APES Unit 8 MCQ part A

Which of the following pollutants would most likely be responsible for gender imbalance in a population of frogs in which all observed frogs are female? -Endocrine disruptors -Carcinogens -Animal waste from farms -Fertilizers

Endocrine disruptors

Pollutants from agriculture, storm runoff, lawn fertilizers, and sewer overflows are

Nonpoint sources

Which of the following practices would best help to protect against inland and coastal flooding in urban areas? -Regulating the use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture -Preserving wetland and coastal mangrove habitats -Increasing the capacity of the sewer lines so they can handle a larger volume of water -Straightening stream channels to increase stream flow

Preserving wetland and coastal mangrove habitats

Which of the following best describes why persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic to organisms? -They emit gamma radiation, increasing the likelihood of mutations and cancer. -They do not break down easily and can accumulate in the fat tissue of an organism. -They are easily dispersed by wind and water, greatly increasing the affected areas. -They are naturally occurring in the soil and water; therefore, they easily contaminate the food web.

They do not break down easily and can accumulate in the fat tissue of an organism.

What is most likely to result from destruction of wetlands surrounding a river

an increased frequency of flooding of the river valley

Eutrophication results in the death of trout and other fish as a result of

asphyxiation

Which category of ecosystem services best details the awarding of a grant to research the breeding patterns of a snail population along the headwaters of the brazos river which results in a literary publication in an invertebrate scientific journal? -provisioning -regulating -supporting -cultural

cultural

Which of the following is not a threat to coral reefs? -decrease in pH -increase frequency of storms -decrease in temperature -altered ocean currents

decrease in temperature

Defining characteristics of a wetland involve...

hydrology, soil type, and species composition (I, II, and III)

The smallest fish populations will most likely be found where...

there is a low level of dissolved oxygen and a declining biological oxygen demand

Why has DDT been found in penguin eggs in the Antarctic?

Chemicals used in one region of the earth can circulate in the biosphere and affect organisms in a distant region

What is most likely the route for mercury to enter the food web

Coal burning emissions -> deposition -> ocean -> plankton -> fishes

Which of the following approaches would best decrease the impact of frequent flooding in a community that is subject to the hazard of flooding? -Construct wetland areas near the rivers and streams. -Remove forested areas around all streams and rivers and change land use to agriculture. -Increase the height of natural levees downstream from the community. -Encourage developers to build housing developments on the floodplain.

Construct wetland areas near the rivers and streams.

Why is DDT classified as a POP

DDT is very stable, and as much as 50% of the original concentration can remain in the soil 15 years after application

Most streams follow a branching drainage pattern, which is known as

Dendritic drainage

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are dangerous because they

Remain in the environment, bio-accumulate in organisms, and bio-magnify throughout the food chain

Lakes that are characterized by high water clarity and low concentrations of dissolved nutrients are classified as

oligotrophic

Which of the following will result in accelerated eutrophication when introduced into streams, lakes, and bays? -bacteria and viruses -pesticides -phosphates -acid wastes and salts

phosphates

All of the following are considered toxic metal pollutants EXCEPT

potassium

What practice would best help to protect against inland and coastal flooding in urban areas

preserving wetland and coastal mangrove habitats

Which of the following is an example of a point source of pollution? -A leaking septic tank -Agricultural pollution from a group of cattle farms -Runoff following road construction -Acid mine drainage

A leaking septic tank

Which of the following best describes the action of an endocrine disruptor? -An endocrine disruptor attacks hormones that invade a body system and cause disease. -An endocrine disruptor blocks the receptor protein binding site of a hormone so that the cell cannot receive a signal. -An endocrine disruptor acts as an organic catalyst, produced by living things to regulate the rate of chemical reactions. -An endocrine disruptor helps to transport substances, such as pesticides, in an organism following exposure.

An endocrine disruptor blocks the receptor protein binding site of a hormone so that the cell cannot receive a signal.

A biologist is studying a small food web in which phytoplankton are eaten by krill, krill are eaten by fish, and fish are eaten by seals. During their study of the ecosystem, the biologist discovers that PCBs are present in measurable levels in the water and wants to examine how PCBs could vary in different trophic levels. Which of the following best identifies a testable hypothesis for the study? -Biomagnification will cause the phytoplankton to have the highest amount of PCBs in their tissues. -Biomagnification will cause the seals to have the highest amount of PCBs in their tissues. -Bioaccumulation will cause the seals to have the highest amount of PCBs in their tissues. -Bioaccumulation will cause the fish to have the highest amount of PCBs in their tissues.

Biomagnification will cause the seals to have the highest amount of PCBs in their tissues.

