SB5e: Organisms ability to survive

A desert lake has evaporated to half its original size over the past 50 years. This caused a large increase in the lake's salt concentration. Over these 50 years, scientists have observed a decrease in the population of one fish species and an increase in the population of a shrimp species. Which hypothesis about the organisms ability to live with the salt concentration does the evidence suport

• The fish are better able to live in areas of high salt concentration
• Neither the shrimp nor the fish are able to live in areas of high salt concentration
• Both the shrimp and the fish are equally able to live in areas of high salt concentration
• The shrimp are better able to live in areas of high salt concentration

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

A park is home to a large number of robins, squirrels and rabbits. The robins and squirrels live in the park's trees. The robins feed on earthworms and insects that live on the ground. The squirrels eat the acorns produced by the park's oak trees. The rabbits hide in the bushed and feed on the grass. Which factor would directly limit the number of rabbits that could live in this park.

• Number of acorns
• Number of squirrels
• Number of bushes
• Number of robins

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Highways allow people to travel between towns and cities. These highways also divide ecosystems into smaller pieces. Animals can become separated from lakes they use for breeding. For example, tiger salamanders travel long distances to breed at lakes. How could highway systems affect animals such as tiger salamanders?

• Tiger salamanders may be cut off from important resources
• Tiger salamander could improve their ability to remember roads
• Tiger salamander's habitat within ecosystems could become larger
• Tiger salamanders habitat may be exposed to less pollution

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Aphids are a common plant-pest insect. They alternate between asexual and sexual reproduction. During the summer, aphid populations grow quickly by asexual reproduction. As winter approaches, aphids switch to sexual reproduction. What advantage does the switch to sexual reproduction give the aphids?

• Sexual reproduction maintains a constant level of variation in the population and requires less energy
• Sexual reproduction increases variation in the population and provides for adaptability in a changing environment
• Sexual reproduction decreases variation in the population and prevents the spread of harmful mutations
• Sexual reproduction produces individuals that are clones and allows rapid population growth under stable environmental conditions

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

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Guppies are small fish that live in fresh water. Most guppy species reproduce sexually, but some reproduce asexually. There are two lakes in a particular region. One lake contains  a species of guppy that reproduces asexually. The other lake contains a species of guppy that reproduces sexually. A scientist studying these lakes predicts that the sexually reproducing guppies would survive better than the asexually reproducing guppies if a fungus was introduced to both lakes. Which statement supports this hypothesis?

• The sexually reproducing guppies are carriers of harmful characteristics
• The sexually reproducing guppies require only one individual for reproduction
• The sexually reproducing guppies have a variation of inherited characteristics
• The sexually reproducing guppies are identical to one another

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

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The reproductive success of an organism depends in part on the ability of the organism to survive. How does the physical appearance of these organisms help them survive?

• Their physical appearance helps them find a habitat
• Their physical appearance helps them resist parasites.
• Their physical appearance helps them avoid predators.
• Their physical appearance helps them defend a territory.

How diversity within a species benefit that species if there is an environmental change?

• Diversity does not affect a species if there is an environmental change.
• Sexual reproduction within a species allows for diversity which benefits the species if there is an environmental change.
• Asexual reproduction within a species allows for diversity which benefits the species if there is an environmental change.
• None of the choices are correct

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Planaria are flatworms that are found in shallow streams often attached to the bottoms of rocks. A class is studying a population of planaria in a near by shallow stream. The graph above shows data collected over 11 weeks. The population started to decrease after 5 weeks. The students concluded that the stream did not have enough food to support a large population of planaria. If this trend continues, how many planaria will be living in the stream by the 12th week?

• 600
• 500
• 400
• 300

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

The difference in beak shape and size of the Galapagos Island finches was because...........

• birds immigrating from different locations
• introduction of non-native bird species to the island
• variation within the species which allowed them to adapt to different food sources
• cross-breeding of finches with other bird species

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

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What is going to happen to the population of finch that has a BB Genotype?

• Increase
• Decrease
•  Stay the same

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