AP Environmental Science

Aquatic Ecology Unit Test

Name: _________________________________________________

SID# ________

Questions 1-3 refer to the labeled locations on the map.

1. This area has the lowest amount of naturally available freshwater per capita. ________
2. The largest hydroelectric dam in the world is located on one of the worlds longest rivers in this area. ________
3. Desalination is used to supply much of this region with freshwater. ________
4. All of the following are commonly used to deal with the side effects of eutrophication in lakes EXCEPT
(A) applying herbicides to kill nuisance plants
(B) dredging out lakes to deepen them
(C) pumping oxygen into the lowest layers of water
(D) introducing insects that eat certain nuisance plants
(E) adding nitrates
Questions 5-7
A laboratory experiment was done to show the effects of organic waste on the dissolved oxygen (DO) content in
water. Five tanks were set up, each containing fresh water and a small amount of single-celled green algae. Specified
amounts of organic waste were added to the tanks. The results below show the amount of DO in each tank after a
period of one week.

APES

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5. What is the main purpose for the experiment?

(A) to determine how much oxygen the algae can produce
(B) to show how much carbon dioxide is consumed by decomposition
(C) to collect data to determine how waste in water can be useful
(D) to determine that initial DO is not important
(E) to observe the effect of organic waste on DO
6. Why did the DO after one week decrease as the amount of waste increased?
(A) The algae could not consume the waste fast enough.
(B) The turbidity of the water increased, and the algae population increased.
(C) The algae multiplied and then died and decomposed.
(D) The carbon dioxide increased due to algal respiration.
(E) The oxygen came out of solution into the air in the laboratory.
7. Which of the following would best improve the validity of the experiment?
(A) eliminating tank 1, because the DO stayed the same
(B) observing the results of adding organic waste to tanks containing salt water
(C) repeating the experiment several times and comparing the results
(D) increasing the amounts of green algae in each of the tanks, with tank 5 having the greatest amount
(E) adding different types of waste to each tank and then checking the results

8. Which of the following elements is most likely to limit primary production in freshwater lakes?
(A) oxygen
(B) calcium
(C) phosphorus
(D) carbon
(E) iron
9. Defining characteristics of a wetland involve which of the following.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

I. Hydrology
II. Soil type
III. Species composition

I only
II only
I and II only
II and III only
I, II, and III only

10. Which of the following is the zone of a pond or lake in which rooted, emergent plants such as cattails and rushes are
located?
(A) benthic
(B) limnetic
(C) littoral
(D) profundal
(E) riparian
11. Population biologists are concerned about introduced species such as the zebra mussel in North America because
(A) the introduced species compete for resources more effectively than native species
(B) predators of the introduced species often overpopulate because of the influx of the introduced species
(C) their removal from their native habitats has a negative impact
(D) introduced species often become endangered when they are placed in a new habitat
(E) their introduction will require more land to be protected
12. Negative environmental impacts associated with large-scale hydroelectric projects have been demonstrated in which
of the following areas?
(A) James Bay, Quebec
(B) Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania
(C) Kissimmee River, Florida
(D) Mono Lake, California
(E) Aral Sea, former USSR
APES

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13. If wastewater treatment plant effluent that contains nitrates and phosphates is allowed to flow into a body of water,
which of the following may result?
(A) Chlorination
(B) Decomposition
(C) Eutrophication
(D) Oxygenation
(E) Methylation
14. A state highway was constructed over wetlands. The state obtained a permit to fill the existing wetlands in
accordance with the provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1972, and agreed to create another wetland. This trade-off
approach to addressing an environmental issue is know as
(A) mitigation
(B) restoration
(C) preservation
(D) remediation
(E) sustainability
15. As urbanization increases and natural soil surfaces are covered, the groundwater supply is reduced due to
(A) increased evaporation and transpiration
(B) decreased surface runoff
(C) confinement of aquifers
(D) loss of recharge area
(E) capping of artesian wells
16. Which of the following methods of agricultural irrigation results in the loss of the least amount of water by
evaporation?
(A) conventional center-pivot irrigation
(B) drip irrigation
(C) laser-level irrigation
(D) flood irrigation
(E) gravity-flow irrigation
17. Economic benefits of building large dams include which of the following?
I. Storage of water for agriculture and domestic use
II. Controlling floods upstream
III. Production of renewable energy
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) I and III only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III
18. The major cause for the decline in the worldwide catch of fish since 1990 is
(A) acid deposition
(B) escalating price of fuel
(C) competition from aquaculture
(D) overfishing
(E) decline in market price

APES

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19. The chart above compares the daily water use per person to the price of water in selected countries. Which of the
following conclusions can be correctly drawn using only the data in the chart?
(A) water use and water price are directly proportional
(B) increased water use causes prices to decline
(C) increased prices cause water to decline
(D) increased water use is generally correlated with lower water prices
(E) water is more plentiful in the United States and Canada than in the other countries

20. Which of the following is the usual cause of cultural eutrophication in surface waters of both developed and
developing counties?
(A) lack of proper filtration devices for power plant effluents
(B) introduction of cyanobacteria to streams and rivers
(C) runoff of metal ions in bodies of water
(D) runoff of herbicides into bodies of water
(E) runoff of nitrate compounds into bodies of water

APES

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APES

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Key

AP Environmental Science
Aquatic Ecology Unit Test

Questions 1-3 refer to the labeled locations on the map.

