AP ESCI Final Exam MCQ' s
64. Population change is calculated using which of the following formulas? a. (births + immigration) − (deaths + emigration) b. (births + emigration) − (deaths + immigration) c. (births + deaths) − (immigration + emigration) d. (deaths + emigration) − (births + immigration) e. (deaths + immigration) − (births + emigration)
(Births + Immigration) - (Deaths + Emigration)
15. If grass stores 1,000 energy units received from the sun, the ecological efficiency of the ecosystem is 10%, and the trophic levels are grass → cow → human, how many units of energy does the human receive of the original 1,000 units? a. 900 b. 200 c. 100 d. 10 e. 1
10
92. By law, a country's offshore fishing zone extends to ____ miles from its shores. a. 80 b. 100 c. 200 d. 300 e. 500
200
84. The typical percentage of high quality energy loss in transfers from one trophic level to the next is about ____. a. 35% b. 90% c. 5% d. 60% e. 1%
90%
56. Large regions characterized by a certain climate and dominant plant life are called ____. a. populations b. communities c. biomes d. ecosystems e. habitats
Biomes
98. Moose, lynx and burrowing rodent species are most likely found in which of the following? a. deserts b. boreal forests c. tropical forests d. temperate grasslands e. savannahs
Boreal forests
73. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has several goals. Which goal below is not one of them? a. Create 18 large reservoirs and underground storage areas. b. Build a series of massive dams to stop water leaving the Everglades. c. Remove 400 kilometers of canals and levees south of Lake Okeechobee. d. Restore the curving flow of the Kissimmee River. e. Buy 240 square kilometers of farmland and allow it to become marsh.
Build a series of massive dams to stop water leaving the Everglades.
72. Ocean acidification is defined as rising levels of acid in ocean waters due to the ocean's absorption of ____ from the atmosphere. a. H2CO3 (carbonic acid) b. CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) c. CO3 (carbonate ions) d. N2O (nitrous oxide) e. CO2 (carbon dioxide)
CO2 (carbon dioxide)
65. What occurs when an interaction benefits one species but has little, if any, effect on the other? a. parasitism b. interspecific competition c. mutualism d. predation e. commensalism
Commensalism
80. What term describes groups of different species living together in a particular place with a potential for interacting with one another? a. ecosystem b. population c. biosphere d. community e. organism
Community
81. What moves large volumes of rock and heat within the mantle, much like gigantic conveyor belts? a. magma chambers b. divergent plates c. concurrent cells d. convection cells e. convergent plates
Convection Cells
78. The role a species plays in its ecosystem is its ____. a. ecological job b. habitat c. ecological niche d. geographical location e. function
Ecological Niche
79. What is an area where a river meets the sea, and includes some of the earth's most productive wetlands? a. coastal marshes b. euphotic zone c. estuary d. bays e. inlets
Estuary
76. Which branch of government is responsible for overseeing the agencies that carry out government policies? a. executive b. judicial c. administrative d. military e. legislative
Executive
71. Wide, slow-moving rivers containing lots of particulate matter (silt) would be typical of what aquatic life zone? a. floodplain zone b. benthic zone c. transition zone d. profundal zone e. source zone
Floodplain zone
33. Which country is currently facing a declining population? a. Australia b. Saudi Arabia c. Germany d. United States e. Nigeria
Germany
68. Protected areas linking isolated reserves is a design called ____. a. wilderness concept b. reserve concept c. buffer zone concept d. habitat corridors e. transition zones
Habitat corridors
95. Organisms that feed only on plants are called ____. a. carnivores b. detritivores c. herbivores d. decomposers e. omnivores
Herbivores
77. Which of the following is another name for a nonnative species? a. indicator b. keystone c. native d. foundation e. invasive
Invasive
94. The severity of an earthquake is a measure of its seismic waves, and is called ____. a. magnitude b. epicenter c. focus d. ridges e. valleys
Magnitude
87. Protecting ____ and restoring them in areas where they have been destroyed are important ways to reduce the impacts of rising sea levels and storm surges, because these can slow storm-driven waves. a. coral reefs b. estuaries c. algal blooms d. mangrove forests e. tidal basins
Mangrove Forests
55. When two species behave in ways that benefit both by providing each with food, shelter, or some other resource, it is called ____. a. parasitism b. coevolution c. commensalism d. mimicry e. mutualism
Mutualism
35. In 1968, the U.S. Congress passed the ____ to establish protection of rivers with outstanding wildlife, geological, scenic, recreational, historical, or cultural values. a. Federal Freshwater Act b. National Rivers and Wetlands Act c. National Rivers of Interest Act d. National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act e. Federal Scenic Waterways Act
National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
89. On a fishing boat, someone catches a swordfish. As a biologist, you would consider this organism a type of ____. a. decomposer b. zooplankton c. benthos d. nekton e. phytoplankton
Nekton
63. What is the correct order of applying the scientific process to a problem? a. observation−question−hypothesis−experimentation b. observation−hypothesis−conclusion−experimentation c. hypothesis−conclusion−question−observation−experimentation d. hypothesis−question−observation−experimentation e. hypothesis−experimentation−observation−analysis−
Observation -- question -- hypothesis -- experimentation -- analysis -- conclusion
34. Which of the following statements about oceans is not true? a. Ocean currents redistribute heat from the sun. b. Most of the heat absorption by the oceans occurs in tropical waters. c. Ocean currents flow counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere. d. Differences in density of warm and cold seawater set up warm and cold currents. e. Irregularly shaped continents cause currents to flow in circular patterns.
