1998 APES Exam

Countries undergoing rapid population growth include which of the following A.) I only B.) II only C.) III only D.) II and III only E.) I, II, and III

A.) I only

The amount of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river system is likely to be increased by the presence upstream of which of the following I. artificial levees and embankments II. dams III. extensive natural wetlands A.) I only B.) II only C.) III only D.) I and II E.) II and III

A.) I only

all of the following gases have been implicated in contributing to the increase in global temperatures via the greenhouse effect EXCEPT A.) O2 B.) CH4 C.) N2O D.) CO2 E.) CFC's

A.) O2

El Niño, a periodic warming of ocean surface waters, occurs in which of the following regions a.) Tropical East Pacific b.) Gulf of Mexico c.) Artic North Pacific d.) Temperate West Atlantic e.) Tropical Indian Ocean

A.) Tropical East Pacific

measured on the ph scale a.) acidity b.) turbidity c.) hardness d.) dissolved oxygen e.) salinity

A.) acidity

the location where desertification is occuring most rapidly a.) africa- niger b.) bengal c.) china d.) west virginia e.) brazil

A.) africa

the source whose use is a direct cause of deforestation a.) biomass b.) wind c.) tidal energy d.) nuclear fission e.) sunlight

A.) biomass

Which of the following best explains why DDT has been found in penguin eggs in the antarctic A.) chemicals used in one region of earth can circulate in the biosphere and affect organisms in a distant region B.) the large numbers of penguins in Antarctica has resulted in a depletion of their preferred foods C.) although DDT is toxic to adult birds, it has no effect on developing embryos D.) chemicals like DDT are volatile and eventually make their way to the ozone layer E.) because penguins incubate their eggs on land, the eggs are exposed to DDT

A.) chemicals used in one region of earth can circulate in the biosphere and affect organisms in a distant region

exemplified by moss growing on a tree trunk in a forest a.) commensalism b.) parasitism c.) mutualism d.) predation e.) competition

A.) commensalism

The primary cause of Earth's seasons is the A.) constant tilt of Earth's rotational axis with respect to the plane of its orbit around the sun B.) changing distance of earth from the sun at different times of the year C.) periodic wobbling of earth on its axis of rotation D.) changing relative positions of earth, its moon, and the sun E.) periodic changes in solar energy output

A.) constant tilt of Earth's rotational axis with respect to the plane of its orbit around the sun

Of the following, which is the best example of a point source of water pollution A.) factory effluent B.) storm water C.) acid precipitation D.) agricultural runoff E.) residential pesticide runoff

A.) factory effluent

Of the following which constitutes the greatest % of domestic use of water in the United States A.) flushing toilets B.) drinking C.) cooking D.) washing dishes E.) washing clothes

A.) flushing toilets

energy s transferred from one object to another as the result of a temperature difference a.) heat flow b.) kinetic energy c.) potential energy d.) first law of thermodynamics e.) second law of thermodynamics

A.) heat flow

The most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere is A.) nitrogen B.) oxygen C.) water vapor D.) carbon dioxide E.) hydrogen

A.) nitrogen

Which of the following elements constitutes the highest % of mass in earth's crust A.) oxygen B.) aluminum C.) carbon D.) potassium E.) nitrogen

A.) oxygen

Most volcanism in the world is associated with A.) plate boundaries B.) mid continental hot spots C.) faulting D.) aquifer depletion E.) desertification

A.) plate boundaries

Fragmenting one large park or preserve into many small parks with human habituation in between them is most likely to lead to which of the following A.) reduction in species diversity B.) stabilization of microclimates C.) decrease in the proportion of edge habitat D.) increase in gene flow within species E.) increase in population size of top carnivores

A.) reduction in species diversity

which method is used most frequently in the US today a.) sanitary landfill b.) incineration c.) discharge to sewers, streams, and rivers d.) chemical treatment e.) biological treatment

