AP Environmental Science Practice Quiz: Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 14 questions to check your progress.
Question 1 of 14
All Questions (14)
A) The immediate destruction of plant life from lava flows.
B) The formation of new soil from volcanic ash, leading to secondary succession over decades.
C) A temporary decrease in local temperature due to ash blocking sunlight.
D) The short-term displacement of wildlife from the immediate vicinity of the eruption.
Correct Answer: B
The formation of new, fertile soil from weathered volcanic material is a process that occurs over a long period (decades to centuries) and fundamentally changes the ecosystem's potential for regrowth, which is a long-term impact. The other options describe short-term impacts.
A) Human-made disruptions are always more severe and widespread than natural disruptions.
B) Natural disruptions, such as a major asteroid impact, can have consequences that are significantly greater than many human-made disruptions.
C) Ecosystems can recover from natural disruptions but not from human-made disruptions.
D) Natural disruptions occur on a geological timescale, while human-made disruptions are always short-term events.
Correct Answer: B
The content explicitly states that 'Natural disruptions to ecosystems have environmental consequences that may be as great as, or greater than, many human-made disruptions.' This supports the idea that large-scale natural events can have immense impacts.
A) Episodic
B) Random
C) Periodic
D) Geological
Correct Answer: C
Periodic processes occur at regular, predictable intervals. Both daily tides and annual migrations fit this description. Episodic events occur occasionally and irregularly (like earthquakes), while random events have no predictable pattern.
A) Changes in the amount of glacial ice on Earth.
B) The frequency of human-made disruptions.
C) Short-term migration patterns of marine wildlife.
D) The rate of volcanic activity along coastlines.
Correct Answer: A
The content directly states, 'Sea level has varied significantly as a result of changes in the amount of glacial ice on Earth over geological time.' During ice ages, more water is locked in glaciers, lowering sea level, and during warmer interglacial periods, melting ice raises sea level.
A) A long-term increase in biodiversity as new species colonize the area.
B) A large-scale change in habitat, making it unsuitable for the original terrestrial plants.
C) A periodic change in the local climate due to increased ocean spray.
D) An increase in the amount of glacial ice due to changes in ocean currents.
Correct Answer: B
The content states that 'Major environmental change or upheaval commonly results in large swathes of habitat changes.' The deposition of salt and sand by a tsunami is a major upheaval that would drastically alter the soil and water conditions, causing a significant habitat change for the forest ecosystem.
A) A periodic climate shift.
B) A long-term geological process.
C) A natural disruption.
D) A human-made habitat improvement.
Correct Answer: C
The text indicates that 'Wildlife engages in both short- and long-term migration for a variety of reasons, including natural disruptions.' A forest fire is a natural disruption that destroys the elks' habitat and food source, forcing them to migrate.
A) The current climate is the warmest it has ever been in Earth's history.
B) Ecosystems of the past have experienced and adapted to different climate conditions than exist today.
C) Human activity is the sole driver of climate change throughout Earth's history.
D) Earth's climate has remained stable for millions of years until recent human influence.
Correct Answer: B
The fact that Earth's climate has changed over geological time implies that past environments were different. Ecosystems that existed during those times would have been adapted to those specific conditions, which could include periods both warmer and colder than the present.
A) Periodic, because they are part of a long-term cycle.
B) Episodic, because they occur occasionally and at irregular intervals.
C) Random, because their occurrence has no discernible pattern or predictability.
D) Geological, because they only occur over millions of years.
Correct Answer: C
While a landslide could be considered episodic (occurring in response to an event like an earthquake or heavy rain), both events, especially an unpredictable meteor shower, fit the description of random processes. They lack the semi-regularity of episodic events like El Niño or the strict regularity of periodic events like seasons. Given the options, 'random' is the best fit for events without a predictable pattern.
A) A decrease in the total amount of glacial ice and a rise in sea level.
B) An increase in the total amount of glacial ice and a drop in sea level.
C) A decrease in the total amount of glacial ice and a drop in sea level.
D) An increase in the total amount of glacial ice and a rise in sea level.
Correct Answer: A
The content links sea level to the amount of glacial ice. Global warming would cause glaciers and ice sheets to melt, reducing the amount of glacial ice on Earth. This melted water would flow into the oceans, causing sea level to rise.
A) The gradual cooling of the Earth's climate, leading to an ice age over thousands of years.
B) The process of soil formation on a barren volcanic island over centuries.
C) A severe, week-long drought that causes many plants to wilt and die.
D) The migration of a continent due to plate tectonics over millions of years.
Correct Answer: C
A short-term disruption occurs over a relatively brief period. A week-long drought fits this description, causing immediate stress and change to the ecosystem. The other options describe long-term processes that occur over thousands to millions of years.
A) short-term migration for reasons unrelated to habitat.
B) a periodic event that occurs on a yearly cycle.
C) a major, long-term change in regional habitats.
D) an environmental consequence less significant than most human-made disruptions.
Correct Answer: C
This question requires synthesizing multiple concepts. The advance of a glacier is a major environmental upheaval (Content 6) that occurs over geological time (Content 4). Its most significant impact is the complete transformation of the landscape, which constitutes a major and long-term change in the habitats of the entire region.
A) To escape a temporary weather event, such as a thunderstorm.
B) The original habitat has been fundamentally and permanently altered, making it unable to support the population.
C) To follow a predictable, seasonal change in food availability.
D) The disruption was human-made and therefore more damaging than a natural event.
Correct Answer: B
The content links migration to natural disruptions and habitat changes. A long-term migration implies a permanent or very long-lasting move, which would be necessary if a major upheaval (Content 6) caused such a large-scale habitat change that the original area is no longer viable for the species.
A) Periodic, because it happens repeatedly.
B) Episodic, because it occurs occasionally and at irregular intervals.
C) Random, because its exact timing cannot be predicted.
D) Geological, because it is a permanent change to the climate.
Correct Answer: B
El Niño is a classic example of an episodic event. It is a recurring event, so it is not random, but it does not happen at a fixed, regular interval like seasons or tides, so it is not periodic. It happens occasionally and somewhat irregularly.
A) The stabilization of Earth's climate over geological time.
B) The creation of large areas of changed habitat.
C) A decrease in all wildlife migration patterns.
D) The prevention of all future natural disruptions.
Correct Answer: B
The content explicitly states, 'Major environmental change or upheaval commonly results in large swathes of habitat changes.' This is a direct cause-and-effect relationship presented in the text.