Short Term and Long Term Environmental Changes

Which of the following is the best definition for Long-term environmental changes?

• Long-term environmental changes tend to not affect the environment and the organisms living in it since it happens rather quickly.

• Long-term environmental changes do not have a significant effect on the environment.

• Long-term environmental changes, like pollution and deforestation are more gradual and allow populations to adapt. Overtime, organisms that are affected by these changes have a chance to survive as they can develop adaptations that will help them cope with the change.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

An illustration of a water lily is provided. If annual rainfall increased and caused ponds in this habitat to become deeper, how, after many generations, might the traits of these water lilies change?

• Brighter flowers

• Wider leaves

• Thicker roots

• Longer stems

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Overflow during a heavy rainstorm from a wastewater treatment plant would result in...

• weakened housing foundations

• polluted runoff into nearby ponds

• flooding in the local aquifer

• over-treated drinking water

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists are concerned about overfishing of shark populations. Sharks feed on rays and rays feed on scallops. Without sharks, rays consume all the scallop beds. This situation demonstrates that: 

• humans can improve an ecosystem by removing predators.

• humans can upset an ecosystem by removing species.

• reducing the shark population increases the quantity of scallops that can be taken.

• sharks are not important for the stability of the ecosystem.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A glacier in Alaska sweeps through leaving bare rock in its path. Which of the following will most likely be the pioneer species?

• grass

• lichen

• insects

• birds

How do humans impact the environment? Select all that apply.

• By changing the way a animal looks by altering the what food the animal eats.

• By polluting the ocean water and the earth's atmosphere through urbanization.

• By destroying biomes in which animals live through deforestation.

• By not watering plants that causes them to go into drought and ultimately die off.

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Has an immediate impact!

• Short Term

• Long Term

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Permanent change to an ecosystem

• Short Term

• Long Term

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Can cause extinction

• Short Term

• Long Term

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which of the following is an example of a short-term environmental change?

• A) A volcanic eruption causing temporary air pollution

• B) The melting of polar ice caps due to global warming

• C) Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest

• D) The extinction of a species over centuries

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-2