7th grade BENCHMARK REVIEW

If pesticides were sprayed in the ecosystem below and killed the insects, predict how the other organisms in the system would be affected.

• There would be little effect on other organisms because insects are not important in a food web.

• Spiders would probably begin eating mice and squirrels because they would need another food source.

• The populations of spiders, birds, and toads would decrease because they would lose a main food source.

• The plant population would increase greatly because there are not many organisms that feed on plants.

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The table shows where some birds in a Texas ecosystem are located within the layers of plants in their environment. These layers begin at the ground and end in the area above the treetops. Infer what would most likely occur if a wildfire destroyed all the plants in the lowest level of this ecosystem?

• Vireos would begin to nest on the ground.

• Doves would have to move to a different area to find food.

• Hawks would begin to hunt for animals in the middle level.

• Cardinals would move to above the tree level and begin competing with hawks.

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Squirrels in cold climates gather and store food for winter. The squirrels sometimes bury nuts and then do not return for them. These nuts can grow to become trees. This chain of events is an example of?

• Predation

• Seed dispersal

• Competition

• Seed Fossilization

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The petals of flowers are brightly colored. How do these petals exhibit an adaptation that benefits the plant?

• They prevent insects from taking pollen to other flowers

• They hide the plant from predators that would eat its flowers

• They protect the leaves from injury by birds and insects

• They attract insects that can carry the pollen needed for plant reproduction

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Study the Biome Fact Table below. Compare the data in the table to correctly classify the biomes that are represented. Use your comparisons to answer the question. Which of the following statements most accurately categorizes the biomes as they are displayed in the table?

• Biome A is the tropical rainforest and Biome C is the savanna.

• Biome A is the tropical rainforest and Biome E is the desert.

• Biome A is the temperate deciduous forest and Biome B is the savanna.

• Biome A is the desert and Biome C is the taiga.

The tundra is often called the "cold desert" because both the tundra and the desert are very dry. In the table, Biome D and E both receive very little precipitation in comparison to the other biomes. Which statement best describes how you could distinguish the difference in these two biomes?

• Biome D is the tundra because it has colder temperatures.

• Biome D is the desert because it has colder temperatures.

• Biome E is the tundra because it has colder temperatures.

• Biome E is the desert because it has colder temperatures.

Mountains are not represented by the Biome Fact Table shown. Which statement most likely describes why mountains are not included?

• Mountains have different climates and organisms at different points on the mountain.

• Mountains do not have a climate.

• Mountains have similar climates to Biome E.

• Mountains have similar climates to Biome A.

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Which of the following tables best categorizes freshwater and marine ecosystems?

• Table A

• Table B

• Table C

• Table D

What characteristic would lead a researcher to infer that an area is an estuary?

• Its water is locked into frozen sheets of ice.

• It consists of cold salt water under high pressure.

• It is formed by cold, rapidly moving water.

• It contains a mixture of salt water and fresh water.

In the picture below, what process is occurring?

• primary succession

• biotic environment

• secondary succession

• abiotic environment

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