A.) sanitary landfill

Which of the following is most likely to occur in a forested region that has been recently clear-cut A.) The concentration of nitrates in streams running through the region will increase B.) the avg. depth of topsoil will increase C.) the water temp. in streams running through the region will decrease D.) volume of runoff after rains will decrease E.) the frequency of landslides will decrease

A.) the concentration of nitrates in streams running through the region will increase

In models of global warming, the most important factor contributing to an increase in sea level rise A.) thermal expansion of the oceans B.) increased precipitation C.) decreased evaporation D.) subsurface ocean cooling E.) growth of the polar ice caps

A.) thermal expansion of the oceans

Overgrazing of public land by privately owned livestock is an example of the A.) tragedy of the commons B.) right of eminent domain C.) rule of seventy D.) principle of manifest destiny E.) swapping of debt for nature

A.) tragedy of the commons

Which of the following metals is considered an energy resource A.) uranium B.) cobalt C.) mercury D.) copper E.) palladium

A.) uranium

According to the graph, the increase in CO2 concentration, in parts per million, between 1970 and 1990 is closest to A.) 5ppm B.) 30ppm C.) 50ppm D.) 340ppm E.) 355ppm

B.) 30ppm

Compared with people in developing countries, people in industrialized countries are more likely to eat A.) beans B.) beef C.) corn D.) rice E.) wheat

B.) beef

the location where the greatest number of people would be directly affected by a rise in ocean level a.) africa- niger b.) bengal c.) china d.) west virginia e.) brazil

B.) bengal

has a stronger affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen has a.) carbon dioxide b.) carbon monoxide c.) methane d.) radon e.) sulfur dioxide

B.) carbon monoxide

which of the following countries has the largest coal reserves a.) Saudi Arabia b.) China c.) France d.) Japan

B.) china

In human population undergoing the demographic transition, which of the following generally decreases first a.) Birth rate b.) Death rate c.) Avg. family size d.) Life expectancy e.) Level of education

B.) death rate

The main environmental effects of the ozone depletion could include all of the following EXCEPT A.) lower food-crop production B.) decreased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere C.) distribution of marine food chains D.) increased incidence of skin cancer E.) reduction of primary productivity in the oceans

B.) decreased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere

Of the following organisms, which occupies the lowest trophic level A.) spider B.) deer C.) lion D.) hawk E.) snake

B.) deer

which method reduces the volume of waste but could release toxic emissions into the atmosphere a.) sanitary landfill b.) incineration c.) discharge to sewers, streams, and rivers d.) chemical treatment e.) biological treatment

B.) incineration

matter in motion has energy a.) heat flow b.) kinetic energy c.) potential energy d.) first law of thermodynamics e.) second law of thermodynamics

B.) kinetic energy

Of the following, which is the most serious immediate problem associated with sanitary landfills A.) generation of CO2 gas B.) leachate contamination of groundwater C.) release of disease organisms D.) incomplete degradation of wastes E.) compaction and settling

B.) leachate contamination of groundwater

In the United States, the largest single component of municipal solid waste is a.) Glass b.) paper c.) food scraps d.) wood and other construction debris e.) plastic

B.) paper

exemplified by tick feeding on a deer a.) commensalism b.) parasitism c.) mutualism d.) predation e.) competition

B.) paratism

There are various stages in the formation of coal as heat and pressure are increased and moisture content is decreased. These stages, in order, are A.) bituminous, peat, lignite, anthracite B.) peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite C.) peat, lignite, anthracite, bituminous D.) lignite, bituminous, anthracite, peat E.) anthracite, bituminous, peat, lignite

B.) peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite

The two major processes involved in the carbon cycle are a.) weathering and erosion b.) photosynthesis and respiration c.) evaporation and transpiration d.) erosion and deposition e.) fixation and dentrification