Which of the following correctly identifies both a nonpoint source and a point source of pollution? Nonpoint Source Pollution Point Source Pollution (A)Industrial smokestack / Waste discharge pipe (B)Agricultural runoff / Urban runoff (C)Leaking sanitary landfill / Pesticide spraying (D)Urban runoff / City bus exhaust

D -Urban runoff / City bus exhaust

Which of the following best describes the source of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that could accumulate in the tissues of a top predator? -Methane ( CH4 ) and carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) released from livestock operations -DDT and other pesticides that are sprayed to control for mosquitoes -CFCs that are manufactured to be used as pesticides -Sulfur dioxide (SO2) released from coal-burning power plants

DDT and other pesticides that are sprayed to control for mosquitoes

Which of the following is the most likely impact of thermal pollution from power plants on a river ecosystem? -Decreased oxygen levels because warm water holds less dissolved gas than cold water does -Increased sedimentation because minerals precipitate out of the water column in warm water -Reduced growth rates of primary producers such as aquatic plants and algae -Decreased metabolic rates of aquatic animals exposed to the heated water

Decreased oxygen levels because warm water holds less dissolved gas than cold water does

Which of the following best describes the action of endocrine disruptors in organisms? -Endocrine disruptors scar the lung tissue of animals, inducing respiratory difficulties. -Endocrine disruptors block the central nervous system of animals, leading to behavioral abnormalities. -Endocrine disruptors mimic naturally occurring hormones in animals, leading to developmental disorders. -Endocrine disruptors reduce primary productivity in plants, inducing a trophic cascade.

Endocrine disruptors mimic naturally occurring hormones in animals, leading to developmental disorders.

If wastewater treatment plant effluent that contains nitrates and phosphates is allowed to flow into a body of water, which of the following may result?

Eutrophication

Which of the following is the most likely consequence of runoff transporting chemicals that are endocrine disruptors to a pond? -Decreased turbidity in the pond -Increased frequency of birth defects in fish populations in the pond -Increased mutualistic relationships between fish and frog populations in the pond -Increased dissolved oxygen in the pond

Increased frequency of birth defects in fish populations in the pond

The dangers of disposing toxic chemicals underground came to public attention in which of the following locations -Chernobyl, Ukraine -Love Canal, NY -Minamata, Japan -Three mile island, Pennsylvania

Love Canal, NY

Which of the following is a point source pollutant that would likely affect the ecosystem health of a coral reef? -Small pieces of plastic washed in by local currents -Runoff of oil from nearby urban highway systems -Oil released from the broken hull of a shipwrecked tanker -Excess nutrients introduced by fertilization of farmland

Oil released from the broken hull of a shipwrecked tanker

Which of the following is the best example of a point source pollutant? -Oil tanker spill -Farm field -Golf course -Parking lot

Oil tanker spill

Which of the following correctly identifies an example of an endocrine disruptor and the effect it might have on the human body? -High levels of lead in drinking water could lead to neurological damage. -Exposure to radon in indoor air is linked to increased rates of lung cancer. -Phthalates in cosmetics and shampoos reduce fertility. -The bacterium E. coli found in vegetables causes abdominal cramping and vomiting.

Phthalates in cosmetics and shampoos reduce fertility.

A beach community was recently negatively affected by a hurricane. Community leaders are looking for a potential solution to prevent damage from future hurricanes. Below is a list of their concerns as well as how important each issue is to the community. Which of the following solutions would best address the issues of greatest concern in the community? -Construction of a seawall -Planting mangrove forests -Construction of an offshore breakwater -Adding large sand dunes

Planting mangrove forests

Which of the following statements best describes how the Clean Water Act legislation aims to protect wetlands from being lost? -The Clean Water Act bans the draining of wetlands over five acres in size. -The Clean Water Act requires wetlands to be constructed to mitigate the effect of newly drained wetlands. -The Clean Water Act establishes standards for the quality of surface waters that must be continually monitored and reported. -The Clean Water Act prohibits the use of wetlands for development and construction.

The Clean Water Act requires wetlands to be constructed to mitigate the effect of newly drained wetlands.

The diagram below depicts a surface water source that has undergone cultural eutrophication. Based on the diagram, which of the following processes most likely caused the fish in the lake to die? -The remains of the bottom-dwelling plants and algae decomposed, depleting the amount of oxygen in the water. -The algal bloom at the surface released carbon dioxide into the water, suffocating the fish. -The herbicides used on the corn crop were washed into the lake, accidentally poisoning the fish. -Carbohydrates were released into the water when the bottom-dwelling plants died, increasing the amount of competition for food.

The remains of the bottom-dwelling plants and algae decomposed, depleting the amount of oxygen in the water.

