Unit 12

Some beetles are decomposers that break down the remains of dead animals. Some mushrooms break down the remains of dead trees. Which of these actions are the most beneficial for plants?

• Returning nutrients to the soil

• Releasing oxygen into the air

• Making space for new animals

• Decreasing the population of herbivores

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Two box turtles live in an area in a zoo’s reptile house. Zoo visitors made a list of observations of the turtles. The list is shown

below:

1. Sliding into a small pond

2. Eating a strawberry

3. Digging a hole in the sandy soil

4. Climbing onto a flat rock

5. Holding an earthworm in its mouth

6. Walking across the area

Based on these observations, select TWO actions that best describe how box turtles interact with biotic parts of their environment.

• Observation #5

• Observation #4

• Observation #2

• Observation #3

• Observation #1

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Which activities are examples of a biotic organism interacting with an abiotic component of its ecosystem? Select TWO correct answers.

• A. Crayfish hiding under rocks

• B. Rabbit eating plants

• C. Birds using trees for their nests

• D. Crayfish using their antennae to find food and their claws to grab food

• E. Plants using the sun’s energy to produce food.

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Prairie dogs eat plants and dig underground tunnels for shelter. Prairie dog tunnels help to break up hard prairie soils, and the

animals' waste adds nutrients to the soil. In many parts of the U.S. Great Plains, people have disrupted the prairie dog’s

environment through construction of new homes and buildings.

Which of these will most likely happen if the prairie dog’s environment continues to be disrupted?

• The population of predators that eat prairie dogs will increase.

• Due to construction, the population of plants available to prairie dogs will decrease.

• The number of underground tunnels will increase.

• The nutrients in the soil will increase.

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The food web below is made up of organisms that live in a forest. Which change would most likely occur if all the producers in this ecosystem were removed?

• A. The mice would become the new producers.

• B. All the animals would either die or move away.

• C. The number of mice would increase.

• D. All the animal populations would increase.

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The picture below shows a type of plant called kudzu. Kudzu is a fast-growing Asian vine that was brought into the United

States. Kudzu adapts quickly to the surrounding environment by using the surrounding natural resources and can completely

cover the existing plants in an area.

What effect does the rapid growth of Kudzu most likely have on this ecosystem?

• The variety of plants in the ecosystem decreases.

• The water supply in the ecosystem increases.

• Weather patterns in the ecosystem change.

• The number of other plants increases.

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Analyze the food web. Which organism would be harmed the most if a landowner introduced a pesticide that killed all of the caterpillars?

• the owl

• the rabbit

• the lizard

• the snake

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If the small fish population were removed from the food chain, the immediate reaction would be-- Select TWO correct answers.

• an increase in the population of one-celled life

• a decrease in the number of tuna

• a decrease in the population of large sharks

• an increase in the number of shrimp-like creatures

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What would happen if pesticides drastically reduced the number of caterpillars in the food chain?

• A. The lizard population would adapt to eating the strangler fig.

• B. The strangler fig population would increase; the lizard population would decrease.

• C. The lizard population would remain the same; the strangler fig population would decrease.

• D. The strangler fig population would be unaffected; the lizard population would increase.

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An eight lane highway was built through an ecosystem. Which effects to the ecosystem MOST LIKELY occurred when the highway was built? Select TWO correct answers.

• A. Competition for resources would be reduced.

• B. Animal habitats would be reduced.

• C. Noise pollution would decrease.

• D. Air pollution would increase.

• E. Water pollution would decrease.

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