the power distribution network on hot summer days when demand from Con Edison’s customers is peaking, said Damian Sciano, the utility’s director of distribution planning.

New York now ranks sixth among American cities in the capacity of its installed solar panels, according to Environment America, an advocacy group. Still, its total of about 200 megawatts is less than half of the capacity in Los Angeles, which has the highest capacity of any city in the country. . . .

From The New York Times. (c) 2019 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Which of the following pieces of evidence does the author use to support the claim that the solar panel installation on the StuyTown complex is the largest in Manhattan?

New York City is home to thousands of acres of rooftop [and] some of the most expensive electricity in the country. . . . Yet New York has been slower than other big cities in tapping into one constant source of clean energy: the sun.

Now though . . . some of the biggest expanses of flat roof in New York are being turned into sources of cheap and green electricity.

This year, the corporate owner of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan completed the installation of the country’s largest array of solar panels on an apartment complex. And soon, the Bronx could have an even larger one, at the massive Co-Op City complex. . . .

In June, the state said that it aimed for 70 percent of its power to be generated from renewable sources by 2030. Two months before, the New York City Council passed an ordinance that will require most new buildings to be topped with solar panels or roofs covered in grass or other vegetation. . . .

The project at StuyTown, as the complex is known, incorporated more than 9,000 solar panels onto 56 rooftops, making it by far the biggest in Manhattan. It effectively doubled the borough’s solar capacity, adding 3.9 megawatts, or enough to power more than 1,100 apartments [said Noah] Ginsburg, [director of the Here Comes Solar project at Solar One, a nonprofit that promotes solar energy]. . . .

The city and state have driven much of the investment in solar power by providing tax breaks and other incentives to homeowners and landlords. The state incentives began in 2014 with a goal of creating 3 gigawatts — 3,000 megawatts — of solar capacity statewide by 2023. . . .

Still, the projects illustrate the limitations so far of solar power, given that they would produce only a fraction of the electricity consumed on their own sites.

But even though not enough energy is generated to power all of the [StuyTown] complex, the solar energy will take pressure off the power distribution network on hot summer days when demand from Con Edison’s customers is peaking, said Damian Sciano, the utility’s director of distribution planning.

New York now ranks sixth among American cities in the capacity of its installed solar panels, according to Environment America, an advocacy group. Still, its total of about 200 megawatts is less than half of the capacity in Los Angeles, which has the highest capacity of any city in the country. . . .

From The New York Times. (c) 2019 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Currently, the rooftop solar panels produce only a fraction of the electricity used in the buildings on which they are installed. Which of following strategies would best combat the problem of insufficient electricity generation from the rooftop solar panels?

Responses

Based on the diagram, this country is likely experiencing...

Which of the following is a measure of the biodiversity of an ecosystem?

Which of the following is the most abundant gas by volume in the atmosphere?

Which of the following best describes a natural process that adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

An ecologist examining several different ponds discovers that in one pond all the frogs are female. Which of the following most likely led to the all-female population of frogs?

Which of the following correctly identifies the type of habitat change(s) shown within each potential scenario in the diagram?

Which of the following would be most likely to occur in the scenarios that have experienced habitat loss and/or fragmentation in the diagram?

Which of the following would be the most likely explanation for the changes shown in Scenario 3 ?

Which of the following is a possible effect of global climate change as illustrated in Scenario 1?

Which of the following best describes a supporting ecological service provided by wetlands

In which of the following atmospheric layers does most weather occur?

Buildings designed to partially heat rooms by passive solar heating rely on

Based upon the data presented in the graph, which of the following best identifies the highest wolf population size?

Which of the following best describes the change in the elk population since the introduction of wolves into Yellowstone in 1995?

Which of the following is a potential disadvantage of reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone?

Based on the diagrams above, what is the percent change in the amount of runoff in urban areas compared to forested areas?

Based on the diagrams above, which of the following best explains how urban runoff could be decreased?

Which of the following processes shown in the diagram leads to precipitation?

The spotted lanternfly is a herbivorous insect that is native to Asia and feeds on over 70 species of plants. The feeding behavior of the spotted lanternfly damages plants, and the nymph and adult lanternflies secrete sticky residues that exacerbate the damage to native plant species by promoting mold growth. The spotted lanternfly reproduces once during its lifetime by laying between 30 and 50 eggs, and the eggs hatch after a short amount of time. The range of the spotted lanternfly is increasing because the insects are transported to new environments by the movements of animals and people, and it is now found in many parts of the United States.

Which of the following best describes the spotted laternfly in the United States?

Which of the following correctly explains a positive climate feedback loop found in the Arctic?

Which of the following is the best method for preventing soil erosion in an agricultural area?

Earth currently rotates on an axis at an angle of 23.5 degrees. If that axis changed to 20 degrees, so that the axis was closer to vertical, which of the following would be expected to occur?

