Unit 6 Ecosystems

A group of students build two terrariums by putting stones and soil in the bottom of two clear glass jars. They put the same type of potting soil and plants in each. They then put one terrarium near the window and one in the closet. The students water both terrariums regularly. Which question can most likely be answered with data from this investigation?

• Do plants need water?

• Do plants need carbon dioxide?

• Do plants need soil?

• Do plants need sunlight?

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

When a volcano erupts, the ecosystem around the volcano changes. Surrounding lakes are filled with hot mud. Plants are burned. The ground is covered in ash. How does the ecosystem change after the eruption?

• fish in the lake die and the bears that eat the fish move to another location

• fish in the lake grow very large and the bears that eat the fish become overweight

• fish in the lake become poisonous and the bears that eat the fish die

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Which pair of consumers is most likely to use the same food resources in an ecosystem?

• rat and fish

• parrot and snake

• elephant and cheetah

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Ms. D follows a vegan diet. This means that she does not eat meat or any other animal products. She gets all of her nutrients from plant products. Which word describes Ms. D?

• Omnivore

• Herbivore

• Decomposer

• Carnivore

Lillian must separate a list of organisms into two groups. One group must contain only consumers. One group must contain only producers. Which two groups of organisms correctly separate consumers from

producers?

• consumers: fox, centipede, rat, poison ivy

  producers: rose, tadpole, maple tree, cactus

• consumers: centipede, tadpole, fox, rat

  producers: maple tree, cactus, poison ivy, rose

• consumers: centipede, fox, poison ivy, tadpole

  producers: cactus, rose, maple tree, daisy

• consumers: tadpole, centipede, fox, cougar

  producers: rat, maple tree, daisy, rose

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

A student is creating a food web to show her class. Her food web includes fish, birds, crabs, shrimp, and whales. What is missing from this food web?

• producers

• consumers

• carnivores

• predators

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Lighting strikes a tree in a forest. It starts a forest fire. Firefighters put out the fire quickly. However, half of the pecan trees are destroyed. Squirrels and chipmunks live mostly on pecans from the trees.

How will the forest fire most likely affect the forest food web?

• Fewer squirrels and chipmunks will live in the forest, causing foxes and owls to hunt other animals for food.

• Squirrels and chipmunks will begin to eat grass and insects.

• Foxes and owls will begin to eat pecans instead of squirrels and chipmunks.

• Fewer insects will live in the forest, causing birds to eat only berries.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The picture shows a food chain. Which organism is a producer in the food chain?

• algae

• fish

• dragonfly

• mosquito larvae

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Harvey plants a vegetable garden in his backyard. He plants zucchini and yellow squash. Unfortunately, slugs begin to eat the vegetables while squash bugs start to drink the sap from the squash vines. Harvey, the slugs, and the squash bugs are ___.

• plants

• consumers

• producers

• insects

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Look at the food web of a grassland ecosystem. A fire kills much of the prairie dog population. How does this affect the food web?

• there will be an decrease in the mouse population

• there will be an increase in the ferret population

• golden eagles will begin to eat ferrets

• prairie dogs will eat mice

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4