Environmental Science (ENVS) Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• What happens to energy as it is passed up a food chain?
• In a greenhouse, where is the best position to place a plant for optimal sunlight exposure?
• What is the primary strategy of the OPEC cartel regarding oil production?
• Better sanitation and nutrition generally resulted from the?
• Species are most likely conserved by humans if they possess what type of value?
• What phenomenon can worsen air quality due to a lack of air circulation?
• What is desertification primarily the result of?
• What action can the EPA take under the Clean Air Act regarding mercury emissions from power plants?
• The main goal of sustainable agriculture is to?
• What do concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the US produce?
• An ethical response to climate change concerns may involve applying which principle?
• Which type of value refers to the benefits provided by species that contribute to economic gain?
• Which of the following most illustrates environmental stewardship?
• Individual restraints when using common-pool resources are necessary to prevent?
• Which of the following best illustrates an intergenerational consideration?
• What type of material is the gardener using when she refers to composted materials?
• What is the likely effect on aquatic life when a farmer disturbs a creek bed by bulldozing the banks?
• If organisms are unable to generate enough genetic diversity, what is a possible outcome?
• Where does the oxygen released from photosynthesis come from?
• How do current extinction rates compare to historical averages?
• Which of the following is a major consequence of urban sprawl?
• What is the primary requirement for the current generation of ethanol as a biofuel?
• Which term describes a raccoon that eats a variety of foods including raspberries, grain, eggs, and grasshoppers?
• Which standards are known for having the strictest criteria with the lowest acceptable levels?
• What is the primary role of an environmental scientist?
• Which of the following is more closely related to water quality rather than water quantity?
• Freshwater that may become available to humans from oceans occurs through which processes?
• What meteorological condition is primarily associated with air pollution disasters?
• Which biome is commonly characterized by the presence of permafrost?
• What is a primary function of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facilities?
• Which of the following contributes to the greenhouse effect?
• Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to global warming by:
• A large urban region with low-density residences and commercial structures clustered around highways is an example of:
• What is a primary function of environmental public policy?
• Which of the following are products of photosynthesis?
• What prevents a self-amplifying reaction and nuclear explosion in power plants?
• Which aspect of nuclear power plants is improved by incorporating passive safety features?
• Which of the following is considered an invasive species in many ecosystems?
• What does the term zoonotic mean in relation to human pathogens?
• Which factor is most crucial for the creation of tropospheric ozone?
• The loss of biodiversity most severely impacts which group of people?
• What was one outcome of the Chernobyl nuclear accident approximately 28 years ago?
• What effect do endocrine disruptor chemicals typically have?
• Which atmospheric components are primarily reduced in order to effectively lower tropospheric ozone formation?
• The window of opportunity from the demographic dividend generally ends due to which reason?
• At which levels do responsible and sustainable environmental policies operate?
• In which part of the food web do primary producers usually exist?
• Which of the following terms best describes the practice of environmental science?
• Why can humans generally harvest renewable resources of plants and animals sustainably?
• Which option would generate the least amount of particulate matter?
• What is one argument made by opponents of constructing new nuclear power plants?
• One noteworthy achievement of chemistry research and environmental policies is the control of which atmospheric issue?
• Which principle of smart-growth encourages an increase in the use of locally grown foods?
• The precautionary principle and polluter pays principle reflect which concept?
• What is a major consequence of habitat destruction on biodiversity?
• Anaerobic conditions in a natural water system are most likely to occur in which scenario?
• What type of biological control might be considered for managing zebra mussel populations in the Great Lakes?
• Closed landfills are now being converted into which of the following?
• Which of the following best illustrates sound science?
• What is the status of Sumatran rhino populations due to their decline?
• Lakes that are affected by environmental acidification typically have what kind of ecological condition?
• What is a significant advantage of using nuclear power over fossil fuels?
• The deaths of California Condors due to lead ammunition exemplify which type of toxicity?
• The greatest environmental problem of the 1950s was?
• What is the primary reason global warming is causing sea levels to rise?
• What is the main goal of the Clean Water Act?
• Cell respiration and photosynthesis are both complex processes that?
• Which soil horizon is least likely to interact directly with living organisms?
• Justice and equity in regulating environmental quality are components of?
• Which trend has occurred in the population dynamics of urban areas over the past 50 years in the United States?
• In terms of energy efficiency, how do passive solar buildings function?
• What measure will the new RCRA requirements implement to prevent illegal dumping of toxic wastes?
• To enhance technological efficiency for reducing power consumption, which sectors should be prioritized?
• Which gas is primarily responsible for the greenhouse effect?
• Purchasing used items at a garage sale is an example of which environmentally friendly approach?
• The process of converting forests into agricultural fields is primarily associated with?
• Which of the following is a main cause of biodiversity loss globally?
• Which best defines sustainable development?
• The generation of alternative fuels from manure and sawdust is beneficial because it:
• In which agricultural situation are fertilizers least necessary?
• What role do keystone species play in an ecosystem?
• The Neolithic Revolution is most clearly seen in human culture today in our use of?
• What role does water play in the sustainability of agricultural systems?
• Which of the following is a consequence of the introduction of invasive species?
• What does the generation of electrical power primarily depend on?
• As a newly appointed advisor, what should be your highest priority in a government project for a developing country?
• What role does near-pure water play in nuclear power plants in the United States?
• If you traveled from the Earth's surface to the top of the stratosphere, how would temperatures change?
• Which human activity is known to contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions?
• What impact does duckweed covering the water's surface have on water clarity during eutrophication?
