Ecosystems and Environments

Some students take care of a vegetable garden. When it is time to plant in the spring, the students leave part of the garden empty in order to observe ecological succession. Which of these will most likely occur first?

• development of topsoil
• growth of weeds and grasses
• growth of trees and shrubs
• development of a stream

The greater a habitat’s biodiversity, the greater will be that habitat’s -

• sustainability over time with varying conditions.
• consumption of energy in the form of sunlight.
• temperature ranges across the seasons
• distance to the nearest water source.

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Over time, a shallow pond fills with plants, such as duckweed and cattails. These plants -

• will die off quickly in the shallow water.
• support ecological succession from pond to marshland.
• will grow into larger trees as they mature.
• eventually will dry out and create a fire hazard.

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A habitat that receives little or no precipitation will most likely be suitable for organisms that -

• hibernate for long periods of time
• are covered in thick fur to keep warm.
• spend most of the day in the sunlight.
• store large quantities of water internally.

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Which of the following most likely supports the most sustainable ecosystem?

• The habitat with the greater number of green plants
• The habitat with the greatest variety of living things
• The habitat with the warmest average temperature
• The habitat with the greatest number of consumers

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What factor contributes most to the sustainability of a habitat?

• Competition among large predators
• Large variety of organisms
• Presence of volcanic rock
• Absence of bacterial species

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Scientists studying two adjacent ecosystems observe different varieties of organisms in the two areas. All of the following factors would contribute to the differing varieties of organisms in these two habitats EXCEPT -

• climate.
• soil type.
• water resources.
• wind.

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The ecosystem with the greatest sustainability will be the one that has the -

• greatest variety of different organisms.
• highest annual precipitation.
• lowest population of harmful insects.
• fastest growing season for green plants.

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The Brazilian rain forest is an area with significant
biodiversity. As the rain forest is replaced with agricultural
land, it is reasonable to predict a reduction in -

• consumption of solar energy.
• sustainability over time.
• precipitation levels.
• average daily temperature.

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The ocean ecosystem has a high sustainability because of -

• strong, persistent currents.
• predator/prey relationships.
• green plants growing on the bottom.
• the large variety of different organisms.

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