Science - Survival and Adaptations Day 4 Environmental Changes

​How do Environments Change?

​SC.5.L.15.1: Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.

​I. An environment is all of the conditions surrounding an organism

• environments change naturally as resources change

• example: a hawk preys on rabbits and lizards

​What might happen if the population of hawks in an ecosystem was to grow very large?

​What might happen if humans cleared out all of the grass in the ecosystem?

​II. Slow changes to the Environment

• sometimes environments change very slowly

• example: the climate in a place may become drier and dried over a thousand years

  • This happened to the Sahara Desert, which has had both wet and dry periods in the past

• Seasons change slowly every year in some environments

  • giving animals time to grow fur

  • giving plants time to leaves

Multiple Choice

What does fur do for animals during the winter?

• helps them migrate

• helps them blend in with their surroundings

• keeps them warm

• helps them hibernate

Multiple Choice

What happens to animals that don't have fur (such as birds) during the cold season?

• they camouflage themselves

• they migrate south

• they hibernate

• they make fur

Multiple Choice

In the fall, a ground squirrel will store the energy from food as a thick layer of fat. What is most likely the reason for this adaptation?

• It keeps the animal from being exposed to diseases in winter.

•   It keeps the animal from being eaten by predators that hunt during winter.

•   It helps the animal get exercise during winter when it is snowing.

• It helps the animal survive a cold winter when there is very little food.

Multiple Choice

Tom sketched this picture of an epiphyte from a book about tropical forests. How is this plant adapted to the ecosystem in which it lives?

•   It has a trunk tall enough to reach above nearby trees and compete for sunlight.

•   It has long roots that reach deep enough into the dry soil to reach underground water.

• It has roots that attach to trees so that it can reach sunlight that is scarce on the forest floor.

• It has leaves that capture and digest insects, which it needs for nutrients missing from soil.

​III. Fast changes to the Environment

• sometimes environments change very quickly

  • Natural Disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, lightning strikes, wildfires, etc. can change an environment very quickly!

​IV. Changes to the environment caused by organisms

• organisms may change their environment as they feed, grow, and build their homes

• Example: Locusts are insects that travel in large groups called swarms.

  • These swarms can quickly eat all of the plants in large fields

​V. Humans cause changes to an environment

• one of the most important causes of environmental change

• Humans change the land by:

  • planting crops

  • building homes

  • clearing land for other construction

​VI. Adapting to Change

• changes that are harmful to some organisms can be beneficial to others

• Example: Forest Fires

  • (Harmful) destroys trees, adds carbon dioxide into the air

  • (Helpful) clears out dead and dying material allowing new plants to grow

Multiple Choice

Why do some organisms hibernate?

• To get some rest

• To escape harsh winters and maintain homeostasis

• To be the bearer of bad news

• To strive for greatness with rest

Multiple Choice

What adaptation makes the most sense for living in a cold snowy area?

• gills

• colorful wings

• white fur

• striped skin

Multiple Choice

A species could go extinct if...

• the environment changes and the species cannot adapt

• food becomes more plentiful

Multiple Choice

An area near a river used to be almost constantly flooded. A dam was built upstream, and the land is now mainly dry. If it remains dry for several years, which change is most likely to happen?

• The types of plants will change to those plants better suited to drier conditions

• The same plants will grow in the area, but they will grow faster

• The plants will remain the same as when the land was flooded

Multiple Choice

A farmer plants corn every year. One year, the farm experiences a drought and receives less rainfall than is normal during the growing season. Which of the following is the most likely result?

• The corn plants will grow the same as they usually do

• The corn plants will be shorter than they usually are

• The corn plants will be taller than they usually are

Multiple Choice

After large numbers of people moved to an area, several species of animals and plants became extinct. Which event most likely led to the extinction of so many species in a short amount of time?

• the change in climate

• changes in the species

• habitat destruction

Multiple Select

Rock wears away, temperature change, invasive species, and resource removal are examples of _________environmental changes.

• engineer

• fast

• slow

Multiple Select

A forest fire, flood, volcanic eruption, and landslides are examples of _________ environmental changes.

• slow

• engineer

• fast

Multiple Choice

True or False?

Before engineers build a dam, they should research how that dam will affect the river environment.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What happened to this forest environment?

• flood

• landslide

• forest fire

• volcanic eruption

Multiple Choice

Carefully look at this environment’s before and after pictures. What caused the change to this environment.

• forest fire

• flood

• dam

• construction

Multiple Choice

Carefully look this environment’s before and after pictures. What caused the change to the correct environment.

• forest fire

• construction

• dam

• flood

Multiple Choice

Carefully look at this environment’s before and after pictures. What caused of the change to the correct environment.

• dam

• forest fire

• flood

• construction

Multiple Choice

Carefully look at each environment’s before and after pictures. What caused the change to the correct environment.

• dam

• forest fire

• flood

• construction