Ocean currents flow counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
75. The key role of a honeybee is to ____ plants and flowers. a. protect b. pollinate c. populate d. produce e. preserve
Pollinate
83. A fishing method called, ____ fishing, is used to catch surface-dwelling species such as tuna, mackerel, anchovies, and herring, which tend to feed in schools near the surface or in shallow areas. a. long-line b. trawler c. purse-seine d. rod and reel e. drift-net
Purse-seine
13. A lawsuit filed by a corporation or developer against citizens who publicly criticize a business for an activity is called a(n) ____. a. criminal suit b. frivolous lawsuit c. common law suit d. regulatory suit e. SLAPP
SLAPP
91. The large grazing animals such as wildebeests and gazelles are best associated with which biome? a. tundra b. tropical desert c. savanna d. temperate grassland e. temperate deciduous forest
Savanna
66. What is succession that begins in an area where an ecosystem has been disturbed, removed, or destroyed, and that contains soil or bottom sediment? a. primary succession b. ecological establishment c. secondary succession d. disturbance succession e. facilitation
Secondary Succession
21. In 1995-1996, gray wolves were re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park. Since then, which of the following has occurred? a. Beaver dams have disappeared from the streams. b. Scavengers are not able to find food. c. Shade trees growing along streams have encouraged larger trout populations. d. Elk have increasingly trampled regrowth of aspen, cottonwoods, and willow trees. e. Coyote populations have decreased the number of small mammals.
Shade trees growing along streams have encouraged larger trout populations
97. Tropical rain forests are not good for clearing to grow crops or animals, primarily because they are low in which of the following? a. light b. rainfall c. wind d. soil nutrients e. temperature
Soil Nutrients
88. Kelp forests are a very important ecosystem in marine waters by supporting important biodiversity. These kelp forests are threatened by all of the following except _____. a. water pollution containing herbicides b. water pollution containing fertilizers c. southern sea otters d. sea urchins e. global warming
Southern sea otters
85. What term describes the number of different species in a given area? a. species niche b. species richness c. speciation d. habitat e. species evenness
Species Richness
93. Large sections of the earth's crust, called ____, slowly separate, collide, or grind along against each other at the earth's surface. a. low-grade core b. tailings c. tectonic plates d. mantle e. oceanic ridges
Tectonic Plates
27. The most far-reaching and controversial environmental law ever adopted requiring the identification of endangered and threatened species is ____. a. the Convention of Biological Diversity Treaty b. the Endangered Species Act c. the National Fish and Wildlife Law d. CITES e. HIPPCO
The Endangered Species Act
24. What is a major difference between the phosphorus cycle and the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles? a. The phosphorous cycle is much faster than the others. b. The phosphorous cycle makes use of living organisms but the others do not. c. The phosphorous cycle does not include the atmosphere but the others do. d. The phosphorous cycle is able to create new energy. e. The phosphorous cycle has not been impacted by human activity.
The phosphorous cycle does not include the atmosphere but the others do
69. Which of the following is true of specialist species? a. They can eat a wide variety of foods. b. They can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions. c. They can live in many different places. d. They can tolerate a narrow range of climatic conditions. e. They are less prone to extinction.
