Biome Characteristics

Cacti are plants that have long roots, waxy

leaves, and swollen trunks that are used to

retrieve and store water. A population of cacti

would most likely be found in a

• cold and wet environment.

• dark and humid environment.

• bright and humid environment.

• hot and dry environment.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A tropical rain forest is able to meet the needs of

many plants, animals, insects, and birds because

temperatures are

• warm all year, and there is a lot of rainfall.

• warm all year, and there is little rainfall.

• cold all year, and there is a lot of rainfall.

• cold all year, and there is little rainfall.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A desert environment, which

is home to many lizards, small mammals, cacti

and other plants with short roots allows some plants and

animals to live there because the soil in the

desert is

• dry and sandy, allowing small animals to burrow

  and hide from the Sun while allowing plants with

  short roots to reach and hold onto water.

• wet and hard, allowing small animals to rest and

  stay cool on the wet soil while allowing plants

  with short root systems to push through the hard

  soil to soak up water

• cold and wet, allowing small animals to remain

  cool when it rains while allowing plants with

  short root systems to easily push through sandy

  soil to soak up water.

• dry and hard, allowing small animals to lay on

  the hard soil to get sunlight while allowing plants

  with short roots to sit on top of the soil and hold

  onto water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The soil in a temperate forest biome is very

fertile. Which feature of this biome causes fertile

soil?

• The warm summers dry out the soil, which

  increases the concentration of nutrients

• The leaves fall off the trees each year and

  decay, which provides nutrients to the soil.

• The dry climate is ideal for weathering rocks and

  other materials, and this creates more soil.

• The animals hibernate each winter, and the soil

  can make more nutrients without animals.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

How does the aquatic sand flat provide an environment that supports the cowtail stingray in the picture above?

• It has a lot of light with which the stingray can

  make energy.

• It has sand in which the stingray can hide and

  catch prey

• It has nutrients the stingray can absorb from the

  sand.

• It has low levels of oxygen for the stingray to

  breathe.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

The picture shows a tropical rain forest with a large tree canopy that lets through very little sunlight. Which of the following is a form of life that survives well in this environment?

• fungi that enjoy the dark forest floor and help to get rid of animal and plant waste

• mammals that need the dark, moist soil of the forest floor in which to lay their eggs

• plants that use moonlight to make food and energy for growth

• insects that require no water because rainfall is blocked by the canopy

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What would you expect to happen to vegetation as latitude and/or altitude increases? 

• vegetation increases

• vegetation decreases

• no change in vegetation

• all of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Which land biome has more species than all the other biomes combined?

• tropical rainforest

• desert

• temperate forest

• savannah

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Which climatogram most likely belongs to a desert in Cairo, Egypt?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Which biome is characterized by a climate that allows for changes in the seasons and plant adaptations that allow for their leaves to fall off to conserve energy in winter months?

• tropical rainforest

• tundra

• temperate deciduous forest

• savanna/grassland