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AP®Environmental ScienceCollege BoardExam QuestionsUnit 5: Land & Water UseMethods to Reduce Urban Runoff

Methods to Reduce Urban Runoff (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Exam Questions

4 mins4 questions
11 mark

Which of the following experimental designs would best determine the effectiveness of converting old parking lots into community gardens to reduce urban runoff?

  • Measure the soil infiltration and runoff rates in the community garden and compare it to the values in an existing green space and a non-converted parking lot after a rainfall event.

  • Count the number of plant species in the community garden and compare it to the number of plant species in a nearby park.

  • Record the temperature of the parking lot before conversion and compare it to the temperature of the community garden to assess the cooling effect of vegetation.

  • Survey local residents about their opinions on the aesthetic appeal of the community garden compared to the old parking lot.

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21 mark

Which of the following is the dependent variable in the experiment?

  • The number of species present

  • The community garden

  • The parking lot

  • The amount of water collected from runoff

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31 mark

Which of the following identifies an additional advantage of converting parking lots into community gardens?

  • Community gardens increase surface runoff, reducing the risk of flooding in urban areas.

  • Community gardens can provide food for residents, reducing the need to transport food.

  • Community gardens increase soil temperatures due to increased soil exposure.

  • Community gardens reduce biodiversity as native plant species are replaced with garden plants.

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41 mark

Students collected the following data from an experiment to determine the impact of converting abandoned parking lots into community gardens to reduce urban runoff. What is the difference in runoff rates from the original parking lot to the new community garden 6 months after conversion?

Site Type

Average Infiltration Rate (cm/hr)

Runoff Volume After 1-inch Rainfall (liters)

Original Parking Lot

0.5

2,500

Unconverted Parking Lot 

0.6 

2,400

New Community Garden (1 month after conversion)

2.5 

1,200

New Community Garden (6 months after conversion)

5.0

600

  • 4.5%

  • 24%

  • 100%

  • 900%

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