Ecosystems and Animal Adaptations

Some large animals hibernate in the winter when it is cold and there is a lot of snow. Why do some animals hibernate?

• because they become sleepy and want to rest

• because food becomes scarce and they must save energy

• because they do no like to get their paws wet and want to keep them dry

• because their habitat is normally warm and the cold bothers them

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Which behavior is least likely to help an animal survive in the winter months?

• a beaver builds a lodge and stays inside more during the coldest part of the winter

• a penguin stands very close to other penguins during the coldest part of the winter

• a mouse gathers and stores extra seeds when the weather starts to get cold

• a squirrel produces a litter of eight baby squirrels when the weather starts to get cold

A deer is born as an albino, which is white in color. Why is this a disadvantage to its survival?

• because it requires the deer to consume more food

• because it requires the deer to consume more water

• because it makes it harder for the deer to reproduce

• because it make it harder for the deer to hide from predators

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Which is a reason some animals within a population have bright colors?

• animals with bright colors are better able to hide from their mates and predators

• animals with bright colors are better able to scare other animals away

• animals with bright colors are the weak animals in the population

• animals with bright colors are the adult animals in the population

Not all hawks in the same population are born with talons (claws) of the same length. How could having longer talons be an advantage to a hawk?

• longer talons make it easier to catch bigger prey

• longer talons make it easier to fly to the nest

• longer talons make it easier to build a nest

• longer talons make it easier to find prey

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Which is an example of an organism benefiting from changes in the environment?

• white arctic rabbits are more visible to predators because of warmer temperatures

• an extreme cold temperature freezes the eggs of insects and decreases the population

• an increase in national park lands gives species a larger habitat

• global climate change raises ocean temperature and decreases the jellyfish population.

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Which population would most likely increase if the number of mice decreases?

• hawk

• snake

• cricket

• grasses

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Which explains why some whales migrate?

• to avoid predators

• to locate food and to mate

• to gain and protect a territory

• to communicate with one another

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Which of the following is an example of an animal adaptation to a desert ecosystem?

• A camel storing fat in its hump

• A polar bear having thick fur

• A fish having gills

• A bird migrating south for the winter

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What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• To produce energy through photosynthesis

• To break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients

• To compete with herbivores for food

• To provide shelter for small animals

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