Ecological Succession Review

Which event would most likely cause an ecosystem to have the lowest biodiversity and population sizes 3 years later?

• A river floods a cornfield

• A forest fire destroys the plant growth

• Clearing land for a highway

• A lava flow creates a new section of land

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The role of a pioneer species in primary succession is to change a bare habitat into one that is suitable for other organisms. A species that is responsible for primary succession in an ecosystem is most likely able to —

• survive any predator

• migrate during the winter

• live at high altitudes

• carry out photosynthesis

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NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Which of the following sequences most likely represents ecological succession on a recently abandoned wheat field?

• Grasses → flowering plants → shrubs → native trees

• Native trees → shrubs → flowering plants → grasses

• Shrubs → grasses → native trees → flowering plants

• Flowering plants → native trees → shrubs → grasses

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What is the relationship between ecological succession and equilibrium in an ecosystem?

• Ecological succession leads to equilibrium in an ecosystem.

• Ecological succession prevents ecosystems from ever reaching equilibrium.

• There is no relationship between ecological succession and equilibrium.

• Ecological succession and equilibrium are the same thing.

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NGSS.HS-LS2-6

A hurricane hits a coastal prairie and destroys the habitat. Years later, there is an appearance of small plants with rapidly spreading roots. This vegetation describes —

• a microhabitat

• primary succession

• secondary succession

• biodiversity

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

When forest fires destroyed many of the pine trees in Bastrop State Park, the burned areas began secondary succession. What is the role of succession in this example?

• Creating new soil by chemical and physical weathering of rocks

• Restoring the ecosystem through grass, shrub, and tree stages

• Changing the landscape to be more fire resistant in the future

• Opening the land for new uses like farming and raising livestock

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A flower bed is created at a school so flowers can be planted in autumn.

Over the summer, the flower bed is ignored. Which of the following should the students expect to find when they come back to school?

• 
• 
• 
• 

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

In 2011, fires in Bastrop County, Texas were the most damaging wildfires in Texas history.

The fire spread through the pine trees and scorched nearly 5,700 acres of Bastrop State Park. The majority of the Houston toad’s habitat was lost, and the Lost Pines Forest was greatly affected.

As ecological succession began, which of these most likely appeared in the Bastrop forest area first?

• Shrubs and trees

• Newly developed topsoil

• Weeds and grasses

• Lichens on fallen trees

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Students observe ecological succession of a field that has been left bare. Which of the following are the students likely to observe first?

• Growth of shrubs and trees

• Formation of topsoil

• A mature grassland community

• Growth of grasses and weeds

Which is NOT an example of primary succession?

• Decomposing organic matter forms soil

• Presence of existing fertile soil

• Long-term occurrence over extended time

• Barren land once covered by a glacier