Which of the following accurately describes a benefit of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)?

In addition to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which of the following components must be present in the atmosphere to create photochemical smog?

Which of the following best identifies and describes the process that is illustrated in the diagram above?

Based on the diagram above, in which stage are most species present considered pioneer species?

Which of the following best describes the roles of moss in the transition to stage III of the process?

Thousands of animal species are in precipitous decline, a sign that an irreversible era of mass extinction is underway, new research finds.

…

Dr. Ceballos, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, emphasized that he and his co-authors, Paul R. Ehrlich and Rodolfo Dirzo, both professors at Stanford University, … are using scientific data to back up their assertions that significant population decline and possible mass extinction of species all over the world may be imminent, and that both have been underestimated by many other scientists.

The study’s authors looked at reductions in a species’ range — a result of factors like habitat degradation, pollution and climate change, among others — and extrapolated from that how many populations have been lost or are in decline … .

They found that about 30 percent of all land vertebrates … are experiencing declines and local population losses. In most parts of the world, mammal populations are losing 70 percent of their members because of habitat loss.

…

Dr. Jonathan Losos, a biology professor at Harvard, … noted that giving precise estimates of wildlife populations was difficult, in part because scientists do not always agree on what defines a population … .

…

The authors of the paper suggest that previous estimates of global extinction rates have been too low, in part because scientists have been too focused on complete extinction of a species … .

Scientists estimate that 200 species have gone extinct in the past 100 years; the “normal” extinction rate over the past two million years has been that two species go extinct every 100 years because of evolutionary and other factors.

…

Dr. Ehrlich, who wrote “The Population Bomb,” a book that predicted the imminent collapse of humanity because of overpopulation, and Dr. Ceballos said that habitat destruction … and pollution were the primary culprits, but that climate change exacerbates both problems. Accelerating deforestation and rising carbon pollution are likely to make climate change worse, which could have disastrous consequences for the ability of many species to survive on earth.

Dr. Ceballos struck a slightly more hopeful tone, adding that some species have been able to rebound when some of these pressures are taken away. …

"From The New York Times. (c) 2017 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license."

Which of the following statements best identifies the author’s claim about modern species?

Thousands of animal species are in precipitous decline, a sign that an irreversible era of mass extinction is underway, new research finds.

…

Dr. Ceballos, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, emphasized that he and his co-authors, Paul R. Ehrlich and Rodolfo Dirzo, both professors at Stanford University, … are using scientific data to back up their assertions that significant population decline and possible mass extinction of species all over the world may be imminent, and that both have been underestimated by many other scientists.

The study’s authors looked at reductions in a species’ range — a result of factors like habitat degradation, pollution and climate change, among others — and extrapolated from that how many populations have been lost or are in decline … .

They found that about 30 percent of all land vertebrates … are experiencing declines and local population losses. In most parts of the world, mammal populations are losing 70 percent of their members because of habitat loss.

…

Dr. Jonathan Losos, a biology professor at Harvard, … noted that giving precise estimates of wildlife populations was difficult, in part because scientists do not always agree on what defines a population … .

…

The authors of the paper suggest that previous estimates of global extinction rates have been too low, in part because scientists have been too focused on complete extinction of a species … .

Scientists estimate that 200 species have gone extinct in the past 100 years; the “normal” extinction rate over the past two million years has been that two species go extinct every 100 years because of evolutionary and other factors.

…

Dr. Ehrlich, who wrote “The Population Bomb,” a book that predicted the imminent collapse of humanity because of overpopulation, and Dr. Ceballos said that habitat destruction … and pollution were the primary culprits, but that climate change exacerbates both problems. Accelerating deforestation and rising carbon pollution are likely to make climate change worse, which could have disastrous consequences for the ability of many species to survive on earth.

Dr. Ceballos struck a slightly more hopeful tone, adding that some species have been able to rebound when some of these pressures are taken away. …

"From The New York Times. (c) 2017 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license."

Based on the passage, which of the following describes the author's perspective on why historical extinction rates were lower than present-day rates?

Thousands of animal species are in precipitous decline, a sign that an irreversible era of mass extinction is underway, new research finds.

…

Dr. Ceballos, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, emphasized that he and his co-authors, Paul R. Ehrlich and Rodolfo Dirzo, both professors at Stanford University, … are using scientific data to back up their assertions that significant population decline and possible mass extinction of species all over the world may be imminent, and that both have been underestimated by many other scientists.

The study’s authors looked at reductions in a species’ range — a result of factors like habitat degradation, pollution and climate change, among others — and extrapolated from that how many populations have been lost or are in decline … .

They found that about 30 percent of all land vertebrates … are experiencing declines and local population losses. In most parts of the world, mammal populations are losing 70 percent of their members because of habitat loss.

