Unit 4 Progress Check: FRQ - AP Environmental Science

Write your answers in the spaces provided. Refer to the figure or diagram to answer the question. Where explanation or discussion is required, support your answers with relevant information and/or specific examples.

Answer all parts (a), (b), and (c) below. Refer to the diagram as needed.

A period of precipitation is one of the short-term conditions in the atmosphere referred to as weather. Identify the layer of Earth’s atmosphere where the circulation and mixing of liquids and gases produce weather.

An area receives significantly less precipitation over a period of time than it typically does. Describe one negative environmental effect in the area as a result of the decrease in precipitation.

The model represents a watershed in a mountainous area. Describe how the geology in a watershed affects the groundwater recharge.

The lake at point A in the diagram is one of the primary points of recharge for the aquifer. Assuming the maximum rate of recharge is occurring in the aquifer, identify the particle type that would most likely make up the majority of the soil.

Describe one characteristic of soil that would allow for the maximum rate of recharge of the aquifer.

Local officials are concerned that agricultural fields at site B are increasing sedimentation in the river because of soil eroding from the fields. They hire an environmental consulting company to perform a study to determine if this is true. The company marks out two one-hectare plots at point B and point C in the diagram. The characteristics of the land in both plots are identical except that plot B is covered by agricultural fields and plot C is covered by undisturbed forest. Rain gauges are set up at the up-slope edge of the plots, and devices that collect eroded soil are set up along the down-slope edge of the plots. The environmental consultants hypothesize that more soil will be eroded from plot B than from plot C. Data are collected at the rain gauges and soil-collection devices at the end of each month for a year.

(i) Identify the dependent variable in the study.

(ii)Describe how plot C serves as the control in the study.

(iii) Both plots received a total of 116 cm of rainfall by the end of the year as measured by the rain gauges. By the end of the year, a total of 200 kg of soil was collected from the plot B soil-collection devices and a total of 200 kg of soil was collected from the plot C devices. Describe a practice or agricultural method that could have been used at plot B to obtain these results.

(iv) The results of the study could be altered if there were changes to the land surface in the area of plot B and plot C. Identify and describe one characteristic of the land surface in the plots that could be altered to decrease the amount of erosion in both plots.