They can tolerate a narrow range of climatic conditions.
50. The biome with the highest diversity is the ____. a. tropical rain forest b. temperate evergreen forest c. temperate rain forest d. cold desert e. savanna
Tropical rain forest
32. Which of the following exhibits primary succession? a. newly flooded land b. a recently burned forest c. a clear-cut forest d. a rock exposed by a retreating glacier e. an abandoned farm
a rock exposed by a retreating glacier
44. What is a population's distribution of individuals among various age groups called? a. genetic structure b. reproductive structure c. reproductive composition d. age composition e. age structure
age structure
42. The rain shadow effect refers to ____. a. a decrease in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges b. an increase in moisture on the leeward side of mountain ranges c. an increase in sunlight on the windward side of mountain ranges. d. an increase in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges e. less light available on the leeward side of mountain ranges
an increase in moisture on the windward side of mountain ranges
39. The primary reason why southern sea otter recovery is important is because they ____. a. are a keystone species b. have luxurious, thick fur c. eliminate common pests d. are educational e. encourage tourism
are a keystone species
25. Biodiversity hotspots are ____. a. large areas with a variety of thriving species b. areas with a variety of threatened or endangered species c. tropical areas where extinction is occurring d. ecosystems that are acting to slow climate change e. islands where extinction is occurring
areas with a variety of threatened or endangered species
82. The total fertility rate is the ____. a. number of live births per 1000 people b. number of children a couple must bear to replace themselves c. births and immigrations into a population d. number of children born to a woman during her lifetime e. average number of children born to women in their reproductive years
average number of children born to women in their reproductive years
19. The maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain indefinitely is the definition of ____. a. biotic potential b. logistic growth c. carrying capacity d. environmental resistance e. exponential growth
carrying capacity
6. Some prey species discourage predators with chemicals that are poisonous, irritating, foul smelling, or bad tasting. What is this called? a. chemotoxicity b. behavioral warfare c. biological warfare d. chemical warfare e. behavioral strategies
chemical warfare
18. Most environmental lawsuits are ____. a. criminal suits b. statutory suits c. regulatory suits d. administrative suits e. civil suits
civil suits
7. Biomes are characterized by certain types of ____. a. dominant plant life and temperature b. climate and dominant plant life c. climate and light d. light and temperature e. light and climate
climate and dominant plant life
8. When it appears that it is no longer profitable to continue fishing as a result of overfishing, the fish populations are said to be ____. a. commercially extinct b. locally extinct c. economically extinct d. biologically extinct e. ecologically extinct
commercially extinct
100. What is an economic decision-making tool that involves determining who/what may be affected, projecting outcomes, and then establishing who benefits or who is harmed? a. existence value b. cost benefit analysis c. discount value d. monetary value e. nonuse value
cost benefit analysis
58. According to the demographic transition model, what trend is true of countries in Stage 2: Transitional? a. Death rates drop, followed by birth rates. b. Total population begins to fall c. Birth rates drop, followed by death rates. d. Birth and death rates rise at the same time. e. Birth and death rates fall at the same time.
