HS-LS2-7 | Human Impacts on Biodiversity · NYS standard · Regents questions

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Revision as of 08:05, 18 October 2026 by Conrad (talk | contribs) (PLD table: list all released questions at each level, matching the questions-by-performance-level pages)
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Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Clarification statement: Examples of human activities could include urbanization, building dams, and dissemination of invasive species. Examples of solutions could include simulations, product development, technological innovations, and/or legislation.

Regents Exam Questions

Released New York State Regents exam questions that assess HS-LS2-7 are listed here by exam and question cluster. Each link opens the question with its answer key.

Exam Cluster Question
August 2026 Biology Regents Star of the Tide Pool Question 4
A Tale of Two Squirrels Question 25
June 2026 Biology Regents The Forest Gardener Question 34
Mercury Rising Question 46
Mercury Rising Question 49
January 2026 Biology Regents Keystone Species Rule Question 12
Zebra Coat Patterns Question 45

Vocabulary

Terms from the Biology Glossary that come from this standard or from the released exam questions that assess it.

From this standard
  • anthropogenic changes
  • biodiversity
  • claim
  • climate change
  • constraint
  • correlation (versus cause)
  • cost, safety, reliability and aesthetics
  • criteria
  • cultural impacts
  • dam
  • design solution
  • ecosystem
  • empirical evidence
  • environmental impacts
  • environmental sustainability
  • extinction
  • habitat destruction
  • human activity
  • human impact
  • invasive species
  • legislation
  • overexploitation
  • overpopulation
  • pollution
  • productivity
  • resources
  • social impacts
  • speciation
  • species
  • stability and change
  • survival
  • sustaining biodiversity
  • trade-off
  • urbanization
From released exam questions

Performance Level Descriptions

Every Regents exam question on HS-LS2-7 is written to match one of the performance level descriptions (PLDs) below.

Level 1: Identify, from those provided, the best design solution for reducing the impact(s) of human activity on the environment and biodiversity. June 2026 Question 46
Level 2: Evaluate a given design solution for how well it reduces the impact(s) of a human activity on the environment and/or biodiversity. August 2026 Question 4, June 2026 Question 49, June 2026 Question 34, January 2026 Question 12, January 2026 Question 45
Level 3: Refine a design solution for reducing the impact(s) of a human activity on the environment and/or biodiversity. August 2026 Question 25
Level 4: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Level 5: Design, evaluate, and refine solutions, including tradeoffs, for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Notice: PLD levels!

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-LS2-7.

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NGSS Dimensions

Performance expectation HS-LS2-7 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices
  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
    • Create or revise a simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system.
  • Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions:
    • Design, evaluate, and refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
  • LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
    • Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment – including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexplotation, and climate change – can distrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.
  • LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
    • Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction). (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
    • Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
  • ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
    • When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
Crosscutting Concepts
  • Cause and Effect
    • Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.
  • Stability and Change
    • Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.
Page contributors: Conrad Richman, Caroline Leonard
Biology | HS. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
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