6th Grade Science MS-LS 2-4

1. What would happen if there was a drought and most of the plant life in a habitat died? How would this change affect the ecosystem?

• Herbivores would begin eating meat
• Herbivores might die or leave the habitat
• More carnivores would move into the habitat
• A drought would not affect an ecosystem

2. A forest fire left the hills bare of vegetation and was followed by a mudslide after heavy rain. What was affected by the forest fire in this example?

• Abiotic factors
• Biotic factors
• Weather
• Animals in the ecosystem

3. In a wetland area in Utah, somebody has released fish from their fish tank. What are the possible results of this change to the wetlands?

• The fish are eaten by another animal
• The water is not the right temperature for this species of fish and the fish die
• The fish are an invasive species, and they compete with other fish for food and space
• All of the above

4. In the foothills of Utah’s mountains, many new houses are being built. How does this affect the organisms who were already living there? Choose the answer that is most likely.

• It would have no effect on organisms already living there
• There are no organisms living there
• The organisms living there would lose some of their space and habitat
• The organisms would find a way to adapt and live in the same habitat that the houses are now sitting on

5. A change to the water level in a lake might affect which?

• Population numbers of birds that visit the lake for nesting in the spring
• The amount of sediment at the bottom of the lake
• The type of weather around the lake
• It would have no effect on organisms already living there

In this habitat an invasive species of bird has moved into the area. The invasive species is eating the same plant food source that another native bird eats. The invasive species is somewhat aggressive.

A balanced forest ecosystem is thriving with deer, ferns, grass, trees, a stream, squirrels, fox, an eagle, and mountain lion. What might happen if the apex predator, the mountain lion, were completely removed?

Predict what would happen to an ecosystem if the climate were to change from a dry, hot desert to a wet and cold climate?