The Lorax Ecology Review

What is a biotic factor in an environment?

• A biotic factor in an environment is a living organism or any living component that affects another organism or shapes the ecosystem.
• A biotic factor is a human-made structure that impacts an ecosystem
• A biotic factor is a type of weather condition in an ecosystem
• A biotic factor is a non-living component in an environment

Answer explanation

Biotic factors are living things. The prefix bio- means life. This includes the largest organisms down to the smallest organisms.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What is the definition an abiotic factor in an environment?

• Non-living components that can influence living organisms.
• Factors that only affect plants but not animals.
• Living components that can influence non-living organisms.
• Elements that are always beneficial to the environment.

Answer explanation

Since the prefix bio- means life, the a added makes the word mean the opposite. These abiotic things do not meet all 8 characteristics of life. For example, dirt is made of broken down rocks. Therefore it is not living (abiotic).

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which of the following is not a biotic factor?

• plants
• animals
• bacteria

• sunlight

Answer explanation

The sun does not meet all 8 characteristics of life, such as maintaining homeostasis. This causes it to be nonliving.

Which of the following is not an abiotic factor?

• rocks
• water
• plants
• sunlight

Answer explanation

Plants are living things. They meet all 8 characteristics of life such as using energy and growth.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

When the little boy went swimming and came out glowing, what could the humans be depositing in the water to make him glow?

• Radioactive waste
• Bioluminescent bacteria
• Phosphorescent algae
• Chemical pollutants

Answer explanation

Chemicals used by humans can have a great impact on the environment. Examples of these would be fertilizers and radioactive waste. Eutrophication is a negative side effect of this chemical use. This causes too much algae growth and harms many species that call the water their home.

What is eutrophication?

• Eutrophication leads to a decrease in algae growth and an increase in oxygen levels.
• Eutrophication is caused by a lack of nutrients in the water.
• Eutrophication is the process where a body of water becomes overly enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive algae growth and oxygen depletion.
• Eutrophication is the process of removing nutrients from a body of water.

Answer explanation

When humans use chemicals, it leeches into the environment. This causes extra nutrients to be present in bodies of water. The algae LOVE these nutrients and grow at rapid rates. This causes issues for the fish and other organisms living in the pond. They are unable to function with that much algae. (Unlike Sponge Bob and his kelp shake :)

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-3

NGSS.HS-LS2-6

Drag the type of adaptation into the correct category.

Groups:

(a) Physical

,

(b) Behavioral

,

(c) Physiological

• Camoflauge

• Hibernation

• Metabolism

• Mimicry

• Aggression

• Homeostasis

• Imprinting

Answer explanation

Physical adaptations are going to be features on the body, such as camouflage. Behavioral adaptations are changes in how the organism acts. Physiological adaptations are changes to how the body functions, such as shedding fur bases on environmental temperatures.

What did the humans take from around them that caused the environment to change so much?

• Natural resources
• Man-made resources
• Synthetic materials
• Artificial elements

Answer explanation

Anything that humans take from the environment is a natural resource. The issue begins when we take these resources faster than the environment can replace them. This causes the organisms that also rely on these resources to have complications.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

What is a solution you can think of to help the environment start to help from humans hurting it?

• increase the rate of deforestation

• increase the number of trees being planted

• decrease the number of public transportation options

• decrease the number of species that live on Earth

Answer explanation

Every answer choice will harm the environment other than planting more trees. The more trees and other plants their are in the environment, the more CO2 that is being used instead of contributing to the thickening of Earth's atmosphere.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Succession is an environments ​ (a)   after a dramatic event. Primary succession ​ ​ (b)   start with soil. Instead the ​ (c)   species (lichens) has to break the rock down over time. An example is a volcano erupting. Secondary succession ​ (d)   start with soil. An example of this would be a forest fire. The pioneer species would be ​ (e)   .

• recovery
• does not
• pioneer
• does
• grass
• invasive
• destruction
• large trees

Answer explanation

Primary succession is starting from step #1. This first step is breaking down fresh rock into soil. The lichens aid in this process by releasing an acid that breaks down the rock layer into smaller pieces. Secondary succession leaves the soil untouched, but affects everything above it. This allows for a shorter recovery time because the soil is already there. The seeds that are left behind in the soil also shorten the recovery time (succession).