Living Environment Regents January 2020

There are over 2000 kinds of edible insects in the world, and they are becoming an increasingly popular source of protein. One cup of cricket flour contains over 28 grams of protein. The building blocks of the protein in cricket flour are

• water

• amino acids

• carbohydrates

• simple sugars

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Which list contains only abiotic conditions that might be found in a pond ecosystem?

• temperature of the water, green plant populations, dissolved minerals in the water

• dissolved oxygen in the water, fish populations, insect populations

• bacteria, dissolved minerals in the water, temperature of the water

• temperature of the water, dissolved oxygen in the water, dissolved minerals in the water

Answer explanation

Abiotic = non living

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Protein synthesis is accomplished primarily by the interaction of which two cell structures?

• nuclei and ribosomes

• nuclei and mitochondria

• vacuoles and mitochondria

• ribosomes and vacuoles

Answer explanation

Nuclei contain the DNA needed to perform protein synthesis. Protein synthesis takes place in the ribosomes.

Identical twins were separated at birth and raised by two different families. Years later, one twin was a physically fit member of the cross-country team, and the other twin was overweight with slightly higher-than-normal blood pressure. The differences in these twins could be explained by the fact that

• the DNA bases in twins combine differently

• the environment can influence the expression of genes

• the genes in the two individuals are completely different

• in twins, each individual inherits genes from only one parent

Answer explanation

Environmental conditions can turn on or off certain genes even if the DNA is identical.

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The diagram best represents

• the recycling of energy in a forest community

• ecological succession after climatic changes

• the flow of materials in a forest community

• competition for limited resources in a population

Answer explanation

1 is wrong bc energy cannot be recycled only transferred.

2 is wrong bc succession is the change in ecosystems over time.

3 is wrong bc the organisms are not in competition with each other.

4 is correct because nutrients such as carbon are being recycled through the web.

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Traits are passed from parents to offspring. These traits are determined by

• genes, located on chromosomes, found in the nucleus

• chromosomes, located on genes, found in the ribosomes

• genes, located on chromosomes, found in the ribosomes

• chromosomes, located on genes, found in the nucleus

Answer explanation

genes are the smallest and they are found in chromosomes (DNA) in the nucleus

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In which cell structure is energy extracted from nutrients?

• mitochondrion

• chloroplast

• ribosome

• vacuole

Answer explanation

mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. ATP=energy

ribosome = protein synthesis

chloroplast = photosynthesis in plants

vacuoles = removal and storage

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Two carnivores in the food web are

• bass and small invertebrates

• small invertebrates and crabs

• water plants and clams

• crabs and crayfish

Answer explanation

carnivores eat meat (animal food) only

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Dodder plants consist of tangled masses of yellow, leafless vines and contain few chloroplasts. The vines twist around and grow into the stems of other plants and absorb water and nutrients from them. Which statement best describes this relationship?

• Dodder plants are parasitic, relying on host organisms for resources.

• Dodder plants are consumers, transferring energy to other plants in the ecosystem.

• Dodder plants are producers, while the other plants that they attach to are consumers.

• Dodder plants are decomposers, returning organic material back to the environment.

Answer explanation

The plant is getting nutrients from the plants that it grows on. It is using the other plant but not killing it making it a parasite = an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other's expense.

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Two kittens in a litter are genetically different from each other and from their parents. These genetic differences are most directly due to

• sexual reproduction

• asexual reproduction

• cloning

• evolution

Answer explanation

sexual reproduction = combinations of genetic material from parents, offspring will look different

cloning and asexual repro will be identical to parent

evolution happens over millions of years

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