…

Dr. Jonathan Losos, a biology professor at Harvard, … noted that giving precise estimates of wildlife populations was difficult, in part because scientists do not always agree on what defines a population … .

…

The authors of the paper suggest that previous estimates of global extinction rates have been too low, in part because scientists have been too focused on complete extinction of a species … .

Scientists estimate that 200 species have gone extinct in the past 100 years; the “normal” extinction rate over the past two million years has been that two species go extinct every 100 years because of evolutionary and other factors.

…

Dr. Ehrlich, who wrote “The Population Bomb,” a book that predicted the imminent collapse of humanity because of overpopulation, and Dr. Ceballos said that habitat destruction … and pollution were the primary culprits, but that climate change exacerbates both problems. Accelerating deforestation and rising carbon pollution are likely to make climate change worse, which could have disastrous consequences for the ability of many species to survive on earth.

Dr. Ceballos struck a slightly more hopeful tone, adding that some species have been able to rebound when some of these pressures are taken away. …

"From The New York Times. (c) 2017 The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. Used under license."

Which of the following pieces of evidence presented in the article suggests that extinction rates may continue to increase?

Which of the following would most likely neutralize the effect of acid rain on bodies of water, based on the composition of soils and bedrock in the region?

Which of the following best describes a density-independent factor that controls population size?

Scientists want to investigate whether the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the ocean affects fish survival. Scientists suspect immature fish larvae may be most affected by increased carbon dioxide concentrations. Which of the following best identifies a testable hypothesis for the investigation?

Which of the following best interprets the results in the graph in relation to the given hypothesis?

Silver carp were introduced in the southeastern United States in the 1970s from their native habitat of China to control algal blooms that were occurring at aquaculture facilities and sewage lagoons. Silver carp escaped from captivity shortly after their introduction and are currently found as far north as North Dakota and Minnesota. Which of the following describes an unintended, negative consequence of the introduction of silver carp into the United States?

A farm is experiencing extensive crop loss due to high rains causing overly saturated soils. Which of the following approaches would best help the farmer alleviate the problem?

Which of the following best describes a potential unintended negative consequence of implementing measures to control acid deposition?

Which of the following best describes a potential unintended negative consequence of implementing measures to control acid deposition?

Scientists are interested in measuring the effect of pollution on the water quality of a stream. They will use observations of various bottom-dwelling insects, or macroinvertebrates, collected in the stream as indicators of the physical, chemical, and biological conditions within the stream. Which of the following best describes why macroinvertebrate sampling can be used to assess the overall health of a stream?

Based on the graph, which of the following can be concluded about the latitudes of the two locations?

Assuming all other variables are constant, which of the following is the most likely conclusion about the greatest potential for gross primary productivity that can be supported by data in the graph?

Location 1 is most likely located in which of the following terrestrial biomes?

Integrated pest management (IPM) uses a variety of techniques to reduce pest populations while reducing the economic damage caused by pests.

Which of the following techniques is a mechanical IPM method for reducing pests?

Which of the following best describes one way the Clean Air Act helped reduce air pollution?

Which of the following best explains why the lower portion of the troposphere is warmer than the upper portion?

Based on the data in the graph, which of the following fishing practice solutions would best promote the sustainability of the orange roughy population?

A local citizen science group is monitoring the water quality of a nearby lake. They gather water samples once a week on Wednesday between the hours of 7 A.M. and 9 A.M. from the same location. One day in August they were unable to sample within that time frame and collected the sample at 3 P.M.

How might this modification to the sampling procedure affect the results?

Which of the following would be the best way to mitigate deforestation?

Which of the following best explains an anthropogenic cause of the trend illustrated on the graph?

Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators collect enormous amounts of particulate matter (coal ash) at coal-burning power plants. Which of the following best describes an environmental disadvantage of using industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators for pollution abatement?

A sanitary landfill with a surface area of 6000m2 receives a yearly rainfall amount of 300mm. About 20 percent of this precipitation is runoff and does not infiltrate the surface. A leachate collection system, which is installed underneath the landfill, is 90 percent effective at collecting and treating any water that infiltrates the surface of the landfill.

Assuming consistent yearly rainfall amounts, what is the volume of leachate, in m3, that the landfill will be able to treat per year?

In 1978, the United States banned the use of CFCs in aerosols. Based on the data in the graph, which of the following best explains the effect of this ban as a solution to decrease global CFC production?

Which of the following statements best uses the data to support the claim that the Montreal Protocol was an effective solution for a global problem?

Bats use echolocation to find prey by emitting high-pitched bursts of sound and analyzing the reflection. Scientists studying a population of bats in a forest observed that their population size had declined in the years following the completion of a nearby highway.

Based on the information above, which of the following best explains how noise pollution from the highway has affected the size of the bat population?