Invasive Plants and Species

Biodiversity refers to

• extinct species
• the variety of species on Earth
• nonrenewable resources
• the rate of species decline

When taken to a new habitat, non-native plants often threaten native plants of the new habitat.  Why do they do this?

• Non-native plants are able to mutate rapidly
• Non-native  plants cause native animals to relocate
• Non-native plants are able to be used for medicine
• Non-native plants compete with native plants for resources

What effect will an invasive species have on the carrying capacity of an ecosystem?

• The carrying capacity will increase
• The carrying capacity for everyone will decrease
• The carrying capacity will only decrease for those in competition for same resource
• The carrying capacity for all animals will stay the same

Kudzu has overgrown many parts of southern Missouri and native ground plants have disappeared from the area. This is an example of:

• Parasitism between kudzu and the native plants
• A predator prey relationship between ground plants and kudzu
• Competition occurring between the native and invasive species
• Commesalism occurring between the kudzo and native plants

The field mouse population in Australia has grown so fast that they eat an average of  $4 billion of wheat every year. Their fast growth is caused by:

• A. The mice like to reproduce
• B. A lack of a native species to eat the field mouse
• C. Abundant food supply
• Both B and C

How did the zebra mussels end up in the Great Lakes?

• In ballast tanks of ships
• They were intentionally released
• They have always been in the Great Lakes
• That's not a zebra mussel

These were released in Australia to eat cane beetles, but now they are an invasive species and number in the millions.

• dingo
• Kangaroo
• Cane toad
• Rabbits

1. What makes a species invasive?

• Moving to a new ecosystem and taking resources from natives 
• Not having papers
• Species that can't adapt
• Plants that take up too much space

What kind of organisms can become invasive? 

• Lions, Tigers, Bears
• Plants, Animals, or Pathogens 
• Animals
• Plants

If a blue catfish is introduced and eats the large fish who eat the smaller fish, what will happen to the population of the smaller fish?

• Increase
• Decrease
• Stay the same
• No affect on smaller fish