APES ~ Possible FRQ's

Discuss TWO human health effects associated with urban sprawl. (2015, Question 4, Part B)

- Asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, airway inflammation, irritation of mucus membranes, respiratory irritation, respiratory irritation, lung irritation, aggravated heart disease from increased air pollution - Personal injuries associated with automobile crashes due to increased driving - reduction of disease spread in lower density areas

Describe TWO ecosystem services provided for humans by forests. Explain how clear-cutting would affect each ecosystem service you describe. (2008, Question 3, Part C)

- Forests maintain watershed integrity (e.g., flood control with specific human application ~Impact: decreases in watershed integrity (this one was on a different page so I just typed it)

Natural gas is considered to be a better fossil fuel for the environment than coal is. Discuss TWO environmental benefits of using natural gas as a fuel compared to using coal (2012, Question 1, Part B)

Benefits of natural gas (must be environmental, not economic) include the following: • Fewer SOx are produced, resulting in less acid rain. • Fewer NOx are produced, resulting in less acid rain and less photochemical smog. • Less Hg is released. • Harmful mining techniques are avoided; for example, no strip mining or mountaintop removal is required. • Fewer particulates (soot) are released. • Less CO2 is produced.

Describe one economic benefit to society of using fracking to obtain natural gas from shale (2012, Question 1, Part D)

Development of a domestic energy resource (reducing foreign influences on price). • Creation of jobs. • Financial gains to individuals who lease their property to the natural gas companies.

Describe TWO environmental drawbacks, not related to water use, of using the fracking process to extract natural gas from shale. (2012, Question 1, Part C)

Environmental drawbacks of fracking include the following: • Habitat fragmentation/destruction can occur from setting up the drilling site or from building roads. • Earthquakes can result from the drilling/fracking process. • Methane can leak (into the atmosphere) during the process, resulting in an increase of greenhouse gases. • Subsidence of the land can occur once fracking fluids are removed. • Trucks and drilling equipment consume a nonrenewable fuel and release CO2 (greenhouse gases) and, potentially, SOx (which produce acid rain) and NOx (which produce acid rain and photochemical smog). • Noise pollution is caused by the drilling rigs and by increased truck traffic. • Soil salinization or heavy metal contamination can result from the spraying of wastewater. • The drilling site increases the amount of particulate matter in the air. • Other appropriate examples may also earn points.

Nuclear power is an alternative to using natural gas or coal as a fuel for generating electricity. However, there are also problems associated with nuclear power plants. Describe TWO negative environmental impacts associated with nuclear power. (2012, Question 1, Part E)

Negative environmental impacts of nuclear power include the following: • Spent nuclear waste (fuel): a storage facility does not exist for high-level waste; waste has to be stored for 10 half-lives in order to be considered safe. • Thermal pollution from cooling operations (impacting surface waters). • Nuclear accidents/plant failures: release of radioactive substances, resulting in contamination of soil, water, air, and living organisms. • Results of mining uranium: o Habitat degradation. o Radioactive mine tailings. o Large amounts of water are used. o CO2 is released during the transportation and enrichment process (from fossil fuels). • Uranium is a nonrenewable resource. • Limited life span: plants have to be decommissioned. • Runoff into surface waters during construction. • Waste produced during the enrichment process. • Nuclear energy production is less efficient than a coal-burning power plant; most uranium ends up as waste.

Soil quality is a critical factor in agriculture. Identify TWO physical and/or chemical properties of soils and describe the role of each property in determining soil quality (2011, Question 4, Part C)

There is another chart but I think one is enough

Describe TWO viable strategies for reducing the amount of land needed for agriculture (2011, Question 4, Part D)

