8.11B & 8.11C - Environmental Changes & Human Impact

(8.11C) Wild Soay sheep live in a cold environment on a small Scottish island. The sheep used to be large because they gained extra weight during the summers in order to survive the harsh winters. A recent change in the island's climate has caused grass to be avaliable for a longer period each year. so survival conditions have become less challenging.
Researchers who study these sheep have most likely observed a decrease in the wild Soay's-

• size
• life expectancy
• reproduction rates
• body temperature

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(8.11C) Some scientists studying aquatic plants notice that flooding often leads to a decrease in the rate of photosynthesis among aquatic plants. Flooding causes more sediment to be suspended in the water. The increased sediment concentration decreases the amount of light that reaches the plants. Why does a decreased rate of photosynthesis lead to a decrease in a plant population?

• Less water is available for absorption.
• Less tissue is available for plant growth.
• Less energy is available for reproduction.
• Less soil is available for leave development.

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(7.11C) When Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Island in the 1800s, he observed many types of organisms that were similar but lived on different islands. The four species of mockingbirds found on the Gapapagos Island are shown below. Each species lives on a different island.
These species are very similar, but the Hood mockingbird has a longer beak than the other three species. Which of the following best explains this difference?

• The hood mockingbird needs a longer beak for defense against predators.
• The Hood mockingbird originated from a different type of bird than the other species.
• The Hood mockingbird's longer beak is an adaptation to the food available in the bird's habitat.
• The Hood mockingbird's beak stretched to reach its food, and the longer beak was passed down to its offspring.

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Copper compounds are used to control the growth of algae and other aquatic plants. Copper interferes with photosynthesis in these organisms. What would be the most likely result of an accidental spill of these compounds in an aquatic environment?

• Fish would grow larger than usual
• Zooplankton would increase
• Plants would increase in size and decrease in number
• The plant populations would be reduced

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(8.11C) Before the Industrial Revolution in England, the peppered moth was commonly found on tree trunks that had light-colored lichen on the bark. Most of the peppered moths were a light grey-brown color similar to that of the lichen. A few of the moths had a mutation that made them a dark grey-brown color.
During the Industrial Revolution, coal-burning factories produced black soot that covered the tress and killed the lichen in and near cities. In these areas the number of dark peppered moths increased, while the number of light peppered moths decreased. What contributed to this change?

• The soot-covered trees camouflaged the dark moths.
• The dark moths preyed on the light moths.
• Bird populations increased in the areas near the factories.
• The dark moths laid fewer eggs than the light moths. 

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Which process is responsible for carrying fertilizers that have been applied to crops into bodies of water, such as a river?

• Runoff
• Evaporation
• Ocean Currents
• Tectonic Plate movement

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Some animals are born with a gene that causes hairlessness.  Which of the following would be an example of how this is a beneficial mutation

• Higher rates of skin cancer in hairless animals.
• Animals that are hairless have better tolerance for heat
• Animals with no hair have more skin infections than those with hair
• animals with less hair are less able get food because they can't forage in cold weather

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During a period of drought, members of a community may volunteer to water their lawns every other day, rather than daily. The most important benefit of this action is -

• It conserves the groundwater supply.
• It reduces air pollution
• It fertilizes the soil
• It adds nitrogen to the soil

A group of birds in an area eats many kinds of seeds. A disease kills all the plants in an area except for tall trees that produce hard seeds. Which of these traits will future generations of the birds most likely have?

• Webbed feet and strong wings
• Strong wings and strong beaks
• Strong beaks and webbed feet
• Showy feathers and Small beaks

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In Sewage treatment facility, contaminants are removed from wastewater and sewage system. If a sewage treatment plant is not functioning properly, what will it most likely cause?

• A water shortage
• Groundwater contamination
• Acid rain
• Rising water levels in the lakes