Unit 7 Test Review Organisms and Environment

Tropical rain forests have the greatest biodiversity of any type of land ecosystem. How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

• The presence of more species with different adaptations makes it more likely that some organisms will survive an ecological disaster.

• Greater genetic variation within species makes it more likely that some individuals will survive a disease outbreak.

• The presence of a variety of herbivore species that can feed on a large number of different producer species helps ensure abundant prey for predators in the ecosystem.

• All of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

An ecosystem that is not _______ can break down when a natural disaster occurs. This can lead to organisms in the ecosystem either leaving the area or dying off. Increased biodiversity results in a _______ ecosystem because a greater variety of species present allows more organisms to adapt after changes occur.

• sustainable,

  less sustainable

• sustainable,

  more sustainable

• being destroyed,

  less sustainable

• being destroyed,

  more sustainable

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Increased biodiversity will make an ecosystem _________________________.

• less sustainable.

• less stable.

• more sustainable.

• less complex.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Both primary and secondary succession begin with pioneer species that —

• A. change the area and make it safer from predatory organisms

• B. invade the area so that new organisms cannot be established

• C. modify the area and allow larger and more complex organisms to appear

• D. use up all the existing resources and prevent establishment of non-native organisms

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Some students take care of a vegetable garden. When it is time to plant in the spring, the students leave part of the garden empty in order to observe ecological succession. Which of these will most likely occur first?

• Development of topsoil

• Growth of weeds and grasses

• Growth of trees and shrubs

• Development of a stream

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

With many varieties of plant and animal species, the most productive biomes on Earth with the greatest biodiversity are __________.

• the grasslands.

• the aquatic biomes.

• the desert biomes.

• tropical rainforests.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Ecologists have shown that —

• higher animal to plants ratios provides the most stable environment

• having multiple keystone species is important to ecological stability

• higher biodiversity in an ecosystem provides better stability

• ocean ecosystems are far more stable than terrestrial ecosystems

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Which ecosystem would be more likely to survive if a disease killed the grasses?

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

• The grassland ecosystem, because several predators compete for food

• The forest ecosystem, because it has three top predators

• The grassland ecosystem, because it has many herbivores

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A desert environment is home to many lizards, small mammals, and cacti and other plants with short roots. This environment allows some plants and animals to live there because the soil in the desert is:

• dry and sandy, allowing small animals to burrow and hide from the Sun while allowing plants with short roots to reach and hold onto water.

• wet and hard, allowing small animals to rest and stay cool on the wet soil while allowing plants with short root systems to push through the hard soil to soak up water.

• cold and wet, allowing small animals to remain cool when it rains while allowing plants with short root systems to easily push through sandy soil to soak up water.

• dry and hard, allowing small animals to lay on the hard soil to get sunlight while allowing plants with short roots to sit on top of the soil and hold onto water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The picture shows manatees, an herbaceous aquatic mammal, traveling along the warm saltwater estuaries of Biscayne Bay, Florida. How does this saltwater estuary support populations of manatee?

• It provides shallow water for easy access to oxygen at the water's surface.

• It provides cold water to keep the manatees cool.

• It provides heavy currents for fast swimming.

• It provides several rocks for the manatees to hide from prey that they want to eat.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4