Increasing crop yield: • The development of crops that can be grown closer together, are more resistant to pests, more to weather extremes, etc., via artificial selection or GM technologies could increase crop yields. Note: Students may earn both points for two crop improvements. • Cover-cropping/intercropping/strip farming/strip cropping/alley cropping/polycultivation/ allowing for multiple crops to be grown on the same plot of land/etc. could increase crop yield by using the same plot of land during different seasons/growing noncompetitive crops together to use the space between rows/inhibiting crop diseases or pests/etc. • Use of (more effective) pesticides/fertilizers could increase crop yield. • Instituting crop rotation to improve soil fertility could increase crop yield. Decreasing the demand for agricultural land: • Eating lower on the food chain would reduce the amount of land needed to raise livestock. • Curbing population growth via programs that lessen the need/desire for people to have children would reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture. • Urban/home/rooftop gardens utilize urban/residential space for growing food. • Instituting a practice that prevents the degradation of our current agricultural land (e.g., contour farming to prevent erosion, crop rotation to maintain soil fertility, etc.) will lessen the demand for new agricultural land. • Underground and/or multistory hydroponic facilities would provide more area for growing crops without increasing land area needed. • Preventing food spoilage/wastage would result in less food being thrown away. • Banning the use of agricultural crops to make fuels would allow those crops to be used for feeding people. • Switching from cotton to hemp for textiles would provide more material per acre. • Switching to (more efficient) crops that produce more nutrients/food/calories per acre would allow us to feed more people using less land. • Aquaculture/raising seafood as a meat/protein substitute would lessen the need for land to sustain livestock.

Explain why the restoration of the land would likely be more difficult in an arid climate (less than ten inches of precipitation per year). (2005, Question 3, Part B)

It may be difficult to re-establish vegetation due to... - low precipitation - low fertility of soils in arid climates - water-holding characteristics of soils in arid climates. OR As a consequence of the slow growth of vegetation the reclamation may be prolonged because of - wind and/or water-related soil erosion - runoff - landslides

Assume that the maximum arable land area on Earth is 4.00 billion hectares. Using the smooth curve that you created above, determine the year in which the human population is likely to run out of arable land for agriculture. (2011, Question 4, Part B)

for the graph above, the correct answer is about 2048

Although the landscape following a volcanic eruption may appear unable to support ecological communities, over time the area can be transformed through succession. (i) What is primary succession? (ii) Explain how primary succession can lead to soil formation on a newly formed volcanic landscape. (2014, Question 3, Part B)

i.) 1 point for a correct description of the establishment of organisms where bare rock/ash/sand/inorganic substrate, or no soil previously existed ii.) 1 point for a correct explanation of the role of organisms in physically/chemically weathering rock and 1 point for a correct explanation of the role of organisms and decomposition in soil formation over time

In addition to volcanic activity, highly destructive tsunamis are generated along Pacific Plate subduction zones. (i) Explain how a tsunami is generated along a subduction zone. (ii) Describe one negative ecological impact that tsunamis have on coastal environments. (2014, Question 3, Part C)

i.) 2 points: 1 point for a correct explanation of tsunami generation resulting from an underwater earthquake and 1 point for a correct explanation of rapid water displacement leading to tsunami formation ii.) • Destruction of/loss of habitat such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, etc. • Flooding resulting from tsunami waves can create saltwater intrusion into coastal ecosystems • Drowning of terrestrial species

Southern California experiences periodic devastating earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault, which is a transform boundary located along the eastern edge of the Pacific Plate. (i) Describe what happens to the tectonic plates along a transform boundary at the moment when an earthquake occurs. (ii) Describe what happens to the tectonic plates along a transform boundary during the time between earthquakes. (2014, Question 3, Part D)

i.) A large amount of energy is released; Plates suddenly/rapidly slide past each other in opposite directions ii.) 1 point for a correct description of tectonic plates along transform faults binding or locking-up causing pressure to build up over time

One problem that can result from agriculture is soil salinization. (i) Describe how salinization occurs. (ii) Describe one method to prevent or remediate soil salinization. (2011, Question 4, Part E)

i.) Any of the following is a correct response: • Salinization can occur when irrigation water evaporates (or is used by plants), leaving the salts behind in the soils. • (In arid regions), evaporation of (irrigation) water from the top layer of soil can draw water up from deeper in the soil column (via capillary action). If shallow ground water contains salts (possibly from saltwater encroachment), or if the deeper soil is high in salts, then salts will wick to the surface. • Precipitation can pick up salts from the soil, pool in areas of poor drainage, and evaporate, leaving behind the salts. • Misuse of salt-containing fertilizers and/or other soil amendments that contain salts (e.g., lime) may lead to soil salinization. • Salt applied to roads can run off (or splash/spray) and contaminate roadside soil. • Tsunamis/storm surges (e.g., from hurricanes) can deposit salts inland. ii.) Any of the following is a correct response: • Irrigate/flush with sufficient (fresh) water to leach the salts down through the soil (especially after the growing season), or wait for rain to flush the salts out of the soil. • The use of drip irrigation/soaker hoses/etc. requires less water than traditional irrigation, resulting in a lower influx of salt (or less water loss via evaporation). • Avoid planting crops that require a large amount of water in areas prone to salinization. • Avoid planting crops until the salt has been flushed from the soil. • Plant vegetation/crops that remove salt from the soil (e.g., saltbush, barley, oats). • Improving drainage (e.g., installing drainage tiles) will prevent precipitation/irrigation water from pooling and evaporating. • Irrigate with water that is low in salt content. • Use more organic/salt-free fertilizers/avoid using (as much) salt-containing fertilizers and/or other soil amendments that contain salts. • Incorporate organic material into the soil. • Use alternatives to road salt (e.g., beet juice, sand)/avoid applying (as much) road salt. • Plant vegetation/avoid removing vegetation that would protect inland areas from tsunamis/storm surges.

