ACADEMIX SCHOOL OF LEARNING

CARIBBEAN ADVANCED PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
UNIT 1 – midterms
1 hour 30 minutes

Read the following instructions carefully

1. This paper consists of twenty-three questions in TWO

sections. Answer all questions
2. Write your answer in this booklet where it is
applicable
3. You may use a silent, non-programmable calculator to
answer questions
4. You are advised to take some time to read through the
paper and plan your answers

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE OVER UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

Section A

(a) State THREE ways in which primary ecological succession is different from secondary
ecological succession.
[3 marks]
(b) Figure 1 shows the percentage deforestation that occurred in three countries: A, B and C. Study
Figure 1 and answer the questions that follow.

Figure1. Percentage deforestation that occurred in country A, Country B and Country C.

(i) Use Figure 1 to determine which two countries have a combined total of 70% of
their forest intact. Show your working
[4 marks]
(ii) State the country in which ecological succession is MOST likely to occur and justify
your response
[7 marks]
(c) Define the term ‘limiting factor’ and explain how limiting factors operate in the environment.
[3 marks]
(d) Explain the role of natural selection in the adaptation of species to their natural environment
[3 marks]
Total 20 marks
 2. Table 2 presents data for per capita CO2 emissions for two countries, A and B. Study the data and
answer the questions that follow.
Table 2: per capita CO 2 emission for two countries

Country Population size (millions) Per capita CO 2 emissions

(kg)
A 8.3 8580
B 71.5 1465
(a) Define ‘per capita CO2 emissions’
[3 marks]
(b) (i) Calculate the total per capita CO2 emissions for BOTH countries
[4 marks]
Based on the results of the calculation in (b) (i), in which of the two countries
will the CO2 emissions most likely have a GREATER impact on the
environment?
[1 mark]
(c) “When assessing the relationship between people and their environment, consideration must
be given to abiotic and biotic factors.”
With reference to this statement, explain how EACH of the following can affect the
distribution and activities of human populations
(i) Extremes of temperature
[4 marks]
(ii) Fertile soil
[4 marks]
(d) Discuss TWO reasons why some people believe that poverty tends to encourage population
growth.
[4 marks]
Total 20 marks

Section B
1. The ability of an organisms to live in 3. Which of the following flow charts
harmony or conformity with its BEST illustrates the normal flow of
environment describes which of the energy within an ecosystem?
following processes? a. Radiant energy → primary
a. Evolution consumer →secondary
b. Speciation consumer
c. Adaptation b. Radiant energy→ primary
d. Ecological producer → primary consumer r
2. The biological community forms by c. Radiant energy → secondary
lichens and mosses which initially consumer → primary consumer
inhabits an exposed rock surface d. Radiant energy→ primary
describes as producer→ secondary consumer
a. Climax
b. Pioneer
c. Secondary
d. Ecological
 Item 4 refers to the diagram below which illustrates how the number of individuals in a
population changed with time as a result of external stresses and resource limitations.

4. Which of the lettered portion of the curve corresponds to the carrying capacity of the ecosystem?
a. P
b. Q
c. R
d. S
5. Which bacteria are responsible for the c. Available minerals
following conversion in the nitrogen d. Carbon dioxide
cycle? 7. Which if the following combinations
BEST characterize a natural ecosystem?
Ammonium bacteria →nitrates in soil
i. It creates fertile soil
a. Nitrifying bacteria ii. It requires continual
b. Rhizobium bacteria maintenance by humans
c. Denitrifying bacteria iii. It provides wildlife
d. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria habitat
6. Which if the following is NOT a iv. It consumes energy
limiting factor in the process of derived from fossil fuels
photosynthesis? a. I and II only
a. Water b. I and III only
b. Oxygen c. II and IV only
d. I, III and IV only
Items 8-9 refers to the population growth curve below

8. Which of the following combinations CORRECTLY represents the growth phases in the graph?
a. Exponential growth phase lag phase stationary phase
b. Lag phase stationary phase exponential growth phase
c. Stationary phase exponential growth phase lag phase
 d. Lag phase exponential growth phase stationary phase
9. The shape of the part of the graph at ST c. Caiman
indicates that there is d. Green algae
a. An abundance of food 11. Mangrove exits in a specific type of
b. As outbreak of disease ecosystem under specific conditions.
c. An increase in competitors Which of the following is a limiting
d. A limited amount of space factor in a mangrove system?
a. pH
Items 10 refers to the food web below
b. salinity
c. turbidity
d. temperature
Item 12 refers to the table below

12. base on the data in the table above,

which site has the GREATEST
10. Which population of organisms in the
ecosystem stability?
food web be the most NEGATIVELY
a. A
affected if the snail population was
b. B
eliminated?
c. C
a. Pike
d. D
b. Egret
Items 13 refers to the graph below which shows the effect of temperature on the rate of
population growth of algae in an aquatic ecosystem.

13. The rate of population growth was HIGHEST during the period
a. B and C
b. C and D
c. D and E
d. E and F
Items 14-15 refers to the following results, which were obtained by students investigating the
density and distribution of three species of plants, A, B and C, in a grassy field using a 1 m 2
quadrat.
Site Species diversity
14. The mean density, in plants/m2, of A 2.5
B 3.2
species A in the field is
C 6.8
a. 2.60
D 4.0
b. 3.00
d. 3.30
c. 3.25
15. Using the equation D=
∑ n (n−1) the a. Number of children that a
N ( N −1) woman will bear in one year
b. Number of children a couple
species diversity for species C
must bear to replace themselves
a. 0.17
c. Number of live births per one
b. 0.59
thousand people in the
c. 0.22
population
d. 5.23
d. Averages number of children
16. Total fertility rate refers to the
that would be born to a woman
over half her life
Items 17-18 refers to the table below which shows water withdrawal and consumption patterns in
Trinidad for the periods 1940-2010

17. What is the relationship between the from 1940-1950 and decreases
population size and water withdrawal in the following years
for the period 1940-2010? 18. The difference in population from 1950
a. There is no correlation to 2010 is
b. Water withdrawal increases a. 0.78 million
with increasing population b. 0.97 million
c. Water withdrawal increases c. 0.99 million
with decreasing population d. 1.0 million
d. Water withdrawal increases
with increasing population size

19. If the annual growth rate of Country X in 2%, then the doubling time, in years for country X is
a. 35 years
b. 70 years
c. 105 years
d. 14 years
Item 20 refers to the graph below which shows the projected world population total up to 2100
20. In 2050, the population in developing countries is projected to exceed that of the developed
countries by a factor of approximately
a. 1.8
b. 3.6
c. 6.4
d. 8.0