Ecosystem

The Great Barrier Reef has a number of endangered species which live only in that ecosystem. What would MOST LIKELY happen if pollution killed most of the coral that made up the reef?

• The endangered species might become extinct

• The animals on the reef would find a new habitat

• The population size of the endangered species would increase

• The endangered species would take the niche of the dead coral

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A species of giant pandas lives only in central China. Bamboo, a tall, green tropical plant, is the main food source for these animals. Large areas of bamboo are being cut down in central China to make room for growing other crops. What will MOST LIKELY happen to these giant pandas?

• They will become endangered or extinct

• They will migrate to warmer areas of China

• They will become carnivores

• They will begin to live in caves

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The marsh willow herb is a plant that naturally grows in the northeastern part of the United States. It grows best in damp habitats. Which of the following environmental changes would MOST LIKELY cause a decrease in the marsh willow herb population in an area?

• A rainstorm lasting several weeks

• A drought lasting more than a year

• Unusually low temperatures during the month of July

• Unusually high temperatures during the month of January

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Teresa and Rafael each set up a terrarium for a class project. Teresa never had to add water to her terrarium, but Rafael had to water his every other day. Why do you think this happened?

• Teresa poured more water in hers before closing it up

• Rafael used different plants in his terrarium

• Rafael left the top off and the water inside evaporated quickly

• Teresa used more plant food than Rafael did

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How does too much fishing in an area affect its ecosystem?

• The fish will lay many more eggs to replace the fish that were caught

• Organisms that eat the fish could become endangered due to starvation

• Organisms that eat the fish will have to start eating plants

• People could eat too many fish and become ill

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Which of the following would have the greatest effect on an ecosystem because of the changes made to the environment?

• Bees building a hive in a hollow tree

• Wasps building a nest in a leafy bush

• Beavers building a dam across a stream

• Fish digging a burrow on a river bottom

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Which of the following is an example of how living organisms change their physical environment to meet their needs?

• Before building their lodge, beavers build a dam across a stream

• A bird eats seeds from a backyard bird feeder

• A raccoon washes a piece of fruit in a lake before eating the fruit

• A young kangaroo climbs into its mother’s pouch for warmth

Which of the following is not an example of a way organisms change their environment to meet their needs?

• A wasp builds a nest made of mud

• A human builds a house

• A prairie dog digs a tunnel into the ground

• A bird rests on the limb of a tree

Water lilies growing on ponds and lakes can do great damage to these bodies of water. How do the water lilies affect a pond environment in a dangerous way?

• The fish will not grow and reproduce

• Water lilies pollute the pond water

• Water lilies prevent sunlight from reaching organisms below the water’s surface

• Water lilies attract many unwanted pests, such as snakes and turtles to the pond

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Tropical rainforests are cut down and burned at a very high rate in many parts of the world. An area the size of a football field is destroyed every second of every day. The burning wood and vegetation release large amounts of carbon dioxide. Fewer plants remain to take in carbon dioxide. How does this burning affect the carbon cycle in tropical rain forests?

• More carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere

• More carbon dioxide is stored in animals

• More carbon dioxide is released into the soil

• More carbon dioxide is stored in plants

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