B.) photosynthesis and respiration

In general, which of the following is the best long-term method of preventing extinctions A.) breeding endangered species in captivity B.) protecting the habitat of endangered species C.) paying people not to kill endangered species D.) providing food to endangered species in the wild E.) removing predators from area that contain endangered species

B.) protecting the habitats of endangered species

According to the information in the graph above, which of the following would most effectively slow the loss of arable land A.) increasing the efficiency of desalination processes B.) reducing urban development C.) increasing the efficiency of erosion control D.) using more extensive irrigation systems E.) discovering cheaper energy sources

B.) reducing urban development

Which of the following actions would be the most effective in decreasing acid rain and acid deposition problems A.)using higher smoke-stacks B.) reducing use of fossil fuels C.) developing acid-restraint crops D.) adding lime to acidified lakes E.) relocating power plants

B.) reducing use of fossil fuels

Which of the following best describes soils in many tropical rain forests A.) they lack soil horizons B.) they are quickly depleted of nutrients when the forest is removed C.) they are similar to soils in grasslands D.) they are well suited for growing a wide variety of crops E.) they are deep and well drained

B.) they are quickly depleted of nutrients when the forest is removed

caused by suspended particulates a.) acidity b.) turbidity c.) hardness d.) dissolved oxygen e.) salinity

B.) turbidity

ozone in the stratosphere is important to organisms at earths surface because ozone molecules are very strong absorbers of a.) infrared rays b.) ultraviolet rays c.) microwaves d.) visible light rays e.) x-rays

B.) ultraviolet rays

Approximately what percentage of the water on Earth is freshwater A.) 75% B.) 25% C.) 2.5% D.) 0.25% E.) 0.025%

C.) 2.5%

A sample of radioactive waste has a half-life of 10 years and an activity level of 2 curies. After how many years will the activity level of this sample be 0.25 curie A.) 10 years B.) 20 years C.) 30 years D.) 40 years E.) 80 years

C.) 30 years

Living organisms must acquire energy from their environment. Examples of adaptations that help organisms acquire this energy include which of the following I. the dark, heat-absorbing coloration of a reptile II. the fangs and claws of a lion III. the light coloration of a peppered moth A.) I only B.) II only C.) I and II only D.) II and III only E.) I, II, and III

C.) I and II only

High rates of species extinction caused by human activities have taken place at which of the following times in earth's history I. at the end of the permian period II. at the end of the cretaceous period III. during recent times A.) I only B.) II only C.) III only D.) I and II only E.) I, II, and III

C.) III only

The (NEPA) of 1969 required all agencies responsible for a major federal project that could significantly effect the quality of the environment to file which of the following A.) a mitigated negative declaration B.) a geographic info system report C.) an environmental impact statement D.) an agency review E.) a cost-benefit analysis

C.) an environmental impact statement

All of the following substances are derived from petroleum EXCEPT A.) asphalt B.) DDT C.) cellulose D.) polystyrene E.) nylon

C.) cellulose

Which of the following substances is released by CFC's and catalyzes a chain reaction that breaks down ozone in the upper atmosphere A.) Carbon monoxide B.) carbon dioxide C.) chlorine D.) sulfur dioxide E.) methane

C.) chlorine

measured by the amount of Ca2+ and Mg2+ a.) acidity b.) turbidity c.) hardness d.) dissolved oxygen e.) salinity

C.) hardness

Which of the following best describes the mechanism of the greenhouse effect in Earth's atmosphere a.) uv radiation from the sun is absorbed by ozone gas in the stratosphere b.) gamma radiation from the sun is absorbed at ground level by dust particles in the atm c.) infrared radiation from Earth's surface is absorbed by gases in the atm d.) cosmic radiation from deep space is absorbed by gases in the atm e.) alpha radiation from the sun is absorbed by water vapor in the atm

C.) infrared radiation from earth's surface is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere

