Ecology & Human Impact

Which animal has modified ecosystems more than any other animal and has had the greatest negative impact on world ecosystems?

• Gypsy moth

• Zebra Mussel

• Human

• Shark

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which set of statements best illustrates a material cycle in a self-sustaining ecosystem?

• In summer, growing plants remove magnesium ions from the soil to make chlorophyll. In autumn, these plants release magnesium when they die and decompose. In spring, new plants will grow in this same area.

• Trees do not live in a desert ecosystem where there is not enough water present in the sandy soil to support their growth. Trees can live in a desert oasis.

• DDT is sprayed on a forest ecosystem to control the mosquito population. After a year, the level of DDT is found to be much higher in the tissues taken from a hawk than in the tissues taken from a mouse in this ecosystem.

• Plants trap the Sun's energy in the chemical bonds of organic molecules. This energy is then used for plant metabolic activities.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which factor is not considered by ecologists when they evaluate the impact of human activities on an ecosystem?

• Amount of energy released from the Sun

• Quality of the atmosphere

• Degree of biodiversity

• Location of power plants

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Which statement illustrates how human activities can most directly change the dynamic equilibrium of an ecosystem?

• A hurricane causes a stream to overflow its banks

• Increased wind increases water evaporation from a plant

• Water pollution causes a decrease in fish populations in a river

• The ozone shield helps prevent harmful radiation from reaching the surface of Earth

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which human activity would be least likely to disrupt the stability of an ecosystem?

• Disposing of wastes in the ocean

• Using fossil fuels

• Increasing the human population

• Recycling bottles and cans

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which situation has had the most negative effect on the ecosystems of Earth?

• Use of air pollution controls

• Use of natural predators to control insect pests

• Recycling glass, plastic, and metals

• Increasing human population

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Which factor is primarily responsible for the destruction of the greatest number of habitats?

• Human population growth

• Decreased use of renewable resources

• Spread of predatory insects

• Epidemic diseases

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

The negative effect humans have on the stability of the environment is most directly linked to an increase in

• Recycling activities by humans

• Supply of finite resources

• Predation and disease

• Human population size

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Human are responsible for some of the negative changes that occur in nature because they

• have encourage the development of wildlife refuges and parks

• have passed laws to preserve the environment

• are able to preserve scarce resources

• are able to modify habitats more than any other species

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Changes in the chemical composition of the atmosphere that may produce acid rain are most closely associated with

• Insects that excrete acids

• Runoff from acidic soils

• Industrial smoke stack emissions

• Flocks of migrating birds