death rates drop, followed by birth rates
54. What term describes organisms that complete the final breakdown and recycling of organic materials from the remains of all organisms? a. omnivores b. decomposers c. carnivores d. herbivores e. detritivores
decomposers
99. Emigration is the ____. a. arrival movement of individuals into an uninhabited area b. lack of immigration into an area c. arrival of individuals into an established population d. repeated movement into and out of an area e. departure movement of individuals from a population to another area
departure movement of individuals from a population to another area
86. Sea-bottom habitats are being threatened by ____. a. dredging operations and trawlers b. the largest predator fish in the sea c. little human activity because they are inaccessible d. coastal development e. shrimp farming
dredging operations and trawlers
41. Most photosynthesis in the open ocean occurs in the ____. a. benthic zone b. estuary zone c. bathyal zone d. euphotic zone e. abyssal zone
euphotic zone
62. What refers to the conversion of water from liquid to vapor from the earth's oceans, lakes, rivers, and soil? a. transpiration b. evaporation c. precipitation d. substitution e. respiration
evaporation
59. Which law states that no energy can be created or destroyed? a. The law of homeostasis b. The environmental exchange law c. The first law of thermodynamics d. The second law of thermodynamics e. The law of conservation of matter
first law of thermodynamics
43. The place where an earthquake begins is called its ____. a. fault b. start c. focus d. magnitude e. epicenter
focus
51. Complex networks of interconnected food chains are ____. a. food distribution interactions b. food webs c. trophic levels d. pyramids of energy e. trophic chains
food webs
57. A second-growth forest is a(n) ____. a. old-growth forest with lots of new seedlings b. forest containing only one or two species of trees that are all of the same age c. old growth forest with lots of weeds d. old growth forest that has been cut down with only weeds remaining e. forest resulting from secondary succession
forest resulting from secondary succession
5. A species with a broad niche is considered a(n) ____. a. generalist species b. endangered species c. specialist species d. endemic species e. native species
generalist species
1. History shows that significant changes to environmental policy usually come from ____. a. environmental scientists b. regulated industries c. appointed officials d. elected officials e. grassroots levels
grassroots levels
90. Most of the wetlands that are lost are used for ____. a. recreation b. forestry c. urban development d. mining e. growing crops
growing crops
36. When a large, contiguous area of habitat is reduced in area and divided into smaller, more scattered patches, the process is called ____. a. habitat exploitation b. habitat elimination c. habitat fragmentation d. resource partitioning e. resource loss
habitat fragmentation
2. Countries that have reached zero population growth have an age structure diagram that ____. a. forms an inverted pyramid b. has a large pre-reproductive population c. has little variation in prereproductive and reproductive age groups d. forms a broad-based pyramid e. has a large reproductive population
has little variation in prereproductive and reproductive age groups
70. Ecology is the study of ____. a. how organisms interact with each other and the nonliving environment b. the biotic elements of the environment c. how evolution formed populations d. the abiotic elements of the environment e. how human impacts the environment
how organisms interact with each other and the nonliving environment
9. The greatest marine biodiversity is located ____. a. in coral reefs b. in the sunlit region of the ocean c. in the open ocean d. under the polar ice caps e. in the surface region of the ocean
in coral reefs
10. Overgrazing occurs when too many animals graze for too long and exceed the carrying capacity of a rangeland area. Overgrazing causes all of the following except ____. a. exposure of the soil to wind erosion b. reduced grass cover c. compacted soil d. more invasion by inedible plant species e. increased retention of water
increased retention of water
74. Because birds live in every climate and biome, and because they are easy to track and count, they serve as excellent ____. a. indicator species b. keystone species c. aesthetic indicators d. scapegoats e. habitat determiners
indicator species
12. The intention of most SLAPPs is to ____. a. establish needed regulations. b. identify resources that can be used for remedies. c. win large amounts of money. d. make a public spectacle of those who file complaints. e. intimidate and discourage individuals and groups.
intimidate and discourage individuals and groups.
17. What is a major threat to the biodiversity and ecological function of the Great Lakes? a. ocean sea level rise b. tourism c. saltwater intrusion d. invasive nonnative species e. acidification
invasive nonative species
37. The loss of a(n) ____ can lead to population crashes and extinctions of other species in a community that depends on them for certain ecosystem services. a. keystone species b. native species c. foundation species d. indicator species e. specialist species
keystone species
20. In lakes, the nutrient-rich water near the shore is part of the ____. a. limnetic zone b. abyssal zone c. benthic zone d. profundal zone e. littoral zone
littoral zone
49. An endangered species ____. a. may soon become extinct over all or most of its range b. may eventually become threatened or rare c. is one that may become rare in the next 100 years d. may be considered economically important but rare e. is one that is evolving into another species
may soon become extinct over all or most of its range
29. Strongly swimming consumers are most likely to be ____. a. benthos b. zooplankton c. decomposers d. nekton e. phytoplankton
nekton
