APEX

Which of the following practices is consistent with the production of organic crops according to the US Department of Agriculture

A) Using sodium nitrate as a fertilizer on green, leafy vegetables B) using strychnine to prevent buildup of aphid populations in field crops C) Using chemicals known as phermones to disrupt insect mating cycles D) using sewage sludge to improve the fertility and structure of soil E) using genetically modified plant varieties that kill insects that chew their leaves

Which of the following is the zone of a pond or lake in which rooted, emergent plants such as cattails and rushes are located

A) benthic B) limnetic C) littoral D) profundal E) riparian

Graph: Of the phenomena that correlate with the data above, the one that is the most direct consequence of the trend in air travel is

A) increase in the spread of infectious disease B) increase in urban sprawl C) decrease in biodiversity D) increase in hypoxic aquatic ecosystem E) decrease in the total fertility rate of developed nations

Which of the following is part of a positive feedback mechanism associated with global climate change

A) increased gas mileage in cars B) increased cloudiness caused by more moisture in the atmosphere C) melting of Arctic sea level D) increased acidity of seawater E) increased growth of COs absorbing trees and grasses

Tables - How would including a control group be useful in this experiment

A) it would provide a reference for the effects of random environmental factors B) it would provide a # against which percentages can be computed C) It would provide a value for which the standard pH can be measured D) it would provide a standard number to test for statistical uncertainty E) it would provide an end data point for graphical analysis

Waste from which of the following is an example of nonpoint source pollution

A) overflow from a sewage treatment plant B) outgassing from a municipal landfill C) dumpilng at a food-processing plant D) Drainage from an abandoned mine E) runoff from agricultural fields

A field is abandoned, and an invasive plant that can live in nutrient poor soil moves into the field. If the land is later cleared of this invasive species and it is discovered that the soil has an abundance of nitrogen compounds what conclusion can best be made

A) the plants used up all of the phosphorus and potassuim and left the nitrogen behind B) primary succession always produces an abundance of nitrogen C) bacteria in soil and in root nodules converted free nitrogen into nitrogen compounds D) the plants were able to produce nitrogen in their leaves E) more rock was weathered and broken down to release nitrogen compounds

It has recently been estimated that the growth in world population has slowed into the past decade. Despite this trend, environmentalists remain concerned about the environmental impact of world poupulation, principally b/c

A) the standard of living in increasing in many developing countries, leading to an increased per capita use of natural resources B) people are living longer in developed nations, putting a strain on the economies of those countries C) life expectancy is still decreasing in Africa due to AIDS D) the standard of living is poor in many deveoping countries, leading to a great deal of deprivation and suffering E) fertility is falling due to exposure to endocrine disruptors released into the environment

WHich of the following best describes the process known as montaintop removal

A) the use of trees planted at high elevations to eliminate carbon dioxide from the atmosphere B) the use of heavy equipment to move overburden downhill during the strip mining of coal C) the placement of hazardous-waste disposal sites at high elevations in mountainous regions D) shearing away of undersea mountain peaks to improve shipping lanes E) reduction of glacial ice resulting from increased global temperatures

Population biologists are concerned about introduced species such as the zebra mussel in North America because

A) their removal from their native habitat has a negative impact B) predators of the introduced species often overpopulated b/c of the influs of the introduced species C) the introduced species compete for resources more effectively than native species D) introduced species often become endangered when they are placed in a new habitat E) their introduction will require more land to be protected

Vegentarianism is often cited as a partial soultion to the growing problem of deforestation and other types of habitat destruction as the human population continues to grow. The reason for this is

A) vegeterians are healthier due to lack of animal fat in their diets B) more people can be fed using less agricultural land b/c vegeterians eat at a lower trophic level C) vegetarians consume fewer calories per person and therefore require fewer acres of farmland D) vegetarian diets often recommend consuming large amounts of tree nuts as a source of protein, which preserves forest habitats E) vegetarians often support conservation efforts that promote forest conservation

Which of the following has most directly resulted in increased skin cancer rates in Australia

A) water pollution in the Antarctic Ocean B) ozone depletion in the stratosphere C) increased immigration of asian people into Australia D) the occurence of a solar maximum E) global warming in the lower atmosphere

If an area was originally forested and then underwent urban development, which of the following shows the most likely effects on various parts of the water cycle in the area

Evaporation&Transpiration Runoff Groundwater Recharge

Between 1960 nand 1970, world oil consumption approximately doubled. Which of the following explanations is consistent with this increase

A) # of passengers per car increased B) people drove less, conserving gasoline C) price of gas increased D) # of cars on the road increased E) cars that were more fuel-efficient were manufactured

Tables - On the basis of the data, the best prediction of the pH of the water in which Daphnia normally are found in the wild is

A) 1 B) 3 C) 5 D) 7 E) 9

Tables - The pH at which 50 percent of the Daphnia survive after 2 hours of exposure can be predicted from the data. This pH is closest to

A) 2.5 B) 3.5 C) 4.5 D) 7.5 E) 8.5

The country of Sudan has an estimated annual growth rate of 2 percent. At this rate of growth, approximately, how many years will it take for the population of Sudan to double

A) 30 years B) 35 years C) 50 years D) 80 years E) 140 years

The largest area of old-growth forest in the US is located in

A) Alaska B) Montana C) California D) NC E) Michigan

Although the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972, a test of the body tissue of an average US resident today would most likely reveal the presence of DDT b/c

A) DDT is the breakdown product of some newer pesticides on the market B) DDT is water soluble C) other countries that export produce to the US still use DDT D) many farmers in the US are still using DDT illegally E) DDT is naturally produced by many plants

Which of the foloowing laws gave the EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from cradle to grave including the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste

A) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) B) Endangered Species Act (ESA) C) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) D) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) E) Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)