Populations and Resources Unit Test

Scientists have been studying the size of three populations in a region. In this ecosystem, lions eat wild pigs, and wild pigs eat frogs. The data showed that all three populations were stable. Then the frog population decreased suddenly. What will likely happen to the size of the wild pig population as a result? The size of the wild pig population will . . .

• increase. The smaller frog population will need fewer energy storage molecules so there will be more energy storage molecules available to the wild pig population. This will lead to more births in the wild pig population.

• decrease. The smaller frog population will provide fewer energy storage molecules for the wild pig population, so the wild pig population will reproduce less. This will lead to fewer births than deaths in the wild pig population.

• decrease. A decrease in any population causes a decrease in the sizes of all other populations in an ecosystem.

• stay the same. The size of their consumer population did not change, so the number of deaths in the wild pig population did not change. There will be the same number of births and deaths in the wild pig population.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In the Arctic Ocean, sharks eat whales, and whales eat crabs. In the last 10 years, the sizes of the populations have been stable, but recently the size of the crab population increased. What will likely happen to the shark population? The size of the shark population will . . .

• decrease. The larger crab population will leave fewer energy storage molecules available in the ecosystem for the shark population, so there would be fewer births in the shark population.

• increase. An increase in the size of any population leads to an increase in the sizes of all other populations in an ecosystem.

• increase. More energy storage molecules will be available to the shark population from the larger whale population, so the shark population will reproduce more. This will lead to more births than deaths in the shark population.

• stay the same. Sharks do not eat crabs, so the number of births and deaths in the shark population will stay the same.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A large population of ducks lives in an area with a lake. In the last 40 years, the size of the duck population has stayed the same. What must be true about the duck population during the last 40 years?

• The number of ducks that were born was the same as the number of ducks that died.

• No ducks were born and no ducks died.

• Humans started protecting the duck population so they stopped dying.

• The ducks did not have any baby ducks during these years.

Scientists have been studying the size of three populations in a swampland. In this ecosystem, herons (a type of bird) eat frogs, and frogs eat dragonflies. The data showed that all three populations were stable. Then the dragonfly population increased suddenly. What will likely happen to the frog population as a result? The size of the frog population will . . .

• increase. An increase in any population within an ecosystem causes an increase in the sizes of all other populations in an ecosystem.

• increase. The larger dragonfly population will provide more energy storage molecules for the frog population, so they will reproduce more. This will lead to more births than deaths in the frog population.

• stay the same. The size of its consumer population did not change, so the number of deaths in the frog population did not change. There will be the same number of births and deaths in the frog population.

• decrease. The larger dragonfly population will take more energy storage molecules from the ecosystem, leaving fewer available for the frog population. This will lead to fewer births in the frog population.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In North America, both bears and eagles eat trout. The sizes of the populations have been stable for the last 9 years, but recently the size of the eagle population decreased. What will likely happen to the bear population? The size of the bear population will . .

• stay the same. Eagles and bears do not eat each other, so the number of births and deaths in the bear population will stay the same.

• increase. The smaller eagle population will leave more energy storage molecules for all other populations in the ecosystem, so all populations will reproduce more. This will lead to more births in the bear population.

• increase. More energy storage molecules will be available to the bear population from the larger trout population, so the bear population will reproduce more. This will lead to more births than deaths in the bear population.

• decrease. A decrease in the size of one population leads to a decrease in the sizes of all other populations in an ecosystem.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A population of mice lives in the northeastern United States. Over the last 50 years, the size of the mouse population decreased. What best explains the decrease in the size of the mouse population?

• Fewer mice were born than died.

• A lot of mice died and no new mice were born.

• More mice were born than died.

• The mouse population is always decreasing because mice are always being eaten.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists have been studying four populations in one area of the Atlantic Ocean. In this area, both tuna and dolphins eat squid, and squid eat herring (a type of fish). The data shows that recently the tuna population increased. How will the increase in the tuna population affect the other populations?

• Increase Herring

• Decreased Herring

• Same Amount of Herring

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists have been studying four populations in a swamp area. In this area, alligators eat gar (a type of large fish), and both gar and diving ducks eat crabs. The data showed that recently the alligator population has decreased. How could the decrease in the alligator population affect the other populations? The data showed that recently the alligator population has decreased. How could the decrease in the alligator population affect the other populations?

• More Gar

• Fewer Gar

• Gar stay the same

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists have been studying four populations in a swamp area. In this area, alligators eat gar (a type of large fish), and both gar and diving ducks eat crabs. The data showed that recently the alligator population has decreased. How could the decrease in the alligator population affect the other populations? The data showed that recently the alligator population has decreased. How could the decrease in the alligator population affect the other populations?

• More Crabs

• Fewer Crabs

• Same Amount of Crabs

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists have been studying four populations in one area of the Atlantic Ocean. In this area, both tuna and dolphins eat squid, and squid eat herring (a type of fish). The data shows that recently the tuna population increased. How will the increase in the tuna population affect the other populations?

• Increase Squid

• Decrease Squid

• Same Amount of Squid

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4