1. This area has the lowest amount of naturally available freshwater per capita. D
2. The largest hydroelectric dam in the world is located on one of the worlds longest rivers in this area. E
3. Desalination is used to supply much of this region with freshwater. D
4. All of the following are commonly used to deal with the side effects of eutrophication in lakes EXCEPT
(A) applying herbicides to kill nuisance plants
(B) dredging out lakes to deepen them
(C) pumping oxygen into the lowest layers of water
(D) introducing insects that eat certain nuisance plants
(E) adding nitrates
Questions 5-7
A laboratory experiment was done to show the effects of organic waste on the dissolved oxygen (DO) content in
water. Five tanks were set up, each containing fresh water and a small amount of single-celled green algae. Specified
amounts of organic waste were added to the tanks. The results below show the amount of DO in each tank after a
period of one week.

APES

Pg. 1

APES

Pg. 2

5. What is the main purpose for the experiment?

(A) to determine how much oxygen the algae can produce
(B) to show how much carbon dioxide is consumed by decomposition
(C) to collect data to determine how waste in water can be useful
(D) to determine that initial DO is not important
(E) to observe the effect of organic waste on DO
6. Why did the DO after one week decrease as the amount of waste increased?
(A) The algae could not consume the waste fast enough.
(B) The turbidity of the water increased, and the algae population increased.
(C) The algae multiplied and then died and decomposed.
(D) The carbon dioxide increased due to algal respiration.
(E) The oxygen came out of solution into the air in the laboratory.
7. Which of the following would best improve the validity of the experiment?
(A) eliminating tank 1, because the DO stayed the same
(B) observing the results of adding organic waste to tanks containing salt water
(C) repeating the experiment several times and comparing the results
(D) increasing the amounts of green algae in each of the tanks, with tank 5 having the greatest amount
(E) adding different types of waste to each tank and then checking the results

8. Which of the following elements is most likely to limit primary production in freshwater lakes?
(A) oxygen
(B) calcium
(C) phosphorus
(D) carbon
(E) iron
9. Defining characteristics of a wetland involve which of the following.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)

I. Hydrology
II. Soil type
III. Species composition

I only
II only
I and II only
II and III only
I, II, and III only

10. Which of the following is the zone of a pond or lake in which rooted, emergent plants such as cattails and rushes are
located?
(A) benthic
(B) limnetic
(C) littoral
(D) profundal
(E) riparian
11. Population biologists are concerned about introduced species such as the zebra mussel in North America because
(A) the introduced species compete for resources more effectively than native species
(B) predators of the introduced species often overpopulate because of the influx of the introduced species
(C) their removal from their native habitats has a negative impact
(D) introduced species often become endangered when they are placed in a new habitat
(E) their introduction will require more land to be protected
12. Negative environmental impacts associated with large-scale hydroelectric projects have been demonstrated in which
of the following areas?
(A) James Bay, Quebec
(B) Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania
(C) Kissimmee River, Florida
(D) Mono Lake, California
(E) Aral Sea, former USSR
APES

Pg. 3

13. If wastewater treatment plant effluent that contains nitrates and phosphates is allowed to flow into a body of water,
which of the following may result?
(A) Chlorination
(B) Decomposition
(C) Eutrophication
(D) Oxygenation
(E) Methylation
14. A state highway was constructed over wetlands. The state obtained a permit to fill the existing wetlands in
accordance with the provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1972, and agreed to create another wetland. This trade-off
approach to addressing an environmental issue is know as
(A) mitigation
(B) restoration
(C) preservation
(D) remediation
(E) sustainability
15. As urbanization increases and natural soil surfaces are covered, the groundwater supply is reduced due to
(A) increased evaporation and transpiration
(B) decreased surface runoff
(C) confinement of aquifers
(D) loss of recharge area
(E) capping of artesian wells
16. Which of the following methods of agricultural irrigation results in the loss of the least amount of water by
evaporation?
(A) conventional center-pivot irrigation
(B) drip irrigation
(C) laser-level irrigation
(D) flood irrigation
(E) gravity-flow irrigation
17. Economic benefits of building large dams include which of the following?
I. Storage of water for agriculture and domestic use
II. Controlling floods upstream
III. Production of renewable energy
(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) I and III only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III
18. The major cause for the decline in the worldwide catch of fish since 1990 is
(A) acid deposition
(B) escalating price of fuel
(C) competition from aquaculture
(D) overfishing
(E) decline in market price

APES

Pg. 4

19. The chart above compares the daily water use per person to the price of water in selected countries. Which of the
following conclusions can be correctly drawn using only the data in the chart?
(A) Water use and water price are directly proportional.
(B) Increased water use causes prices to decline.
(C) Increased prices cause water use to decline.
(D) Increased water use is generally correlated with lower water prices.
(E) Water is more plentiful in the United States and Canada than in the other countries.

20. Which of the following is the usual cause of cultural eutrophication in surface waters of both developed and
developing counties?
(A) lack of proper filtration devices for power plant effluents
(B) introduction of cyanobacteria to streams and rivers
(C) runoff of metal ions in bodies of water
(D) runoff of herbicides into bodies of water
(E) runoff of nitrate compounds into bodies of water

APES

Pg. 5