Test Bank Environmental Science for the AP® Course, 4th Edition Andrew Friedland
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
A group of scientists wanted to test the effects of increasing different greenhouse gas concentrations
on plant growth. They hypothesized that elevated levels of CO2 would increase plant biomass after 2
weeks, whereas elevated levels of N2 O and CH4 would have no effect. To test this hypothesis, they
placed red maple (Acer rubrum) tree saplings in incubators, and then subjected each sapling to one of
three treatments. The treatments included either 10 ppm of CO2 , N2 O, or CH4 gas above ambient
concentrations. Each treatment had four replicates. After 2 weeks, they measured plant biomass.
1. As hypothesized, the researchers found that plants exposed to elevated CO2 had increased biomass after 2
weeks, whereas plants exposed to elevated N2O and CH4 did not exhibit any change in biomass. Which
would be a deductive statement based solely on these results?
a. Elevated levels of CO2 are due to global climate change.
b. Reduced levels of CO2 due to global climate change will decrease red maple production.
c. An observed increase in red maple production is probably due to elevated levels of CO2.
d. Increases in red maple production in nature are probably not due to elevated levels of N2O or CH4.
ANSWER: c
An experiment is designed to determine if wheat grows better when it is planted alone or with clover.
The design calls for three pans of each treatment. Pans A, B, and C contain only wheat. Pans D, E,
and F contain clover and wheat planted in alternating rows. Each pan contains a total of 100 seeds.
All treatments contain the same type of soil, are planted in the same size pan, are exposed to the same
amount of sunlight, and are maintained at the same temperature throughout the course of the
experiment.
2. Based on the passage, the treatments planted with only wheat are the
a. sample size.
b. control.
c. dependent variable.
d. independent variable.
ANSWER: b
Page 1
,Name: Class: Date:
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
3. Which organism occupies a lower trophic level than the others?
a. Hyena
b. Cheetah
c. Vulture
d. Giraffe
ANSWER: d
4. Which nutrient is most often limiting in aquatic ecosystems?
a. Nitrogen
b. Phosphorus
c. Carbon
d. Hydrogen
ANSWER: b
Page 2
,Name: Class: Date:
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
5. Based on the data table, which of the following scenarios may have led to the trend in the Long Island
Sound?
Area of Hypoxia (DO ≤ 3 mg/L) in the Long Island Sound
Year Square miles of Hypoxia (5-year running average)
1990 250
1995 218
2000 140
2005 200
2010 155
2015 100
2020 83
a. reduction in the combustion of fossil fuels
b. improved management of forest fires
c. decreased regulation of wastewater treatment plants
d. reduction in nutrient runoff from farms and urban areas
ANSWER: d
6. When an aquatic biome becomes deficient in oxygen, leading to fish kills, it is considered
a. Eutrophic
b. Hypoxic
c. Benthic
d. Oligotrophic
ANSWER: b
7. The study of environmental science differs from the study of other natural sciences because it
a. does not use experiments.
b. does not require any mathematical calculations.
c. also includes politics, law, and economics.
d. does not require an understanding of biology.
ANSWER: c
Page 3
, Name: Class: Date:
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
8. Which organism is a decomposer?
a. Vulture
b. Zebra
c. Hyena
d. Bacteria
ANSWER: d
9. Several species of harmless kingsnakes mimic the color patterns of venomous coral snakes. If avoidance of
toxic snakes is based solely on prior predator experience, what would happen if kingsnakes appeared in
areas where coral snakes were never present?
a. Predators would initially attack and eat kingsnakes but soon learn to avoid them.
b. Predators would attack and eat kingsnakes.
c. Predators would avoid kingsnakes.
d. Kingsnakes would evolve venom similar to that of coral snakes.
ANSWER: b
Page 4
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
A group of scientists wanted to test the effects of increasing different greenhouse gas concentrations
on plant growth. They hypothesized that elevated levels of CO2 would increase plant biomass after 2
weeks, whereas elevated levels of N2 O and CH4 would have no effect. To test this hypothesis, they
placed red maple (Acer rubrum) tree saplings in incubators, and then subjected each sapling to one of
three treatments. The treatments included either 10 ppm of CO2 , N2 O, or CH4 gas above ambient
concentrations. Each treatment had four replicates. After 2 weeks, they measured plant biomass.
1. As hypothesized, the researchers found that plants exposed to elevated CO2 had increased biomass after 2
weeks, whereas plants exposed to elevated N2O and CH4 did not exhibit any change in biomass. Which
would be a deductive statement based solely on these results?
a. Elevated levels of CO2 are due to global climate change.
b. Reduced levels of CO2 due to global climate change will decrease red maple production.
c. An observed increase in red maple production is probably due to elevated levels of CO2.
d. Increases in red maple production in nature are probably not due to elevated levels of N2O or CH4.
ANSWER: c
An experiment is designed to determine if wheat grows better when it is planted alone or with clover.
The design calls for three pans of each treatment. Pans A, B, and C contain only wheat. Pans D, E,
and F contain clover and wheat planted in alternating rows. Each pan contains a total of 100 seeds.
All treatments contain the same type of soil, are planted in the same size pan, are exposed to the same
amount of sunlight, and are maintained at the same temperature throughout the course of the
experiment.
2. Based on the passage, the treatments planted with only wheat are the
a. sample size.
b. control.
c. dependent variable.
d. independent variable.
ANSWER: b
Page 1
,Name: Class: Date:
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
3. Which organism occupies a lower trophic level than the others?
a. Hyena
b. Cheetah
c. Vulture
d. Giraffe
ANSWER: d
4. Which nutrient is most often limiting in aquatic ecosystems?
a. Nitrogen
b. Phosphorus
c. Carbon
d. Hydrogen
ANSWER: b
Page 2
,Name: Class: Date:
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
5. Based on the data table, which of the following scenarios may have led to the trend in the Long Island
Sound?
Area of Hypoxia (DO ≤ 3 mg/L) in the Long Island Sound
Year Square miles of Hypoxia (5-year running average)
1990 250
1995 218
2000 140
2005 200
2010 155
2015 100
2020 83
a. reduction in the combustion of fossil fuels
b. improved management of forest fires
c. decreased regulation of wastewater treatment plants
d. reduction in nutrient runoff from farms and urban areas
ANSWER: d
6. When an aquatic biome becomes deficient in oxygen, leading to fish kills, it is considered
a. Eutrophic
b. Hypoxic
c. Benthic
d. Oligotrophic
ANSWER: b
7. The study of environmental science differs from the study of other natural sciences because it
a. does not use experiments.
b. does not require any mathematical calculations.
c. also includes politics, law, and economics.
d. does not require an understanding of biology.
ANSWER: c
Page 3
, Name: Class: Date:
Unit 01 MCQs 4e - Friedland
8. Which organism is a decomposer?
a. Vulture
b. Zebra
c. Hyena
d. Bacteria
ANSWER: d
9. Several species of harmless kingsnakes mimic the color patterns of venomous coral snakes. If avoidance of
toxic snakes is based solely on prior predator experience, what would happen if kingsnakes appeared in
areas where coral snakes were never present?
a. Predators would initially attack and eat kingsnakes but soon learn to avoid them.
b. Predators would attack and eat kingsnakes.
c. Predators would avoid kingsnakes.
d. Kingsnakes would evolve venom similar to that of coral snakes.
ANSWER: b
Page 4
