Biodiversity, Watersheds, and Ecological Succession

Landfills are a way to manage trash by burying the trash underground. Modern landfills have a bottom layer thick clay covered with a plastic liner. On top of the plastic liner, the landfill has pipes with holes that flow to collection tanks.

If a landfill lacked the clay, plastic, and pipes, how would the environment most likely be affected?

• Rainwater would not absorb into the ground below the landfill

• Animals would be more attracted to the landfill due to the odor.

• Groundwater near the landfill would be polluted.

• Garbage in the landfill would not be compacted.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A student sets up the investigation shown in the image.

What does the movement of colored water across the sand into the water mest model?

• Evaporation of surface water

• Infiltration of groundwater

• Condensation of water vapor

• Pollution of surface water

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Students designed an experiment to study where water drains after the sprinkler system is used to maintain the football field. They attached a container that added red dye to the water before it sprayed onto the field. Students placed water collection container to determine the effect of runoff from the football field.

Which location could the students place a water collection container to determine the effect of runoff from the football field?

• In the ground near the sprinkler

• In a gutter that flows to a nearby pond

• Directly under the sprinkler

• Suspended directly above the sprinkler

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Refer to the food webs in the image. If the grasses in each ecosystem are attacked or killed by a disease, which ecosystem will most likely survive?

• The prairie ecosystem, because fewer organisms eat grass

• The tundra ecosystem, because there is a variety of producers

• The prairie ecosystem, because there are fewer top predators

• The tundra ecosystem, because it has more herbivores

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which statement below best describes how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

• A variety of plant and animal species allows for more survivors of a natural disaster.

• Having more species in an ecosystem allows the human population to increase in size.

• Low biodiversity reduces the competition for resources, which helps native species survive.

• Fewer species in the ecosystem reduces the likelihood that disease spreads through the ecosystem.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

The food webs in the picture model relationships among organisms in two ecosystems.

Students were asked to make a claim supported with evidence to answer the question, "Which ecosystem would be most sustainable if all the grasses died from severe drought? What claim is valid and supported by the evidence?"

• The forest ecosystem is most sustainable because there are more top predators

• The grassland is most sustainable because most of the animals can eat other organisms

• The forest ecosystem is most sustainable because most of the animals can eat other organisms

• The grassland ecosystem is most sustainable because there is less competition for food.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Why is biodiveristy important in an ecosystem?

• The number of offspring for a species increases

• It creates more competition for resources among species

• The number of organisms in the food pyramid will increase at each trophic level

• It leads to sustainability, which enables it to withstand a disturbance

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

The role of the pioneer species in primary succession is to change a bare habitat into one that is suitable for other organisms. A species that is responsible for primary succession in an ecosystem is most likely able to -

• survive any predator

• migrate during the winter

• live at high altitudes

• carry out photosynthesis

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A hurricane hits a coastal prairie and destroys the habitat. Years later there is an appearance of small plants with rapidly spreading roots.

This vegetation describes-

• a microhabitat

• primary succession

• secondary succession

• biodiversity

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which event would most likely cause an ecosystem to have the lowest biodiversity and population sizes 3 years later?

• Clearing land for a highway

• A river floods a cornfield

• A forest fire destroys the plant growth

• A lava flow creates a new section of land

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4