AP Biology Questions on Ecosystem Services and Human Impact

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🌍 Ecosystem Services: These are the benefits humans freely gain from the natural environment and properly-functioning ecosystems. Examples include pollination, water purification, and climate regulation.
• 💧 Water Cycle Disruption: Human activities like deforestation and urbanization can disrupt the water cycle, leading to increased runoff and decreased infiltration.
• 🌳 Deforestation Impact: Deforestation reduces biodiversity, increases soil erosion, and contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere.
• 🌱 Agricultural Runoff: Excessive use of fertilizers in agriculture can lead to nutrient runoff, causing eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems.
• 🏭 Pollution: Industrial and agricultural activities release pollutants into the air, water, and soil, harming ecosystems and human health.
• 🌡️ Climate Change: Burning fossil fuels increases the concentration of greenhouse gases, leading to global warming and altered weather patterns. Key gases include carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), methane ($CH_4$), and nitrous oxide ($N_2O$).
• 🧬 Biodiversity Loss: Habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change contribute to the loss of biodiversity, which can destabilize ecosystems.
• 🍎 Sustainable Practices: Implementing sustainable practices, such as reducing carbon emissions, conserving water, and protecting habitats, can help mitigate human impact on ecosystems.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is an example of an ecosystem service?
   1. A) Increased use of fossil fuels
   2. B) Pollination of crops by insects
   3. C) Deforestation for agricultural land
   4. D) Industrial waste disposal
2. Deforestation has the greatest impact on which of the following?
   1. A) Decreased soil erosion
   2. B) Increased biodiversity
   3. C) Carbon sequestration
   4. D) Water purification
3. Eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems is primarily caused by:
   1. A) Decreased nutrient runoff
   2. B) Excessive use of fertilizers
   3. C) Increased biodiversity
   4. D) Decreased water temperature
4. Which of the following human activities contributes most to climate change?
   1. A) Planting trees
   2. B) Burning fossil fuels
   3. C) Reducing waste
   4. D) Conserving water
5. Habitat destruction primarily leads to:
   1. A) Increased biodiversity
   2. B) Decreased pollution
   3. C) Loss of biodiversity
   4. D) Decreased soil erosion
6. Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change?
   1. A) Oxygen ($O_2$)
   2. B) Nitrogen ($N_2$)
   3. C) Carbon Dioxide ($CO_2$)
   4. D) Hydrogen ($H_2$)
7. Which of the following is a sustainable practice that can mitigate human impact on ecosystems?
   1. A) Increasing carbon emissions
   2. B) Conserving water
   3. C) Expanding deforestation
   4. D) Increasing fertilizer use