Chapter 10 AP® Environmental Science Practice Exam

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Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions

Choose the best answer for questions 1–12.

Question 1

1. Which of the following is NOT an example of the tragedy of the commons?

  1. Overgrazing by sheep on community-owned pastures

  2. Depletion of fish stocks in international waters

  3. Automobile congestion in Yellowstone National Park

  4. Depletion of soil minerals by farmers on private land

  5. Tropical deforestation due to clearing public land for agriculture and then moving on to another location

Use the following graph to answer Question 2.

image

Question 2

2. This graph shows the population growth of the common pheasant, one of the world’s most hunted birds. On the graph, X represents

  1. carrying capacity.

  2. maximum sustainable yield.

  3. resource depletion.

  4. endangered species designation.

  5. population overshoot.

Question 3

3. Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which of the following would require the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS)?

  1. Construction of a house on privately owned land

  2. Paving of a parking lot for a local business

  3. Expansion of an interstate highway

  4. Planting of trees in front of City Hall

  5. Revision of local zoning ordinances

Question 4

4. Federally owned land in the United States can best be described as

  1. 25 percent of all land, with the majority of it in the west.

  2. 42 percent of all land, with the majority of it in the east.

  3. 28 percent of all land, with most of it in Texas.

  4. 20 percent of all land, with 10 percent of it in the west.

  5. 35 percent of all land, with the majority of it in the east.

Question 5

5. Which type of protected area is least likely to support tourism and recreation?

  1. Protected landscapes and seascapes

  2. National parks

  3. Managed resource protected areas

  4. National monuments

  5. Habitat/species management areas

Question 6

6. The four major public land management agencies in the United States operate under the principle of multiple use. Which of the following uses is common to lands managed by all four agencies?

  1. Hunting

  2. Mining

  3. Grazing

  4. Timber harvesting

  5. Recreation

Question 7

7. For many years, forest fires were suppressed to protect lives and property. This policy has led to

  1. a buildup of dead biomass that can fuel larger fires.

  2. many forest species being able to live without having their habitats destroyed.

  3. increased solar radiation in most ecosystems.

  4. soil erosion on steep slopes.

  5. economic instability.

Question 8

8. When we purchase an item, we are charged for the labor and supply costs of producing that item. However, we are not charged for the costs of any environmental damage that occurred in manufacturing that item. Those costs are known as

  1. externalities.

  2. environmental mitigation.

  3. infill.

  4. marginal costs.

  5. induced demand.

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Question 9

9. Which of the following is NOT an environmental consequence of clear-cutting?

  1. Increased soil erosion and sedimentation in nearby streams

  2. Decreased biodiversity due to habitat fragmentation

  3. Increased fish populations due to the influx of nutrients into streams

  4. Decreased tree species diversity due to the loss of shade-tolerant species

  5. Stands of same-aged trees

Question 10

10.Which of the following are environmental impacts of urban sprawl?

  1. Greater reliance on the automobile and increased fossil fuel consumption

  2. Increased consumption of land for housing and highway construction

  3. Loss of valuable farmlands

  1. I only

  2. II only

  3. I and II only

  4. II and III only

  5. I, II, and III

Question 11

11.Which of the following has contributed to urban sprawl over the past 50 years?

  1. Migration of people from suburban areas to rural areas

  2. Increased availability of public transportation

  3. Lower property taxes in urban areas

  4. Use of the federal gasoline tax to construct and maintain highways

  5. Improved infrastructure and reduced crime rates in urban areas

Question 12

12.Which of the following is NOT an environmental benefit of smart growth?

  1. Reduced flooding

  2. Increased impervious surfaces

  3. Reduced fossil fuel consumption

  4. Increased open space

  5. Decreased water pollution

Section 2: Free-Response Questions

355

Write your answer to each part clearly. Support your answers with relevant information and examples. Where calculations are required, show your work.

Question 1

1. The property pictured below is the Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms, a National Historic Landmark, nonprofit environmental education center, and 1,400-acre working farm on the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont. However, for the sake of this exercise, let’s assume that the property pictured below belongs to the federal government.

image
(Farrell Grehan/Corbis)

  1. Identify and explain which of the four public land management agencies would be involved in managing this public land. (2 points)

  2. Applying any three of the basic principles of smart growth, explain how the private land surrounding this federally owned property might be developed to minimize environmental impacts. (4 points)

  3. Define environmental impact statement and describe one condition under which an EIS might be required for the use of either the privately owned or the federally owned lands associated with this tract. (4 points)

Question 2

2. The town of Fremont met recently to discuss the pros and cons of protecting prairie dogs. Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents the size of rabbits that live in colonies underground in grasslands and prairies. Their numbers have been greatly reduced over the last few decades. Dr. Masser, a local biologist, pointed out that prairie dogs are an important part of the prairie food web, as they are prey for many birds and mammals. Without federal protection from both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they could become extinct in a few years. Dr. Masser also explained that two of the five species of prairie dogs are already listed as either threatened or endangered. Local ranchers disagreed with Dr. Masser. Mr. Smith, a Fremont area rancher, stated that he will continue to poison or shoot the prairie dogs because they destroy the grasses that are needed by his livestock, and he encouraged the BLM to do the same on public lands.

  1. Explain the tragedy of the commons in general terms. Using the information you just read about the prairie dog and any other relevant information, incorporate the town of Fremont’s discussion into your explanation. (4 points)

  2. Identify and discuss one argument in favor of preserving western grasslands as habitat for prairie dogs and one argument in favor of maintaining those grasslands for the grazing of livestock. (3 points)

  3. Identify one action that the Bureau of Land Management and one action that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could take to resolve this land use conflict. (3 points)