In which of the following ecosystems do tree roots serve as important havens for biodiversity? -salt marshes -coral reefs -mangrove forests -estuaries -freshwater wetlands

mangrove forests

What measures the amount of suspended material in water

turbidity

What describes a way that POPs cause harm in the environment

Persistent organic pollutants are soluble in fat, so they accumulate in an organism's fatty tissue

Which of the following is decreased by the breakdown of organic waste? -acidity -turbidity -hardness -dissolved oxygen -salinity

dissolved oxygen

endocrine disruptors directly affect which of the following in an organism -white blood cells -hormones -iron content -oxygen levels

hormones

Which of the following practices would best help to protect against inland and coastal flooding in urban areas? -regulating the use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture -preserving wetland and coastal mangrove habitats -increasing the capacity of sewer lines so they can handle a larger volume of water -straightening stream channels to increase stream flow

preserving wetland and coastal mangrove habitats

Many synthetic chemicals, such as PCBs, act as estrogen mimics. In an ecosystem, these persistent chemicals would have the greatest effect on which of the following? -decomposers -primary producers -parasites -secondary consumers -autotrophs

secondary consumers

When water used to cool power plants during normal plant operations is released into adjacent waterways, which of the following is most likely to occur as a result?

the dissolved oxygen in the adjacent waterways would decrease because used coolant water is warm and leads to thermal pollution

What is a supporting ecological service provided by wetlands

wetlands provide a habitat for a wide variety of organisms

Which of the following examples includes both a point and a nonpoint source of pollution? -A factory smokestack and a sewage overflow -Runoff from city streets and pesticides from agricultural fields -Waste from animal feedlots and sediment from construction sites -Fertilizer from suburban lawns and wastewater from a water treatment plant

Fertilizer from suburban lawns and wastewater from a water treatment plant

Endocrine disruptors directly affect which of the following in an organism? -White blood cells -Hormones -Iron content -Oxygen levels

Hormones

Which of the following strategies will best help to protect mangrove habitats? -Limiting coastal development and maintain a shoreline buffer zone -Increasing aquaculture operations to reduce overfishing -Increasing subsidies for hydroelectric dam construction -Encouraging land use changes in areas surrounding mangroves to shift to agriculture

Limiting coastal development and maintain a shoreline buffer zone

According to the World Health Organization, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are found in nearly all tested organism tissues and environmental samples. Which characteristic of POPs accounts for their presence in living tissues and in environmental samples? -POPs are lipophilic, which means that they can be stored in fatty tissues for long periods of time. -POPs are released in to the air, water, and land, which allows them to be transported and incorporated in multiple ways. -POPs are synthetic chemicals, so only humans and urban environments are exposed to the pollutants. -POPs are organic compounds, so they can biodegrade easily and move through various environments.

POPs are released in to the air, water, and land, which allows them to be transported and incorporated in multiple ways.

The diagram below depicts a surface water source that has undergone cultural eutrophication. Based on the diagram, which of the following processes most likely caused the algal bloom in the lake? -The water table rose and caused widespread flooding in the area. -Runoff carried excess fertilizer from the cornfield into the water. -Excess oxygen was released into the water when the fish died. -Decomposition of the dead algae used up all the dissolved carbon dioxide.

Runoff carried excess fertilizer from the cornfield into the water.

The diagram below depicts a surface water source that has undergone cultural eutrophication. Based on the diagram, which of the following processes most likely caused the bottom-dwelling plants in the lake to die? -The remnants of the corn crop were burned after the corn was harvested, decreasing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. -Toxins such as lead and mercury were released into the water when the fish died. -The algal bloom prevented sunlight from reaching the bottom-dwelling plants, which reduced the rates of photosynthesis. -Oxygen was released into the water when the algae died.

The algal bloom prevented sunlight from reaching the bottom-dwelling plants, which reduced the rates of photosynthesis.

A massive bluegill fish kill was observed in a lake near a power plant during the winter months. It was determined that the plant was releasing large amounts of hot water into the lake. Which of the following explains what likely caused the death of so many bluegills in the lake?

The influx of warmer water caused an unexpected increase in the metabolic rate of the bluegills, which led to increased physiological stress from limited resource availability

All of the following are commonly used to deal with the side effects of eutrophication in lakes EXCEPT -adding herbicides to kill nuisance plants -dredging out lakes to deepen them -pumping oxygen into the lowest layers of water -introducing insects that eat certain nuisance plants -adding nitrates

adding nitrates

What is an expected consequence of runoff and sewage in an aquatic environment

decreased oxygen production by seaweed on the seafloor from an increase in turbidity

