Communities and Ecosystem Dynamics

In the woods, there are hawks and robins. They both try to occupy the same niche by competing for worms as the only source of food in that same area at that same time. The hawks outcompete the robins, and the robins are forced to leave that area. This is an example of:

• Mutualism

• The competitive exclusion principle

• Commensalism

• Neutralism

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Barnacles are animals that cannot move. In order to get food, they attach to whales and catch any floating plankton in the water. The whale is neither helped nor harmed in the interaction. What type of symbiosis is this?

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Amensalism

In the sea, little fish called pilot fish swim closely to sharks. The pilot fish clean the sharks, and the sharks provide protection for the pilot fish. What type of symbiosis is this?

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Amensalism

In an ecosystem, there are populations of deer, rabbits, grass, and pine trees. Suddenly, a fire blazes through the area, which kills all of the populations. As the months go on, new species of grass begin to take root. This attracts animals, and eventually the ecosystem is restored.

What type of ecological succession happened?

• Primary succession because it started with rocks.

• Primary succession because there was soil to begin with, and plants existed before the disaster.

• Secondary succession because it started with rocks.

• Secondary succession because there was soil to begin with, and plants existed before the disaster.

In Hawaii, there are volcanoes. Before anything was there, the volcanoes erupted which produced volcanic rock. Lichens were the first species to arrive, and they broke down the rock into soil. Eventually, plants began to grow. Now, the islands are functioning at their climax community.

Is this an example of primary or secondary succession?

• Primary succession

• Secondary succession

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

In Hawaii, there are volcanoes. Before anything was there, the volcanoes erupted which produced volcanic rock. Lichens were the first species to arrive, and they broke down the rock into soil. Eventually, plants began to grow. Now, the islands are functioning at their climax community.

What is the pioneer species in this example?

• Shrubs

• Lichens

• Trees

• Rock

What is this picture describing?

• It is describing direct competition between flamingos and ducks.

• It is describing natural selection as it follows the disruptive selection pattern.

• It is describing the niche of each bird within the tree.

• It is describing abiotic factors of the tundra.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

What term describes the range of conditions that an organism can endure and survive in?

• Habitat

• Niche

• Microclimate

• Tolerance

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

In this photo, two lions are fighting for a resource. What type of competition is this?

• Interspecific competition

• Intraspecific competition

• Machismo

• Competitive exclusion principle

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

What is this picture describing?

• It is describing how two organisms cannot occupy the same niche in the same place at the same time through the competitive exclusion principle.

• It is illustrating the intercompetitive inclusion principle.

• It is describing the amount of time it takes for bacteria to reach exponential growth.

• It is illustrating the mutualistic relationship between two organisms when they live in the same niche.