In the removal of a pollutant from wastewater, which of the following is true of the cost per unit of pollutant removed a.) decreases at the toxicity of the pollutant increases b.) it decreases as the time passed before remediation increases c.) it increases as the concentration of the pollutant decreases d.) it increases as the volume of the wastewater decreases e.) it does not change over time or with concentration of pollutant

C.) it increases as the concentration of the pollutant decreases

is a flammable gas produced by landfills a.) carbon dioxide b.) carbon monoxide c.) methane d.) radon e.) sulfur dioxide

C.) methane

exemplified by bees consuming nectar and carrying pollen from one flower to another a.) commensalism b.) parasitism c.) mutualism d.) predation e.) competition

C.) mutualism

Which of the following most directly explains the periodic fluctuations of the curve A.) daily variations in air temp B.) daily variations in sea level C.) seasonal variations in photosynthetic activity D.) seasonal variations in ocean water temperatures E.) seasonal variations in human industrial activity

C.) seasonal variations in photosynthetic activity

Which of the following is an inorganic compound a.) Ethanol b.) Bezene c.) Table salt d.) Sucrose e.) Propane

C.) table salt

Environmentalists oppose the mining of antarctic mineral resources because A.) territorial claims to Antarctica are unresolved B.) the existence of valuable mineral deposits in the Antarctic environment is unlikely C.) the antarctic environment is fragile and extremely vulnerable to the disturbance that would accompany development D.) currently know world reserves of important metals and oil are considered inexhaustible E.) the demand for minerals is expected to decline as the world's nations become more industrialized

C.) the antarctic environment is fragile and extremely vulnerable to the disturbance that would accompany development

The rate of population growth starts to slow down at which point A.) the end of phase I B.) the middle of phase II C.) the beginning of phase III D.) the end of phase III E.) the middle of phase IV

C.) the beginning of phase III

An incandescent lightbulb used for lighting has an efficiency rating of 5%, then for every 1.00 joule of electrical energy consumed by the bulb, which of the following is produced A.) 1.05 joules of light energy B.) 1.05 joules of heat energy C.) 0.95 joule of light energy D.) 0.05 joule of light energy E.) 0.05 joule of heat energy

D.) 0.05 joule of light energy

Approximately what % of the population in Country II is under age 15 A.) 1% B.) 5% C.) 10% D.) 25% E.) 50%

D.) 25%

The current world population is closest to which of the following A.) 1 million B.) 500 million C.) 1 billion D.) 5 billion E.) 20 billion

D.) 5 billion

The major reservoirs of nitrogen and sulfur in the biosphere are correctly identified by which of the following A.) rocks; rocks B.) rocks; vegetation C.) rocks; atmosphere D.) atmosphere; rocks E.) atmosphere; atmosphere

D.) Atmosphere; Rocks

Elements that cycle in the environment and that also have a gaseous phase at some point in their cycle include which of the following I. carbon II. phosphorus III. sulfur A.) I only B.) III only C.) I and II only D.) I and III only E.) I, II, and III

D.) I and III only

Road construction, logging, and mining are banned in which of the following federal lands A.) National parks B.) National wildlife refuges C.) National forest D.) National wilderness preservation areas E.) National resource lands

D.) National wilderness preservation areas

Which of the following best shows the process of evolution A.) a lizards color becomes brown as it sits on a log B.) a bear goes into hibernation C.) a plant loses its leaves in a drought D.) a population of mosquitos develops resistance to a pesticide E.) a population of foxes increases as more prey becomes available

D.) a population of mosquitos develops resistance to a pesticide

Which of the following procedures would be best for remediating the effects of soil salinization a.) application of broad spectrum biocides to kill microorganisms b.) application of superphosate to increase soil fertility c.) addition of clay to increase soil water holding capacity d.) addition of large amounts of water to leach out salts e.) addition of lime to raise soil pH

D.) addition of large amounts of water to leach out salts

which method would be best suited for neutralizing the acidic components of waste a.) sanitary landfill b.) incineration c.) discharge to sewers, streams, and rivers d.) chemical treatment e.) biological treatment

