Succession

Some students plant a vegetable garden and leave part of the garden empty in order to observe ecological succession. Which of these would most likely occur FIRST?

• growth of weeds an grasses

• development of topsoil

• growth of trees and shrubs

• development of a stream

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To preserve wildlife on his farm, a farmer decides to stop using a 10-acre field. He fences the area off, stops cutting the grass, and stops allowing livestock to graze on it. After 20 years, the area would most likely

• Be grown over with shrubs and trees

• Be covered with moss and rocks

• Be a mature hardwood forest

• Be barren due to lack of maintenance

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After a volcanic eruption has covered an area with lava, which of the following is most likely order of succession in the repopulation of the area?

• lichens -> grasses -> shrubs -> trees

• mosses -> grasses -> lichens -> trees

• Grasses -> trees -> mosses -> lichens

• shrubs -> grasses -> trees -> lichens

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

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Which ecosystem would be more likely to survive if a disease killed the grasses?

• The forest ecosystem, because most of the animals can eat other organisms

• The grassland ecosystem, because several predators compete for food

• The forest ecosystem, because it has three top predators

• The grassland ecosystem, because it has many herbivores

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A farmer abandoned his farm and moved away. Which of the following is the likely order of succession?

• mosses -> grasses -> shrubs -> trees

• lichens -> grasses -> shrubs -> trees

• weeds -> grasses -> shrubs -> bushes

• shrubs -> grasses -> weeds -> trees

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

A paleontologist finds fossils of many different species existing in the same area at approximately the same time. The paleontologist can conclude-

• the area had a high degree of biodiversity

• the area had a low degree of biodiversity

• species in the area become extinct because it wasn't biodiverse enough

• species in the area were mostly carnivores

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

An ecosystem that is not sustainable can break down when a natural disaster occurs. Increased biodiversity results in a more sustainable ecosystem because...

• the greater the variety of species present allows more organisms to adapt after changes occur

• a greater number of plant species means that there is less barren land

• the transition area between two ecosystems are narrower

• there are fewer species to be affected by environmental stresses

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Tropical rain forests have the greatest biodiversity out of all of the land ecosystems.

• All of these answers are correct.

• The presence of more species with different adaptations makes it more likely organisms will survive natural disasters.

• Greater genetic variation within species makes it likely that some individuals will survive a disease outbreak.

• The presence of a variety of herbivore species that can feed on a large number of different producers species helps ensure abundant prey for predators.

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Both primary and secondary succession begin with pioneer species that-

• modify the area and allow larger and more complex organisms to appear

• change the area and make it safer from predatory organisms

• invade the area so that new organisms cannot be established

• use up all the existing resources and prevent establishment of non-native organisms

Primary succession occurs when pioneer species move into an area that has no plants. Which organisms are common pioneer species?

• Mosses and lichens that can grow on rocky surfaces

• Conifer trees and tall grasses with roots that loosen the soil

• Grasses and weeds that arrive as seeds carried by the wind and then germinate in rich soil

• Vines and shrubs that help prevent the erosion of shallow soil

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3