All AP Environmental Science Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Habitats And Biomes
Which of the following is the most accurate example of a biome?
Thinned-out stands in a redwood forest that allow for more shrubs and grasses to grow than in denser stands
A slash-and-burn site in the tropical rainforest that has been converted to rangeland
An oasis formed by an above-ground water source in the North African desert
A riparian zone with diverse aquatic vegetation and wildlife that encompasses a watershed
In Alaska and Northern Canada, the most northern latitudes that consist mostly of tundra, composed largely of small shrubs, arctic grasses, and lichens
In Alaska and Northern Canada, the most northern latitudes that consist mostly of tundra, composed largely of small shrubs, arctic grasses, and lichens
A biome is a large geographical area that consists of flora and fauna that have adapted to local conditions. The tundra is a geographical region that consists of arctic-adapted plants and animals. The other answers are more examples of ecosystems, specific communities of plants and animals adapted to certain conditions within a biome. Other examples of biomes include (but are not limited to) desert, deciduous forest, savanna and taiga (subarctic forest).
Example Question #1 : Habitats And Biomes
Which major biome could be characterized as having the following characteristics?
- Has four distinct seasons
- Located between North and South
- Dominated by broadleaf trees that lose leaves in the winter
- Annual precipitation that ranges between and
Temperate shrubland
Temperate deciduous forest
Taiga
Desert
Grassland
Temperate deciduous forest
The correct answer is "temperate deciduous forest." Temperate deciduous forests typically get more precipitation than taiga, shrubland, desert, or grassland, and their flora is dominated by broadleaf trees.
Example Question #2 : Habitats And Biomes
Which of the following adaptations would NOT be typical of a species that inhabits a desert ecosystem?
Ability to burrow underground
Nocturnal activity pattern
Dry fecal excretions
Ability to store body fat more efficiently
Diluted urine excretions
Diluted urine excretions
Many desert species have adapted to an ecosystem with limited water and food availability with concentrated or "dry" bodily excretions, and the ability to effectively store fat. Burrowing is a common trait for desert mammals as a way to contend with the heat. Diluted urine excretions would not be advantageous in a desert ecosystem because the body would be expelling water inefficiently.
Example Question #4 : Habitats And Biomes
Corals under stress from high water temperatures and pollution expel their zooxanthellae in a process called __________.
coral bleaching
algal blooming
shelf slope break
upwelling
coral bleaching
When corals eject their intracellular symbiotic organisms, their color is lost along with the zooxanthellae's photosynthetic ability. This leads to the death of the coral. Algal blooms simply involve the rapid growth of algae over a short period of time. Upwelling involves the process by which deep, nutrient-rich water rises up and gets mixed with the water higher in the ground.
Example Question #5 : Habitats And Biomes
Eric's home is located northward of the 60o latitude. The landscape surrounding his home contains dwarf shrubs, spongy and wet ground-cover, permafrost, and no trees. Which biome does Eric live in?
Woodland
Temperate Grassland
Tundra
Boreal Forest
Tundra
The correct response is tundra. The tundra biome is characterized by permafrost and its lack of trees. The soil is frozen year-around, which prevents large vegetation growth. The tundra is located at high latitudes above the 60o line.
Example Question #1 : Ecological Consequences
Average annual rainfall and average annual temperature are the two most important characteristics in defining a biome. Which biome has the highest average annual temperature and the highest average annual rainfall?
Subtropical desert
Boreal forest
Tropical rainforest
Temperate rainforest
Tropical rainforest
The correct response is tropical rainforest. The tropical rainforest biome has by far the highest annual precipitation (300-450 centimeters per year) and highest average temperature (25-35 C). The subtropical desert and savanna are incorrect answer choice because they have low precipitation. Boreal forest and temperate rainforests have lower temperature than tropical rainforests.
Example Question #2 : Ecological Consequences
Aquatic biomes are used to categorize specific types of aquatic resources. Measurements such as the concentration of salt and the connectivity to larger bodies of water can be used. Which aquatic biome describes a region where a freshwater river merges with an oceanic body?
Estuaries
Pelagic zone
Coral reefs
Wetlands
Estuaries
The correct response is estuaries. An estuary supports a diverse community of species. The unique distribution of aquatic conditions caused by the mixing of a salty ocean and a freshwater river make estuaries a novel aquatic biome. The pelagic zone and coral reefs are specific to the ocean environment, so those are incorrect responses.
Example Question #2 : Habitats And Biomes
One of the goals of ecology is to understand the patterns and distributions of biological diversity. Ecologists have found that biodiversity is strongly affected along the boundary where two habitats intersect. Change in biodiversity along a habitat boundary is referred to as __________.
Niche differentiation
Genetic drift
Habitat turnover
Edge effects
Edge effects
The correct response is edge effects. The edge effects specifically describe shifts in biodiversity along the edge of a habitat, or in a transition zone that contains features from two habitat types. For example, imagine you are walking on a trail that starts in a forest and leads into a grassy meadow. The transition between forest and meadow would experience edge effects. This area would have species from the forest and species from the meadow living in the same zone.
Example Question #1 : Habitats And Biomes
Which is not a primary cause of deforestation?
Prejudice against indigenous peoples
Failure to account for ecological services in forest resource surveys
Poverty
Exploitative governmental policies
Prejudice against indigenous peoples
Though prejudice against indigenous peoples is not a primary cause of deforestation, many indigenous cultures go extinct, much like endemic species, when their lands are taken from them.
Example Question #3 : Habitats And Biomes
Why would an invasive species become a primary organism in an area, to the detriment of a native species?
The invasive species may reproduce faster than the native species
The invasive species may eat the native species
Nothing currently occupies the invasive species' niche
All of these
Many invasive species are generalists, taking advantage of many resources, giving them a competitive edge over the native species
All of these
A species is deemed 'invasive' instead of merely 'alien' or 'exotic' when it begins to populate an area specifically to the detriment of native species. All the reasons listed above are reasons why an invasive species may be placed in that category.
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