26. The form of nitrogen used by plants to produce various amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, and vitamins is ____. a. nitrites b. nitrogen gas c. proteins d. ammonium ions e. nitrate ions
nitrate ions
3. Deep lakes with steep banks that have a short supply of plant nutrients are ____. a. oligotrophic lakes b. mesotrophic lakes c. eutrophic lakes d. hypereutrophic lakes e. culturally eutrophic lakes
oligotrophic lakes
61. If you find a new species of algae floating on the surface of a coastal zone, you would likely consider it a type of ____. a. zooplankton b. benthos c. nekton d. phytoplankton e. ultraplankton
phytoplankton
46. Illegal hunting for profit is called ____. a. commercial hunting b. subsistence hunting c. poaching d. pilfering e. sport hunting
poaching
47. Which of the following exhibits secondary ecological succession? a. newly constructed reservoir b. recently flooded land c. newly cooled lava d. a crumbled concrete building e. abandoned parking lot
recently flooded land
22. The primary aim of the National Environmental Policy Act is to ____. a. require screening of new products for safety and setting standards b. set aside or protect certain species, resources, and ecosystems c. require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency d. encourage resource conservation e. set standards for pollution levels
require evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency
14. Which of the following is a major cause of increasing ocean acidification? a. rising levels of CO2 b. eutrophication c. construction of dams and levees d. decreasing dissolved oxygen e. rising sea level
rising levels of CO2
38. Which of the following is classified as a freshwater aquatic life zone? a. coral reefs b. coastal wetlands c. oceans d. mangrove forests e. rivers
rivers
30. Vibrations caused when energy accumulated over time is released are called ____. a. glaciations b. fractures c. tsunamis d. seismic waves e. drift
seismic waves
28. The hydrologic cycle is driven primarily by ____. a. solar tides b. chemical energy c. solar energy d. mechanical energy e. lunar tides
solar energy
45. A measure of the relative abundance, or the comparative numbers of individuals of each species present, is called ____. a. species richness b. species counts c. species diversity d. species evenness e. species abundance
species evenness
60. What shape in an age-structure chart would best illustrate the effects of the baby-boom in the United States in 2012? a. stable base with a slight bulge near the top b. classic pyramid c. stable base with a slight bulge near the bottom d. narrow base and wide top e. wide base that narrows rapidly
stable base with a slight bulge near the top
4. When an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate, the continental plate usually slides up and over the denser oceanic plate, pushing it down into the mantle, a process called ____. a. induction b. convection c. subduction d. production e. trenching
subduction
48. Suppose you are walking through a forest dense with oak and hickory trees, and with a thick litter layer underfoot. What type of forest are you most likely to be in? a. coniferous forest b. temperate rain forest c. temperate deciduous forest d. tropical rain forest e. tropical savanna
temperate deciduous forest
52. Redwoods are associated with which of the following? a. boreal forest b. temperate rain forests c. taiga d. tropical rain forest e. temperate deciduous forest
temperate rain forest
16. Sustainability refers to _____. a. the way in which the natural world works b. how we interact with the environment c. refusing, reducing, reusing, and recycling d. human methods of coping with environmental problems e. the capacity of the earth's natural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt
the capacity of the earth's natural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt
40. The deserts of Death Valley formed as a result of ____. a. increased solar radiation b. ocean circulation c. persistent pressure systems d. the greenhouse effect e. the rain shadow effect
the rain shadow effect
96. The term greenhouse effect describes ____. a. mutations in DNA from UV radiation b. the trapping of heat energy by molecules in the atmosphere c. the radiation of heat energy into space d. the effect climate change has on the economy e. the efforts of the White House to support environmental legislation
the trapping of heat energy by molecules in the atmosphere
31. The degradation of commonly held resources is known as _____. a. pollution b. open-access degradation c. the tragedy of the commons d. sustainable yield e. government regulation
tragedy of the commons
23. Tectonic plates can move in opposite but parallel directions along a fracture or fault at a boundary called a ____. a. subduction zone b. transform fault c. divergent plate boundary d. mantle fault e. convergent plate boundary
transform fault
53. CITES is a(n) ____. a. regulations controlling the introduction of exotic species b. policing agency for the protection of threatened species c. treaty controlling the international trade in endangered species d. pact that supports critical ecosystems that support wildlife e. international organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered species
treaty controlling the international trade in endangered species
67. An old-growth forest is a(n) ____. a. commercial forest older than 30 years b. forest undisturbed for at least 50 years c. replanted forest that has had little disturbance for 100 years d. uncut or regenerated primary forest undisturbed for at least 200 hundred years e. second-growth forest undisturbed for at least 100 years
uncut or regenerated primary forest undisturbed for at least 200 hundred years
11. Surface fires ____. a. increase topsoil erosion b. kill large numbers of wildlife c. spread rapidly and can destroy most vegetation d. usually burn only undergrowth and leaf litter on the forest floor e. usually burn whole trees from the base up
usually burn only undergrowth and leaf litter on the forest floor
