Learn Extracted exam questions AP Environmental Science 2025 Free Response · Set 1
2025 Free Response · Set 1
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Respond to parts A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, and all subparts.
Describe one reproductive strategy used by a K-selected species such as the chickadee.
Based on the information provided, explain how a decrease in spider populations could affect a lower trophic level.
Based on the data in Figure 1, identify the number of spiders per sample at 25% nonnative plants.
Based on the data in Figure 1, describe the trend in the number of insects per sample in relation to the percentage of nonnative plants.
Scientists hypothesized that the population of chickadees would be stable or growing with fewer than 25% nonnative plants. Describe one way that the data in Figure 2 support this hypothesis.
Insect biodiversity is important to maintain ecosystem health. A group of students was interested in learning about factors that affect ant biodiversity. They located two study sites near their school: a frequently mowed urban park and an unmowed grassland. The students used traps designed to collect ants. They loaded 10 of these traps with the same food and placed them randomly at different locations within each site. Students collected the traps after 24 hours and counted the number of different ant species in each trap to determine species richness.
Identify a likely scientific question for the students' investigation of ant diversity.
Identify the dependent variable in the students' investigation.
The data from the student investigation of ant diversity are shown in the following table. An "X" in the table indicates that the species was present at that site.
Ant Species Present in an Urban Park and Unmowed Grassland
| Site | Species A | Species B | Species C | Species D | Species E | Species F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban park | X | X | X | |||
| Grassland | X | X | X | X | X |
Explain why the ant community of the unmowed grassland would be more likely to recover from a disturbance, such as a flood or fire, than the ant community in the mowed urban park would.
Explain how the results of the investigation could have been altered if students had measured ant biodiversity at a paved playground rather than in the grassland.
Habitat fragmentation has impacts on a variety of species. Paved roads can lead to habitat fragmentation.
Describe one effect that a paved road in a forest can have on animal species such as deer or bears.
There is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs in the equatorial Pacific Ocean because of periodic fluctuations in sea surface conditions and atmospheric circulation. This phenomenon happens every few years, resulting in shifts in temperature and precipitation in many parts of the world.
Figure 1 shows temperature and precipitation patterns associated with one phase of this phenomenon in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Figure 2 shows the associated temperature and precipitation patterns that occur over North America.
Figure 1. Effects of Changes in Sea Surface Conditions in Equatorial Pacific Ocean
[Map of the equatorial Pacific Ocean region spanning from Africa/the Indian Ocean on the left to Australia and the western coast of South America on the right, with dashed horizontal reference lines at "30° North" and "Equator 0°". A large hatched region (diagonal lines, labeled in the legend as "Ocean water cooler than average") covers the western/central Pacific Ocean around and south of Australia and Indonesia. A large solid-shaded region (labeled "Ocean water warmer than average") lies to the west of the hatched region, overlapping the Indian Ocean/Indonesia area. A solid black patch (labeled "Increased chance of precipitation") sits over Australia. A bold horizontal arrow points from right (near South America) to left (toward Indonesia/Australia) along the Equator, labeled "Stronger than normal trade winds". A compass rose (N/S/E/W) is shown in the lower right. Legend: ▨ (diagonal hatch) = Ocean water cooler than average; ▤ (grey fill) = Ocean water warmer than average; ▪ (black fill) = Increased chance of precipitation; ← (bold arrow) = Stronger than normal trade winds.]
Figure 2. Polar Jet Stream and Climate Conditions in North America
[Map of North America showing a thick curved arrow labeled "Polar Jet Stream" that dips from the northwest, curves down over the western/central United States, and rises back up toward the northeast (Atlantic Canada), with an arrowhead at the northeast end. A region labeled "A" (dashed-outline circle, dotted fill pattern) is located over the northwestern/western Canada-US border area. A dotted-fill band (same pattern as region A, labeled in the legend as "Increased chance of precipitation") stretches along the path under the jet stream curve across the northern/central US. A region labeled "B" (dashed-outline box, solid grey fill) sits over the south-central/southeastern United States, within a larger grey-shaded band (labeled "Decreased chance of precipitation"). A diagonally hatched region (labeled "Warmer than average") covers the southeastern United States. A compass rose (N/S/E/W) is shown in the lower left. Legend: ⬚ (dotted outline/fill) = Increased chance of precipitation; ▤ (solid grey fill) = Decreased chance of precipitation; ⬚ (dotted fill, different pattern) = Cooler than average; ▨ (diagonal hatch) = Warmer than average.]
Identify the sea surface condition for the eastern equatorial area of the Pacific Ocean illustrated in Figure 1.
Based on the information in Figure 1, identify the climate phenomenon associated with the sea surface conditions shown in the equatorial area of the Pacific Ocean.
Based on the information in Figure 2, describe a difference in climate patterns between the regions A and B.
Increases in regional precipitation can lead to increased flooding in certain locations. Describe one reason why there is an increased risk of flooding in urban areas during extended periods of precipitation.
Propose a realistic solution a city could implement to decrease the risk of flooding in urban areas.
Justify the solution proposed in part E by providing an additional advantage other than a reduction in the risk of flooding.
Terrestrial biomes are primarily determined by temperature and precipitation patterns. Describe one difference between the climate of a temperate seasonal forest and that of a savanna.
Droughts are one environmental problem that can affect the frequency and severity of forest fires. Identify the ecological process that occurs following a forest fire that leaves the soil intact.
Describe one way burning forests contribute to atmospheric pollution.
Describe one sustainable forestry practice that could be used to reduce the occurrence or severity of forest fires.
Respond to parts A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
One major environmental problem is air pollution. Air pollution can come from natural or anthropogenic sources. Motor vehicles can be a source of particulate matter (PM) and other pollutants.
Identify an anthropogenic source of particulate matter, other than from motor vehicles.
One way to reduce pollutants associated with motor vehicles is to use a vapor recovery nozzle. Describe one way a vapor recovery nozzle is used to reduce atmospheric pollution.
Acid rain is another air pollutant linked to motor vehicles. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of people working from home, so fewer people are commuting to work in their personal vehicles.
Explain how a decrease in the number of people commuting to work in their personal vehicles could lead to a reduction in acid rain.
The average gas mileage for a small gasoline-powered sport utility vehicle (SUV) is 22 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city. The average gas mileage for a small hybrid SUV is 36 mpg in the city. One commuter sells their gasoline-powered SUV and replaces it with a hybrid SUV.
Calculate the percent change in gas mileage between the gasoline-powered SUV and the hybrid SUV based on the data provided. Show your work.
Both the gasoline-powered SUV and the hybrid SUV have 14-gallon gas tanks. As stated in part D, the average gas mileage for a small gasoline-powered sport utility vehicle (SUV) is 22 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city. The average gas mileage for a small hybrid SUV is 36 mpg in the city.
Calculate how many more miles the owner can drive in the hybrid SUV in the city than they could have driven in the gasoline-powered SUV. Show your work.
In addition to vehicles, buildings such as schools often have high energy consumption. The primary sources of energy use in many buildings are heating, cooling, and lighting.
Propose a realistic solution that schools could implement to decrease energy use for heating and cooling, other than a reduction in the amount of time the school building is occupied.
The school plans to upgrade its lighting to save money and reduce both its electricity use and its ecological footprint. The sustainability committee proposes that the school reduce its electricity use by switching to energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. The school building uses $2.8 \times 10^4$ bulbs. The LED bulbs would each use 0.0085 kilowatts per hour. Each bulb would be used for an average of 2,340 hours per year.
Calculate the energy use in the school building in kilowatts per year using LED light bulbs. Show your work.