Which of the following examples includes both a point and a nonpoint source of pollution? -A factory smokestack and sewage outflow -runoff from city streets and pesticides from agricultural fields -waste from animal feedlots and sediment from construction sites -fertilizer from suburban lawns and wastewater from a water treatment plant

fertilizer from suburban lawns and wastewater from a water treatment plant

Three common methods in the cleanup of oil spills are

large floating booms, skimmer boats, and genetically engineered bacteria

An ecologist is 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? -an endocrine disruptor -a carcinogen -nitrogen fertilizers -heavy metals

an endocrine disruptor

which of the following is the best example of a point source of water pollution -factory effluent -storm water -acid precipitation -agricultural runoff -residential pesticide runoff

factory effluent

The use of nitrogen-based fertilizers in the Midwestern US is a major contributing factor to which of the following -hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico -water shortages in communities near the Great Lakes -soil erosion in Texas -the increase in severe storms in the Southeastern US

hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico (watersheds lead to Mississippi River which dumps into Gulf)

when logging is carried out in a watershed, a likely effect on the local streams is

increased water temperature

In a river ecosystem, dissolved oxygen concentrations drop quickly downstream from a point-source input of organic matter into a river. This effect is due to

increasing bacterial activity as organic matter decays

which of the following is a way to potentially eliminate one of the greatest threats to the world's mangrove wetlands

integrate ecologically sound shrimp aquacultural practices with mangrove management

Scientists are interested in studying the bioaccumulation of mercury in different species of dolphins exposed to the same concentration of mercury. The dolphins in the study will be of similar age and living in the same habitat. Which of the following best identifies a testable hypothesis for the study? -Different species of dolphins will have different levels of mercury in their fatty tissues depending on the species' ability to absorb and excrete mercury. -Dolphins will have the highest levels of mercury in their fatty tissues when they are exposed to the highest concentration of mercury. -Dolphin species that are not exposed to mercury in the water will still have trace levels of mercury in their muscle tissues from exposure through air. -The concentration of mercury in the tissues of different species of dolphins is dependent on the life span of the species and on the number of offspring produced.

Different species of dolphins will have different levels of mercury in their fatty tissues depending on the species' ability to absorb and excrete mercury.

A scientist wants to study the effect of DDT in a fish-eating bird species. She measures a variety of variables in a population of birds over a period of ten years to determine how levels of DDT affect bird survival and reproduction. Which of the following identifies a scientific question she could ask to best evaluate the effect of DDT on the bird species? -Is the bird species able to metabolize DDT faster than the fish the birds consume? -Does the persistence of DDT lead to eggshell thinning or developmental deformities in the bird species? -Has the decrease in DDT usage led to a decrease in DDT concentration in the tissues of fish-eating birds? -How long does it take for DDT to break down once it is absorbed in the fatty tissues of the fish-eating birds?

Does the persistence of DDT lead to eggshell thinning or developmental deformities in the bird species?

Which of the following is a way to potentially eliminate one of the greatest threats to the world's mangrove wetlands? -Increase desalination to reduce the effects of prolonged drought in mangroves. -Integrate ecologically sound shrimp aquacultural practices with mangrove management. -Construct dams in mangroves to increase sediment load and decrease pollution. -Employ irrigation methods to address potential desertification of mangrove habitats.

Integrate ecologically sound shrimp aquacultural practices with mangrove management.

Which of the following would best be described as a point source of pollution from a farm? -Nitrogenous fertilizers added to drip irrigation used for growing crops -Runoff from the waste lagoons of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, which enters local waterways after a flooding event -Tractors and harvesters burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides into the atmosphere -Particulate matter from bare soil on plowed fields entering the atmosphere from wind

Runoff from the waste lagoons of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, which enters local waterways after a flooding event

A small lake, located downstream of a power plant, recently experienced a die-off of multiple aquatic species. Environmentalists had been monitoring the temperature of the lake for several months prior to the die-off and noticed a significant spike in the temperature of the lake immediately preceding the die-off event. Which of the following best explains why the die-off event occurred in the lake following the increased water temperature? -The warm water increased the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which led to an increase in the photosynthetic rate of the aquatic organisms. -The warm water increased the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which led to an increase in the amount of competition by consumers for food. -The warm water decreased the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which led to an increase in the rate of decomposition in the lake. -The warm water decreased the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which led to an increase in the respiration rate of the aquatic organisms.

The warm water decreased the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which led to an increase in the respiration rate of the aquatic organisms.

Which of the following best describes how thermal pollution from power plants can affect aquatic ecosystems? -Water injected into the ground during the hydraulic fracking process can seep into wells, causing methane contamination. -Warm water runoff that reaches lakes and ponds slows down the metabolic rate of aquatic animals, which decreases primary productivity. -Warm water discharged into rivers and streams decreases the oxygen content of the water, which reduces the number of fish species. -Wastewater from nuclear power plants contains radioisotopes and carbonic acid, which increase the rate of cancer in aquatic species.

Warm water discharged into rivers and streams decreases the oxygen content of the water, which reduces the number of fish species.

Which of the following is not an ecosystem service of wetlands? -acting as carbon sinks -provisioning recreation areas -serving as nurseries for fish -recharging groundwater -all of the above are ecosystem services

all of the above are ecosystem services