6.12A Biotic and Abiotic Factors and 7.12A Flow of Energy

Which statement BEST describes the flow of energy through this pyramid?

• Producers provide energy directly to the organisms in all the trophic levels above them.

• Primary consumers transfer energy to the trophic level above them and the trophic level below them.

• Secondary consumers represent the most organisms, and they have the greatest amount of energy in their trophic level.

• Tertiary consumers do not receive all the energy from the trophic level below them, because some energy is lost to the environment.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Based on the food web, which types of organisms would the grasshopper mouse most likely compete with for food sources?

• Producers and carnivores

• Producers and decomposers

• Herbivores and carnivores

• Herbivores and decomposers

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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A forest food web is shown.

Which change would most likely cause a decrease in the frog population?

• An increase in the ladybird population

• An increase in the butterfly population

• An increase in the snake population

• An increase in the number of producers.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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Two plant species that grow in the same area are shown.

Which statement best explains the difference between Plant 1 and Plant 2?

• Plant 1 obtains more water from the soil because of its root surface area and root depth.

• Plant 1 obtains more sunlight because of its root surface area and root depth.

• Plant 2 obtains more water from the soil because of its root surface area and root depth.

• Plant 2 obtains more sunlight because of its root surface area and root depth.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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A Texas Gulf Coast food web is shown.

According to this food web, which organisms would the bobcat and diamondback rattlesnake compete for if the mouse population and swamp rabbit population decreased?

• Raccoon and sparrow

• Raccoon and Eastern cottontail rabbit

• Sparrow and seeds

• Sparrow and Eastern cottontail rabbit

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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Three different species of plants that live in the desert are shown. Species Z can successfully share the same environment with the other plants shown because species Z absorbs water —

• found deep underground, and species X absorbs water near the soil surface

• found deep underground, and species X absorbs water found deep underground

• near the soil surface, and species Y absorbs water near the soil surface

• near the soil surface, and species Y absorbs water found deep underground

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Plants that live on the floors of densely populated forests must compete for sunlight.

Which type of leaves are most likely found on plants that are best suited to living on the floor of a dense forest?

• Leaves that are needle-shaped

• Leaves that are smallest

• Leaves that store the greatest amount of water

• Leaves with the greatest amount of surface area

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Wild hogs introduced to Texas from Europe became feral after the hogs escaped from the ranches where they lived. Feral hogs are omnivores that feed on native plants, crops, and small animals. Feral hogs can damage an ecosystem by rooting through the soil to look for food and trampling small plants.

Which types of native organisms do feral hogs most likely compete with for food sources?

• Carnivores and producers

• Herbivores and carnivores

• Producers and decomposers

• Decomposers and herbivores

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Giant salvinia is an aquatic plant that floats on water and reproduces rapidly. When these plants die, decomposition by bacteria affects oxygen levels in the water. As more plants die, less oxygen is available in the water. Students observe a pond covered by giant salvinia.

Which statement is the best prediction the students can make about the immediate future of the pond?

• The depth of the water in the pond will increase.

• Fish populations in the pond will begin to decrease.

• The amount of bacteria in the pond will suddenly decrease.

• The number of different types of plants around the pond will increase.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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Plants grow in many different shapes and sizes. Much of their shape depends on an internal structure that is composed of carbon-containing molecules such as cellulose and lignin. Plants that have a strong internal structure can grow larger than other plants because their structure can support their size.

Plants obtain the majority of the carbon necessary for building these structural molecules from —

• air

• microorganisms

• soil

• water

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