MCVSD Environmental Science & Natural Resources 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes a watershed?
- A man-made reservoir used for drinking water
- An area of land that drains water into a common body of water (Correct answer)
- A type of wetland found near coastal areas
- A government agency that manages water resources
Correct answer: An area of land that drains water into a common body of water
A watershed is an area of land where all precipitation drains to a single outlet such as a river, lake, or bay.
Question 2: What is the primary cause of eutrophication in lakes and ponds?
- Excessive sediment from erosion
- Excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus (Correct answer)
- Introduction of invasive fish species
- Decreased water temperature
Correct answer: Excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus
Eutrophication is driven by excess nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers and runoff) that cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
Question 3: Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
- Troposphere
- Mesosphere
- Stratosphere (Correct answer)
- Thermosphere
Correct answer: Stratosphere
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, approximately 15–35 km above Earth's surface, where it absorbs harmful UV radiation.
Question 4: What term describes the variety of species, genes, and ecosystems in a given area?
- Biomass
- Biodiversity (Correct answer)
- Biosphere
- Biogeography
Correct answer: Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms — including species, genetic, and ecosystem diversity — present in a particular habitat or on Earth.
Question 5: Which of the following is a nonrenewable natural resource?
- Solar energy
- Wind energy
- Coal (Correct answer)
- Timber
Correct answer: Coal
Coal is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years and cannot be replenished on a human timescale, making it nonrenewable.
Question 6: What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
- Convert sunlight into chemical energy
- Consume primary producers for energy
- Break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil (Correct answer)
- Regulate water flow through vegetation
Correct answer: Break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil
Decomposers such as fungi and bacteria break down dead organisms and waste, recycling nutrients back into the soil and making them available to plants.
Question 7: Which federal law established the framework for regulating pollution in the United States' waterways?
- Clean Air Act
- National Environmental Policy Act
- Clean Water Act (Correct answer)
- Endangered Species Act
Correct answer: Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act (1972) established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States.
MCVSD Environmental Science & Natural Resources 1
Which of the following best describes a watershed?