All AP Environmental Science Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #3 : Species Relationships And Diversity
Which of the following is not an example of species interaction?
Predation
Commensalism
Parallelism
Parasitism
Mutualism
Parallelism
Species interact in many ways:
Predation - one species (predator) preys on another species (prey).
Parasitism - symbiotic relationship between species where one species benefits at the expense of the other.
Mutualism - a positive symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.
Commensalism - a relationship between species where one benefits and the other remains unaffected.
Example Question #7 : Species Relationships And Diversity
Many insects like bees or moths do not have many physically defensive abilities, so instead they closely resemble insects that do. This is an example of which of the following?
Warning coloration
Camouflage
Batesian mimicry
Symbiosis
Mullerian mimicry
Batesian mimicry
Batesian mimicry and Mullerian mimicry are easily confused. Batesian mimicry involves one organism taking on physical characteristics of a commonly known, dangerous organism. Mullerian mimicry happens when multiple poisonous species resemble each other.
Camouflage helps prey avoid predators by blending into their surroundings. Warning coloration is similar to Batesian mimicry. Since many poisonous organisms exhibit colorful exteriors, some non poisonous organisms can also be brightly colored and are still avoided.
Example Question #41 : Ecosystems And Biology
Which of the following terms describes the array of living organisms, their assemblages, their evolutionary and natural histories, as well as their interactions with each other?
Biodiversity
Disturbance
Fragmentation
Bioaccumulation
Biomagnification
Biodiversity
The correct answer choice is biodiversity. Biodiversity is the area within biology focused on understanding biological diversity. The terms "disturbance" and "fragmentation" are natural processes that can have impacts on species, but they do not describe species. The terms "biomagnification" and "bioaccumulation" describe how nutrients and contaminants accumulate over time.
Example Question #42 : Ecosystems And Biology
Land managers are responsible for conserving biodiversity within areas of natural habitat. By monitoring specific species in the habitat, land managers can tell whether or not they have a healthy ecosystem. Which do we call species that gives us information about the health of an ecosystem?
None of these
Keystone species
Indigenous species
Invasive species
Indicator species
Indicator species
The correct response is indicator species. If the indicator species is healthy, then it tells or indicates that the ecosystem as a whole is healthy. Indigenous species are native to a certain location, while invasive species are those that are not native to a location and their introduction usually causes harm to the existing ecosystem. A keystone species is one that plays a critical role in the overall health of an ecosystem.
Example Question #43 : Ecosystems And Biology
Which form of signaling is very important in marine ecosystems both in intraspecies and interspecies communication and is used by many reef fishes in conjunction with other senses to recognize places and receive warnings.
Behavioral
Mechanical
Olfactory
Audatory
Olfactory
Olfaction in fish and other marine life is very important. Smells are carried on currents and can be used to identify and find prey, recognize familiar territory, attract mates, and warn predators and/or competitors of defense mechanisms.
Example Question #44 : Ecosystems And Biology
Of the following biomes, which contains the highest biodiversity?
Desert
Temperate Grassland
Tundra
Tropical Rainforest
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Tropical Rainforest
Somewhere between 40% and 75% of all species are indigenous to rainforests, meaning that they are found nowhere else on earth. They contain half of the extant animal and plant species currently on earth, with a large majority of all flowering plants found there. Many of the world's natural medicines have been found in tropical rainforests, and with thousands of undiscovered species still lurking within them, it is likely that there are many more medicines waiting to be discovered.
Example Question #45 : Ecosystems And Biology
Some species of barnacles live attached to the skin of whales. This allows them to travel vast distances through the ocean without ever actually moving, guaranteeing them a constantly changing supply of food. While this is tremendously beneficial for the barnacles, it doesn't really have any effect on the whales, which are large enough that the barnacles aren't even a minor annoyance.
What kind of symbiosis does this describe?
Parasatism
Predation
Endosymbiosis
Commensalism
Mutualism
Commensalism
In relationships based upon commensalism, one of the species benefits greatly, while the other is neither harmed nor helped. This is different from mutualism, where both species are benefited, and parasitism, where one species is benefited and the other is hindered. "Endosymbiosis" is the theory used to describe how mitochondria developed, and "predation" describes a situation where one organism feeds on another.
Example Question #1 : Biomes
Which of the following is not a reason for the fragility of desert ecosystems?
There is a lack of water
Top predators are usually not checked in growth and can grow exponentially
There is a low species diversity
Nutrients are slow to cycle through the ecosystem
Plant growth is slow
Top predators are usually not checked in growth and can grow exponentially
Top predators will generally never "grow unchecked". By the very nature of their diet (dependent on other populations), predator population growth is limited by the availability of their food. The famous study of lynx-hare population fluctuations demonstrates how a predator population will adjust to lower prey populations.
Example Question #2 : Biomes
Which of the following does NOT characterize a tropical forest?
Nutrient-rich and pH-neutral soil
Highly diverse set of flora and fauna in the local biosphere
Over 2000 mm of annual rainfall
Consistently warm temperatures falling between 20-25oC
Little light reaching the forest floor
Nutrient-rich and pH-neutral soil
Heavy decomposition of plant and animal matter contribute to highly acidic soil in tropical rainforests. Additionally, abundance of plant life in tropical rainforests results in "soil leaching," which means that the nutrients in the soil are drained and taken up by the plants themselves.
Example Question #43 : Ecosystems And Biology
The __________ is characterized by very low temperatures year round, nutrient-poor soil, and little precipitation, which usually occurs in the form of snow.
evergreen rainforest
temperate coniferous forest
boreal forest / taiga
coastal temperate forest
temperate deciduous forest
boreal forest / taiga
Boreal forests have extremely low temperatures and are characterized by pines and other evergreens. "Temperate forests" are characterized by moderate and more fluctuating temperatures, whereas the taiga stays cold year round. Taiga is found in parts of the world such as Northern Alaska, Canada, and Siberia.
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