Science STAAR Category 4

Which statement provides the best explanation for the difference in biomass of organisms found at each trophic level?

• Organisms at higher trophic levels have less energy available to them than organisms at lower trophic levels.

• Organisms at higher trophic levels require smaller habitats than organisms at lower trophic levels.

• Organisms at lower trophic levels provide less energy than organisms at higher trophic levels.

• Organisms at lower trophic levels outcompete organisms at higher trophic levels.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

In the energy pyramid here, which organisms have the most energy available?

• Producers

• Carnivores

• Herbivores

• Top Predator

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which biome has the most biodiversity?

• Temperate Forest

• Rainforest

• Tundra

• Grasslands

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NGSS.MS-LS2-5

A company has purchased 15,000 acres of forest. The loggers harvest mature trees in order to supply lumber for new homes. According to the graph, the Spotted Owl and the Hawk populations are the most negatively affected organisms. What would be the most likely explanation of why this has occurred?

• The Owl and Hawk numbers have dropped because the logging has depleted their food source.

• The owl and hawk populations have dropped because of the pollution from the logging equipment.

• The owl and hawk populations have dropped because the logging has removed the places they used for their nests.

• The owl and hawk populations have dropped because they have been scared away by the presence of humans.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In this food chain, what will happen if the frogs become extinct?

• The snakes will increase.

• The grasshoppers will decrease.

• The eagles will remain the same.

• The grasshoppers will increase.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

How would a reduction in the snail population effect this ecosystem?

• It would cause decreased competition between spiders and owls.

• It would cause decreased competition between spiders and wood mice.

• It would cause increased competition between grasshoppers and beetles.

• It would cause increased competition between wood mice and shrews.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In a food chain, which type of organism receives energy directly from the sun?

• Carnivores

• Herbivores

• Producers

• Decomposers

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NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Which of the following best describes the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• They produce their own food through photosynthesis.

• They consume living plants and animals.

• They break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients back into the soil.

• They are the primary consumers of producers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

In terms of energy flow in an ecosystem, what is typically true about energy as it moves up the food chain?

• It increases at each trophic level.

• It remains constant throughout the food chain.

• It decreases at each trophic level.

• It is recycled back to the producers at each trophic level.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What role do plants play in the water cycle within an ecosystem?

• They store water in their roots, preventing it from entering the water cycle.

• They release water vapor into the atmosphere through transpiration.

• They absorb water vapor directly from the atmosphere, bypassing the soil.

• They have no significant role in the water cycle.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4