Plate-tectonic theory states that the Earth's lithosphere is broken into very slowly moving pieces or plates. Plate movements over vast stretches of time have led to the current orientation of our continents and oceans. Individual events along plate boundaries, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, pose periodic threats to human activity and ecosystems. The "Ring of Fire" is a term that describes the location of increased seismic and volcanic activity around the margins of the Pacific Ocean basin. On the map above, each dot represents a volcano or an earthquake. (a) Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines are examples of volcanic island chains that have formed along subduction zones between plates in the western Pacific. (i) Describe what happens when two tectonic plates collide along a subduction zone. (ii) Explain how subduction leads to volcanic activity. (2014, Question 3, Part A)

i.) One plate is pushed beneath the other, or equivalent description; A trench may be formed at the subduction zone ii.) 1 point for a correct explanation of one plate being pushed down and melted and 1 point for a correct explanation of molten material/magma rising to the surface near the zone

Most of the coal mined in the United States today comes from surface (strip) mines. In surface mining the vegetation, soil, and rock covering the coal (referred to as overburden) are removed and set aside. After the coal has been hauled away, good conservation practices require that the overburden be replaced and the surface be restored to its original condition. Land restoration may be difficult in some regions, due to factors such as the local climate, the thickness of the coal seam, the extent of the overburden, and the sulfur content of the coal. a.) Describe the steps that should be taken to restore the land after the overburden has been replaced. (2005, Question 3, Part A)

- Recontouring/regarding land to its original topography - Replacing and/or adding topsoil and/or nutrients as needed to improve soil quality or structure - Replanting with native vegetation/fast growing species/early successional species - Monitoring for either 5 or 10 year, depending on location

The graph below shows the relationship between population density and petroleum use in selected cities. Describe the relationship between population density and petroleum use shown in the graph. (2015, Question 4, Part C)

-Petroleum use is inversely proportional to population density - Petroleum use increases as population density decreases - petroleum use and population density are inversely related - There is a negative (exponential relationship between petroleum use and population density

Suppose that you have just started a summer internship working for a cooperative extension service, where you will collect soil samples, conduct laboratory and field tests, and make recommendations on soil conservation and agricultural practices. a.) Identify and describe one chemical soil test and one physical should test that could be preformed and explain how the results of these tests will allow the cooperative extension service to make specific recommendations for sustainable agriculture. (2004, Question 4, Part A)

A chemical test could be a pH test measures the acidity or alkalinity or hydrogen ion concentration. A physical test could be a soil texture test that would test for the percent/proportion of sand, silt, and clay sized particles that make up the solid inorganic phase of soil. This physical test could help sustainable agriculture by know whether to add soil additives such as sand, clay, or humus to affect ion-excahgne capacity as well as moisture content and water-holding capacity.

Identify a specific type of plant community or biome (other than a forest) that is naturally maintained by fire. Explain how the fire maintains the community or biome. (2008, Question 3, Part D)

Grasslands (savannah, steppe, veldt, pampas, prairie, marquis, garrigue—regional descriptions should include mention of grasslands): • Fire destroys invasive plant species (e.g., other grasses and trees) that compete for resources with native grasses. • Fire removes cover and allows sunlight penetration. • Fire helps the seeds of native grasses to germinate. • Fires enhance cycling of nutrients back into the soil. Chaparral (Mediterranean scrubland, Mediterranean shrubland—regional descriptions should include mention of location): • Fire removes brush, reducing competition for resources. • Fire helps plants that require fire or lack of brush cover to germinate. • Species that vigorously stump sprout quickly regenerate themselves. • Fires enhance cycling of nutrients back into the soil. Note: Any forest biome earns no credit.