• Why should acids never be stored in metal containers?
• Which practice can lead to soil health improvement and sustainability?
• When does the highest electricity demand in Louisiana's homes occur?
• How has the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) changed since the 1960s?
• Chronic exposure to pesticides has been linked to which of the following health issues?
• Which of the following represents intangible capital?
• What is a key focus of environmental justice?
• What is a significant risk of decreased genetic diversity in a species?
• Which one of the following best illustrates a situation most likely to reduce extreme poverty?
• In the western US, where do rain shadows most frequently occur?
• The rerouting of the Mississippi to increase the efficiency of movements of steamboats and barges was the result of the?
• Which statement about the transition to renewable energy is accurate?
• What is a likely outcome of the sustainable exploitation of natural ecosystems?
• In general, high poverty leads to which of the following outcomes?
• Countries that have completed the demographic transition typically exhibit what characteristic?
• How many long-term commercial below-ground nuclear waste depository sites are currently operational in the United States?
• What type of pollution mainly causes dead zones in aquatic ecosystems?
• What is a significant way immigrants maintain ties to their native countries?
• The removal of existing dams is primarily motivated by:
• Why are there typically so few ecosystems with more than four levels of consumers?
• Which statement is true regarding coal-fired plants compared to nuclear plants?
• The significant increase in life expectancy in developing nations is primarily due to?
• In ecological terms, what describes the relationship between food chains and food webs?
• Assessing the proportion of children under the age of five who are underweight helps the United Nations measure progress in the battle against what?
• What is a significant environmental effect of urban development?
• A building designed to maximize heat gain in winter while minimizing it in summer primarily uses what strategy?
• Compaction of soil in a garden has which of the following effects on plants?
• Which factors primarily drive the environmental changes observed in ecosystems?
• What do biomes primarily characterize?
• Countries that enjoy the best health generally have what characteristic?
• What is the primary issue with rabbits introduced to Australia?
• In developing countries, pressure to increase agricultural productivity has resulted in?
• A country that has undergone a full demographic transition has?
• Which component is essential in concentrated solar power systems?
• The muddy Mississippi, transporting soils that have eroded from farm fields, represents a mixing of which spheres?
• What challenge is associated with increasing meat consumption in particular regions such as India and sub-Saharan Africa?
• Which of the following practices can help reduce carbon emissions in energy production?
• Which of the following is a potential benefit of reforestation?
• The changes in an abandoned farm field from grasses to shrubs to trees represent what ecological process?
• Which of the following is not a trace element in living organisms?
• How does the EPA affect environmental policy?
• Where is the general consensus for the safest storage of long-term nuclear waste?
• Biodiversity in dead zones of freshwater and marine ecosystems is primarily caused by what?
• Biotechnology can promote sustainability by:
• According to the 1994 Cairo and 2014 Stockholm population conferences, what is a factor that contributes to slower population growth?
• One concern regarding transgenic crops that produce pesticides is that this trait may:
• Why are traditional farming practices becoming less common?
• Which of the following is a major contributor to ocean acidification?
• What is a common environmental impact of deforestation?
• Sustainable agriculture in the long term will require which of the following?
• What happens when a plant does not get enough water and starts to wilt?
• Private conservation efforts to protect land against development primarily rely on the formation of what?
• What ecological characteristic is primarily associated with ecological succession?
• Which of the following best describes a carbon sink?
• After severe wildfires and heavy rains, which soil horizon is most likely to remain intact with little disturbance?
• What is the fate of 1% of tadpoles in a bullfrog population that hatch each spring?
• Based on Rachel Carson’s concerns expressed in Silent Spring, what would her likely reaction have been to the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire?
• When freshwater inflows into estuaries are reduced, what is a potential outcome?
• What major fossil fuel has recently benefited from the increased construction of pipelines in the U.S.?
• Buying in bulk is considered environmentally friendly because it:
• The modern US environmental movement began as a?
• What is a primary benefit of biodiversity?
• What is necessary for the protection of biodiversity around the world?
• What was DDT widely used for in some countries to combat malaria?
• What is the cleanest burning fossil fuel that produces the least pollutants?
• What is the primary advantage of renewable energy sources?
• Treadle pumps are used for:
• A growing cooperative approach to manage larger ecosystems includes which groups working together?
• Which of the following best describes biodiversity?
• Saltwater intrusion occurs mainly in:
• What is a major contributing factor to environmental acidification in lakes?
• Sustainable solutions should?
• What type of factors are density-independent factors such as earthquakes and hurricanes?
• Which characteristics are indicative of urban sprawl?
• Heating homes with wood pellets is considered to be?
• Using a windshield reflector in a car is similar to which process in the greenhouse effect?
• According to the hygiene hypothesis, the lowest rates of asthma are predicted to occur in which type of population?
• Global climate change may increase the number of worldwide famines by all of the following, except:
• What is a common goal of environmental regulations?
• From where are some successful drugs like taxol and Tamiflu derived?
• In general, problems caused by economic activities are?
• Which of the following is the most inclusive level of classification?
• Which example represents a cultural hazard to public health?
• What source do some successful cancer and viral treatment drugs derive from?
• The pervasive alteration of global ecosystems is mainly the result of?
• In logistic growth, how does population growth change as it nears carrying capacity?
• Which of the following human traits are typical of K-strategists?
• What role do wetlands play in the environment?
• What was a consequence of cities dumping sewage into natural waterways?
• Which pollutant is most commonly associated with acid rain?
• What is a sustainable practice regarding waste management?
• Which group of insects would insecticides be most effective against?