Coastal wetland ecosystems provide critical ecological services including nutrient cycling, water filtration, and habitat for diverse species. These ecosystems are characterized by unique hydrology where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from tidal influences, creating brackish conditions that support specialized plant and animal communities. Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, with complex food webs and efficient nutrient cycling.
Figure 1. Energy Flow in Coastal Wetland Food Web
A.
Based on the information in Figure 1, identify the trophic level that contains the greatest amount of available energy.
B.
Based on the information in Figure 1, identify the approximate percentage of energy transferred from primary consumers to secondary consumers in this wetland ecosystem.
Figure 2. Nitrogen Cycle in Wetland Ecosystem
C.
Identify the biogeochemical cycle process shown in Figure 2 that converts atmospheric nitrogen gas into a form usable by plants.
D.
Explain why energy decreases as it flows from one trophic level to the next in the wetland food web.
E.
Excess nitrogen from agricultural runoff has led to algal blooms in the wetland. Describe one negative environmental effect of algal blooms on the wetland ecosystem.
F.
Propose a realistic solution that farmers could implement to reduce nitrogen runoff into the wetland while still maintaining crop production.
G.
Wetlands are considered transitional biomes between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Describe one characteristic of wetland vegetation that allows plants to survive in waterlogged, anaerobic soil conditions.
H.
Justify the solution proposed in part F by providing an additional environmental advantage, other than reducing nitrogen runoff.
I.
Phosphorus is another limiting nutrient in aquatic ecosystems. Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus does not have a gaseous phase in its biogeochemical cycle. Describe how phosphorus typically enters aquatic ecosystems from terrestrial sources.
J.
The hydrologic cycle influences nutrient distribution in wetland ecosystems. Describe one way that wetlands naturally filter pollutants from water as it moves through the hydrologic cycle.
What the Data Analysis FRQ asks
This is FRQ 2 on the AP Environmental Science exam. You get an environmental scenario with quantitative data or visuals, interpret the patterns, explain the science behind them, and propose and justify a solution.
Describe a related effect or propose another solution
1 pt
How Data Analysis FRQ practice works
Each question follows the exam’s format, from the full prompt to a score on every part.
1
Read the full question
The scenario, the data, and all ten parts, A through J, laid out the way the exam shows them.
2
Write on a 23-minute timer
The time to plan for on exam day. Pause it or turn it off, and your response saves as you go.
3
Submit for a score out of 10
Your response is scored against the scoring guidelines written for that question. Your first score is included.
Feedback on every part
A summary at the top tells you what to work on next. Below it, each part shows whether you earned the point and what the scoring guidelines were looking for.
Correct. The student accurately identifies Species X as displaying a Type I survivorship curve and provides an appropriate description of high early survival with rapid decline near the end of the lifespan.
Part B: 1/1 point
Correct. The student correctly identifies Species X as K-selected and supports the answer with relevant evidence from Table 1, including few offspring, extensive parental care, and late sexual maturity.
Part G: 0/1 point
Insufficient. While the student mentions that Stage 4 has low birth rates and Stage 2 has high birth rates, the response does not clearly identify one specific characteristic of Stage 4 that is different from Stage 2 in a concise, focused way. The answer conflates descriptions of both stages without clearly stating a single distinguishing characteristic of Stage 4 (e.g., low birth rate AND low death rate leading to stable or declining population). The response is too muddled to earn the point.
Detailed feedback on a practice Data Analysis FRQ
Questions about the Data Analysis FRQ
How many responses can I get scored?
You can read every question without a plan. Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.
Do I have to propose a solution?
Yes. Part F asks for a realistic solution, and a later part usually asks you to justify a solution with another benefit.
How specific should a solution be?
Name a specific action, like a technology, a practice, or a policy tool. A general goal like “reduce pollution” rarely earns the point.
How is FRQ 2 different from FRQ 3?
Both ask about an environmental problem. FRQ 2 centers on reading data and proposing solutions. FRQ 3 adds calculations worth 2 points each.
Are these real College Board questions?
No. We wrote them in the AP format, with the same parts, and wrote scoring guidelines for each one.
More AP Environmental Science practice
Investigation Design FRQ practice
Design an Investigation questions with the scenario, the figures, and every part.
