The Tragedy of the Commons (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Exam Questions

4 mins4 questions
11 mark

Which of the following strategies can a community implement to prevent the depletion of a common access resource?

  • Encouraging unrestricted use of the resource to maximize immediate benefits.

  • Implementing a quota system to limit individual usage of the resource.

  • Promoting increased consumption to stimulate economic growth.

  • Allowing external entities to manage the resource without local input.

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21 mark

Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies the concept of the "tragedy of the commons"?

  • A community implements a quota system to regulate individual water usage during a drought.

  • Fishermen, aiming to maximize their catch, overfish a shared lake, leading to a significant decline in fish populations.

  • A government enforces strict pollution controls to maintain air quality in urban areas.

  • Farmers rotate crops and practice sustainable agriculture to maintain soil fertility.

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31 mark

Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, where individuals or companies clear forests for logging, farming, or cattle ranching,  causes environmental damage. This is an example of which of the following? 

  • Sustainable yield 

  • Malthusian Theory

  • Tragedy of the Commons

  • Ecological succession

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41 mark

Which of the following is the best example of the tragedy of the commons?

  • A farmer rotates crops each season to maintain soil fertility.

  • A national park limits the number of visitors to protect wildlife and vegetation.

  • A company invests in renewable energy to reduce its carbon footprint.

  • Different groups of people over-hunt a shared forest, leading to a decline in animal populations.

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