AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Impacts of Overfishing
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
A coastal village's economy is centered on catching and selling cod. If cod becomes extremely scarce due to overfishing, what is the likely impact on the village?
The people in the village would be harmed because their commerce, which depends on fishing, would be negatively affected.
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A coastal village's economy is centered on catching and selling cod. If cod becomes extremely scarce due to overfishing, what is the likely impact on the village?
The people in the village would be harmed because their commerce, which depends on fishing, would be negatively affected.
Why is the overfishing of a major fish species a food security issue?
It becomes a food security issue because it harms people who depend on that species of fish for food.
What is a primary ecological impact of overfishing on aquatic systems?
Overfishing can lessen biodiversity in aquatic systems by causing the extreme scarcity of some fish species.
How does overfishing directly harm human communities?
It harms people who depend on fishing for their food and for commerce.
Explain the causal link between overfishing and biodiversity loss.
Overfishing leads to the extreme scarcity of certain fish species, and this reduction in the variety of species lessens the overall biodiversity in the aquatic system.
What term describes the condition when a fish species becomes exceptionally rare due to overfishing?
The term used to describe this condition is 'extreme scarcity'.
Identify the two main categories of problems caused by overfishing as described in the text.
The problems are ecological (lessened biodiversity) and socioeconomic (harming people who depend on fishing for food and commerce).
What is the relationship between overfishing and the population size of certain fish species?
Overfishing has led to the extreme scarcity of some fish species.
Besides environmental damage, what is another significant problem related to overfishing?
A significant problem is the harm caused to people who rely on fishing for commerce and their livelihood.
Based on its effects, what is overfishing?
Overfishing is the practice that leads to the extreme scarcity of some fish species, which can lessen biodiversity.