D.) chemical treatment

decreased by the breakdown of organic waste a.) acidity b.) turbidity c.) hardness d.) dissolved oxygen e.) salinity

D.) dissolved oxygen

the amount of energy in an isolated system stays constant a.) heat flow b.) kinetic energy c.) potential energy d.) first law of thermodynamics e.) second law of thermodynamics

D.) first law

The graph above shows how seed production in a plant species varied with population density in an unfragmented habitat and in a fragmented habitat. Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the data A.) there is no relationship btwn seed production and habitat fragmentation B.) seed production is higher in dense populations C.) seed production is lower in dense population D.) habitat fragmentation has more effect on seed production than does population density E.) pollinators are either less abundant or less effective in small populations

D.) habitat fragmentation has more effect on seed production than does population density

Most data indicate that, during the past 100 years, mean global annual temperature has A.) decreased by 5 degrees C B.) decreased by 0.5 degrees C C.) stayed the same D.) increased by 0.5 degrees C E.) increased by 5 degrees C

D.) increased by 0.5 degrees C

Which of the following is most likely to be the direct result of lack of genetic diversity in a food crop such as corn A.) decreased kernel size B.) decreased potential yield C.) decreased dependence on chemical fertilizers D.) increased susceptibility to plant disease E.) increased resistance to pests

D.) increased susceptibility to plant disease

Which of the following is most likely the primary cause of high death rates in phase I A.) loss of breeding-age males due to war B.) loss of breeding-age females due to diseases C.) large percentage of elderly individuals in the population D.) infant and childhood mortality E.) general starvation due to famine

D.) infant and childhood mortality

Although ozone in the stratosphere has been decreasing in recent years, ozone near earth's surface is on the increase. This ozone near the surface is undesirable because A.) absorbs ultraviolet light B.) has a different chemical structure than stratospheric ozone C.) reacts with hydrocarbons to form CFC's D.) is a strong oxidant and a respiratory irritant E.) accelerates rates of photosynthesis in plants

D.) is a strong oxidant and a respiratory irritant

the source that is not renewable a.) biomass b.) wind c.) tidal energy d.) nuclear fission e.) sunlight

D.) nuclear fission

the source that produces long-lived hazardous wastes a.) biomass b.) wind c.) tidal energy d.) nuclear fission e.) sunlight

D.) nuclear fission

Which of the following will result in accelerated eutrophication when introduced into streams, lakes, and bays a.) Bacteria and viruses b.) Pesticides c.) Herbicides d.) Phosphates e.) Acid wastes amd salts

D.) phosphates

The major biological source of dissolved oxygen in the ocean comes from A.) decomposition of organic sediments on the ocean floor B.) metabolic processes of coral in reefs C.) oxidation of sulfur by bacteria in ocean vent communities D.) photosynthesis by phytoplankton E.) respiration by zooplankton

D.) photosynthesis by phytoplankton

has been implicated as the cause of as much as 15 percent of lung cancer cases a.) carbon dioxide b.) carbon monoxide c.) methane d.) radon e.) sulfur dioxide

D.) radon

Which of the following correctly orders the methods of solid waste management in terms of energy required A.) reuse; recycle; reduce B.) recycle; reuse; reduce C.) recycle; reduce; reuse D.) reduce; reuse; recycle E.) reduce; recycle; reuse

D.) reduce; reuse; recycle

the location where the size of the human population is the most stable a.) africa- niger b.) bengal c.) china d.) west virginia e.) brazil

D.) west virginia

The land on a 100-acre farm is equally suited for grazing cattle and growing corn. Of the following ways of distributing land use, which would produce the greatest number of calories for human consumption A.) 100; 0 B.) 80; 20 C.) 50; 50 D.) 20; 80 E.) 0; 100

