Ecosystems Review

A coastal area that once supported a thriving fishing industry is overfished. The number of species found living in the marine ecosystem decreases. Which of these activities is most likely to increase the natural biodiversity in the area?

• Introducing non-native species to fill unoccupied habitats and banning fishing

• Eliminating non-native species and encouraging fishing for large predatory fish

• Building artificial reefs and increasing fishing activity

• Building artificial reefs and limiting fishing activity

The strangler fig is a vine that starts out as a seed in the tree canopy of the rain forest. It drops its roots down from the canopy to the forest floor. By sprouting in the rain-forest canopy, the strangler fig seedling is exposed to more ⒸiStockphoto.com/Melvyn Birch

• absorb large amounts of water

• store excess gases

• filter excess salt

• produce large amounts of food

Before the Industrial Revolution in England, the peppered moth was comm mmonly found on tree trunks that had light-colored lichen on the bark. Most of the peppered moths were a light gray-brown color similar to that of the lichen. A few of the moths had a mutation that made them a dark gray-brown color During the Industrial Revolution, coal-burning factories produced black soot that covered the trees 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 dark moths preyed on the light moths.

• The soot-covered trees camouflaged the dark moths.

• Bird populations increased in the areas near the factories.

• The dark moths laid fewer eggs than the light moths.

The Prairies Region and the Cross Timbers are located in north-central Texas. The graph below shows information about eating habits of white-tailed deer in these regions. A Cross Timbers rancher is concerned about competition between the ranch animals and the deer. Based on the graph, which ranch animals compete for the most food with white-tailed deer?

• Turkeys that eat seeds and fruit

• Hogs that eat fruit, seeds, and feed

• Goats that eat weeds and shrubs

• Cattle that eat grass and feed

Galveston Bay, an estuary in Southeast Texas, is shown below. The amount of salt in the water changes with the tides. Sometimes the water is mostly freshwater, and sometimes it is mixed with saltwater. Various plant species live in this environment and provide a habitat for other organisms. To successfully live in an estuary, a plant species must have an adaptation that allows it to

• absorb large amounts of water

• store excess gases

• filter excess salt

• produce large amounts of food

A scientist named Joseph Connell studied two species of barnacles on the shore of a Scottish island. In the area between the average tide and the neap high tide, he found that the population of Species A was smaller than that of Species B. He removed Species B from one area but left both Species A and B in a similar area. The graph below shows the results of this study Based on these data, which hypothesis was Connell most likely testing?

• The two species of barnacles are closely related to each other

• Barnacles grow larger when they are isolated from other species.

• The populations of both species of barnacles increase more in warm water than in cool water.

• The two species of barnacles compete with each other for resources.

Fish in a lake have to compete for space. Different fish have different optimal temperature ranges. The graph below shows the temperature ranges of four fish species. At which temperature range will there be the most competition for space among these fish species?

• 10°C to 15°C

• 15°C to 20°C

• 25°C to 30°C

• 5°C to 10°C

The types of small organisms that live on the bottom of streams can be good indicators of water pollution. The table below groups some organisms by their tolerance of pollution. A certain stream that was historically clear and clean has become increasingly polluted with fertilizer waste over the years. Which of these describes a likely result of this pollution?

• Riffle beetles have become more abundant in the stream.

• Mayflies that were previously abundant are no longer present in the stream.

• Stone flies and midges thrive and compete for the same food source.

• Large numbers of crayfish have suddenly died.

The white-tailed ptarmigan lives at high elevations on mountains that receive a lot of snow in the winter. During the summer, the ptarmigans' feathers are mottled brown. The birds lose the brown feathers and grow a new set of white feathers during the winter. Scientists are concerned that rising global temperatures will affect the white-tailed ptarmigan. If global climate change leads to the elimination of snow in the habitat of white-tailed ptarmigans, which adaptation is most likely to occur over many generations?

• Birds with brown feathers will be easier to see on the ground in the winter. Over time this could lead to white-tailed ptarmigans that have brown feathers throughout the year.

• Birds with white feathers in areas without winter snow will be easier for predators to find. Over time this could lead to white-tailed ptarmigans that have brown feathers throughout the year.

• Birds with white feathers will be easier to see on the ground in the summer. Over time this could lead to white-tailed ptarmigans that have white feathers throughout the year.

• Birds with brown feathers in areas without winter snow will be easier for predators to find. Over time this could lead to white-tailed ptarmigans that have white feathers throughout the year.

Four students were asked to create a graph representing a typical predator-prey relationship. Which graph shows a situation in which the number of predators in a population depends on the number of prey?

• A

• B

• C

• D