Exploring Ecosystems and Interactions

Which of the following is a function of the hydrosphere?

• Contains all the water on Earth.

• Forms Earth's crust.

If two species have a symbiotic relationship in which one benefits and the other is harmed, what type of symbiosis is this?

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

A certain plant species relies on a specific insect for pollination. If the insect population declines, what will happen to the plant population?

• The plant population will increase.

• The plant population will decrease.

If the hydrosphere were significantly reduced, which of the following would most likely occur?

• Decrease in aquatic life.

• More oxygen in the atmosphere.

A farmer notices that after removing a certain type of beetle from his field, the number of other insect species also decreases. What does this suggest about the beetle?

• It was a keystone species.

• It was a parasite.

Which of the following best describes a biodiversity hotspot?

• An area with a high number of endemic species and is under threat.

• An area where only one species lives.

Given a scenario where a keystone species is removed from an ecosystem, predict what might happen to the biodiversity of that ecosystem.

• Biodiversity will likely decrease.

• There will be no change in biodiversity.

Which of the following is NOT a sphere of the Earth?

• Atmosphere

• Asthenosphere

Which of the following is an example of population dynamics?

• The number of wolves in a forest increasing over time.

• The color of leaves in autumn.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between a biome and an ecosystem?

• An ecosystem is a community of living and nonliving things within a biome.

• An ecosystem and a biome are exactly the same.