Brown shrimp lay eggs that grow in tidal marshes on the southern Texas coast. Brown shrimp will not lay eggs in water that is less than 45 feet deep. There was a drought one year that caused the water level in many marshes to drop to 40 feet deep. What most likely happened to Texas's population of brown shrimp?

Texas's population of brown shrimp...

• remained constant

• relocated to inland lakes

• decreased

• increased

Living in a certain place, eating certain things, and being active at certain times all define an organism's ecological niche. For example, bats in central Texas are nocturnal flying insects. Having an ecological niche is critical to the survival of a species. Sudden changes in climate or major geological events can cause mass extinction of organisms in an area, which creates vacancies in ecological niches. What happens then?

• Other organisms adapt, evolve, and compete to fill them.

• The environment evolves in order to attract a variety of replacement organisms.

• With no life to fill them, the niches simply disappear.

• The niches remain empty until another geological event reverses the damage.

Finnish tawny owls are usually gray or brown in color. Gray owls typically do well in colder environments. Brown owls typically do well in warmer environments. Recently, global warming has caused Finnish tawny owls to be increasingly

____________________ in response to the environment.

The table shows the number of beetles observed in a certain forest over 60 years.

If the environmental conditions remain constant, the population of each beetle will be...

• Green Beetles=25

  Brown Beetles=75

• Green Beetles=20

  Brown Beetles=80

• Green Beetles=13

  Brown Beetles=79

• Green Beetles=80

  Brown Beetles=20

Aquatic organisms such as krill and shrimp are primary consumers. These organisms might compete with one another for...

• oxygen

• sunlight

• phytoplankton

• fish

The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska on March 24, 1989. An oil tanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company struck a reef. The ship spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude oil over the next few days. The oil covered 1,300 miles of coastline of which then affected the local environment. Which of the following would NOT be a way the oil spill affected the local community?

• Decrease in local tourism

• Increase in local temperatures

• Oil got in the feathers of birds

• Block light from getting to plant life

Many coastal areas that are dependent on fishing for their local economies have struggled recently because of overfishing. Scientists have been working with these communities to reestablish the fish populations. Which of the following would NOT be a recommendation of the scientists to help the local communities?

• Create an artificial reef so the fish will have a habitat

• Fishing limits to limit the amount of fish caught

• Introduce non-native fish to the environment

• Fisheries to release fish into the environment

Neighborhoods in coastal areas use algaecide in their ponds to control algae growth. The algaecide interferes with the algae's ability to conduct photosynthesis which kills the algae, allowing the pond to look clean. When there is a large rainstorm, the algaecide runs off into the local area streams. This water eventually runs out into the ocean. What is the likely outcome of the algaecide getting into the oceanic ecosystem?

• Increase in the size of the fish

• Increase in the number of zooplankton

• Plants will increase in size

• Plants will decrease in number

In a food web, the numbers of each organism typically exist in a relatively stable proportion. If an oil spill killed a large amount of zooplankton, what would be the next thing that would happen?

• The number of tiger sharks would decrease.

• The number of phytoplankton would increase.

• The number of clams, mackerels, and jellyfish would decrease.

• The number of herring, whelk, squids, and loggerhead turtles would increase.

This chart illustrates the type and number of items collected during a clean up of a beach. Based on the chart, what approximate percentage of the total items result from the action of people?

• 25%

• 50%

• 65%

• 75%