E.) 0; 100

The diagram above illustrates how the number of individuals in a population changed with time as a result of external stresses and resource limitations. Which lettered portion of the curve most likely corresponds to the carrying capacity of the ecosystem A.) A B.) B C.) C D.) D E.) E

E.) E

reasons that human populations historically have settled in floodplains include which of the following I. the soil in floodplains is usually fertile II. the terrain in floodplains tends to be flat III. floodplains are close to rivers for transportation a.) I only b.) II only c.) I and II only d.) II and III only e.) I, II, and III

E.) I, II, and III

Which of the following is most likely to result from destruction of wetlands surrounding a river A.) a decreased sediment load in the river B.) a decreased level of pollutants such as nitrates in the river C.) an increased diversity of aquatic species in the river D.) an increased level of oxygen in the river E.) an increased frequency of flooding of the river valley

E.) an increased frequency of flooding of the river valley

which method introduces microorganisms to break down hazardous organic compounds a.) sanitary landfill b.) incineration c.) discharge to sewers, streams, and rivers d.) chemical treatment e.) biological treatment

E.) biological treatment

the location of the greatest remaining natural biodiversity a.) africa- niger b.) bengal c.) china d.) west virginia e.) brazil

E.) brazil

exemplified by starlings displacing bluebirds from nesting sites a.) commensalism b.) parasitism c.) mutualism d.) predation e.) competition

E.) competition

Which of the following only results from greenhouse warming but also contributes to additional warming of Earth a.) Increased emissions of particulates and aerosols from industrial activity b.) Increased volcanic activity c.) Decreased air temperature and subsequent formation of clouds d.) Decreased incidince of sunspot activity e.) Decreased size of snowpack

E.) decreased size of snowpack

The presence of high levels of fecal coliform bacteria in a water source indicates that the water A.) is safe to drink B.) is safe to swim in C.) contains too little oxygen to support fish life D.) has been recently chlorinated at a sewage treatment plant E.) has been contaminated by untreated human or animal waste

E.) has been contaminated by untreated human or animal waste

Which of the following is most likely a significant cause of the general trend indicated by the graph A.) reduction of ozone concentrations in the upper atmosphere B.) reduction in size of polar ice caps C.) increase in energy output of the sun D.) increased evaporation of ocean water E.) increase in consumption of fossil fuels

E.) increase in consumption of fossil fuels

Zero population growth is associated with A.) phase I only B.) phase II only C.) phase III only D.) phase IV only E.) phases I and IV

E.) phases I and IV

All of the following are considered toxic metal pollutants except A.) cadmium B.) chromium C.) lead D.) mercury E.) potassium

E.) potassium

an energy transformation occurs and results in increased disorder a.) heat flow b.) kinetic energy c.) potential energy d.) first law of thermodynamics e.) second law of thermodynamics

E.) second law

Which of the following would most likely have the greatest positive impact on the quality of the natural environment worldwide A.) discovery of new reserves of fossil fuels in coastal areas B.) increased agriculture production on marginal desert lands C.) increased life expectancy in more developed nations D.) increased reliance on food from ocean ecosystems E.) stabilization or reduction of the size of human population

E.) stabilization or reduction of the size of human population

In contrast to the low level radioactive waste, most high level radioactive waste is currently A.) put into steel drums and dumped into the ocean B.) incinerated C.) burned in government landfills D.) recycled E.) stored at reactor sites

E.) stored at reactor sites

it is an important precursor to acid rain a.) carbon dioxide b.) carbon monoxide c.) methane d.) radon e.) sulfur dioxide

E.) sulfur dioxide

the source that is converted directly into electrical energy by photovaltic cells a.) biomass b.) wind c.) tidal energy d.) nuclear fission e.) sunlight

E.) sunlight

The ultimate source of energy for terrestrial ecosystems is A.) nutrients in soil B.) nutrients in vegetation C.) primary consumers D.) producers E.) the sun

E.) the sun