1/22 - Ecological Succession and Environmental Changes

A drought has hit this grassland ecosystem. How will this effect the rabbit population?

• The rabbits will increase in number.

• The rabbit population will stay the same.

• The rabbit population will decrease.

• The rabbit population will become extinct immediately.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The coyote and the rattlesnake compete for both food and water in the desert. Which situation would lead to the greatest problems in resources?

• A decrease in the rattlesnake population

• A decrease in drought conditions

• An increase in the coyote population

• An increase in the population of small prey

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Texas suffered an intense drought during the summer and fall of 2011. The drought caused water levels in natural and artificial lakes to drop. Bacteria grew in many of the oxygen-poor lakes, causing the level of oxygen in the lakes to drop further. This led to the death of many fish. This chain of events illustrates that —

• both water and oxygen are non-vital resources, and depletion of them has no impact on the survival of freshwater fish.

• water is the only non-vital resource, and depletion of it has no impact on the survival of predators of bacteria.

• both water and oxygen are vital resources, and depletion of them can impact the survival of freshwater fish.

• oxygen is the only vital resource, and depletion of it impacts the survival of predators of freshwater fish.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A new island is formed after a volcano erupts.

What is the order that things would grow?

• Tree, grass, moss

• Lichen, Grass, Shrub, Tree

• Lichen, Shrub, Moss, Tree

• Shrub, grass, moss, tree

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Primary succession occurs in an area that has:

• soil

• no soil

• some soil

• none of these

What is the main difference between primary and secondary ecological succession?

• Primary begins WITHOUT soil; Secondary begins WITH soil

• Primary is the first state and secondary is the second stage

• Primary builds plant community; secondary builds animal community

• Primary begins WITH soil; Secondary begins WITHOUT soil

Which is the correct order in primary succession?

• Rocks, Lichens & Mosses, Bushes & Shrubs, Trees
• Lichens & Mosses, Rocks, Trees, Bushes & Shrubs 
• Trees, Bushes and Shrubs, Lichens & Mosses, Lichens & Mosses
• Rocks, Grass, Trees, Bushes & Shrubs

What is the order of succession shown in this figure?

• A, B, C, D
• B, A, D, C
• C, D, A, B
• D, A, B, C

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

After a forest fire, an ecosystem would start regrowth through -

• primary succession
• secondary succession
• climax community
• limiting factors

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

On the Edwards Plateau in Texas, shrubs grow in arid areas with relatively thin limestone soils. Although these shrub lands may transform into forests, the transformation is very slow and never occurs in some places. The image shows an arid area with shrubs and some trees growing. Which factor MOST LIKELY slows or prevents the ecosystem's progression from shrub lands into forests?

• Limestone soils stimulate plant growth

• Moving water dissolves limestone rocks

• Shrubby plants dominate the area

• The ecosystem has low rainfall and periodic fires

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4