Population and Resources

Scientists have been studying the size of three populations in Peru. In this ecosystem, pumas (large wild cats) eat deer, and deer eat grass. The data showed that all three populations were stable. Then the puma population increased suddenly. What will most likely happen to the size of the deer population as a result? The size of the deer population will . . .

• increase

• decrease

• stay the same

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In the Arctic region, polar bears eat seals, and seals eat cod (a type of fish). In the last 7 years, the sizes of all the populations stayed stable, but recently the size of the polar bear population decreased. What will likely happen to the cod population? The size of the cod population will . . .

• increase because when one population increases, the others do too.

• decrease because less seals are being eating, making them increase, and eating more cod.

• stay the same

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In the Arctic Ocean, sharks eat whales, and whales eat crabs. In the last 10 years, the sizes of the populations have been stable, but recently the size of the crab population increased. What will likely happen to the shark population?

The size of the shark population will . . .

• decrease. The larger crab population will leave fewer energy storage molecules available in the ecosystem for the shark population, so there would be fewer births in the shark population.

• stay the same. Sharks do not eat crabs, so the number of births and deaths in the shark population will stay the same.

• increase. More energy storage molecules will be available to the shark population from the larger whale population, so the shark population will reproduce more. This will lead to more births than deaths in the shark population.

• increase. An increase in the size of any population leads to an increase in the sizes of all other populations in an ecosystem.

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The graph shows that the honeybee population was stable and then decreased. Which statement describes births and deaths when the honeybee population was stable?

• There was the same amount of births and deaths.

• There were more births than deaths.

• There were fewer births than deaths.

• There were no deaths.

Foxes eat small animals called voles. In southern Sweden, scientists observed that when the vole population decreased, what will happen the fox population?

• Population will decrease

• Population will remain stable

• Population will increase

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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A population of Tule Elk lives in Bakersfield. Over 150 years, the size of the Tule Elk population decreased. What best explains the decreased in the size of the Tule Elk population?

• A lot of Tule Elk were born and none of them died.

• The Tule Elk population is always increasing because no animal eats Tule Elk.

• Fewer Tule Elk were born than died.

• More Tule Elk were born than died

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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A population of Mountain Lions lives in southern California. Over 20 years, the size of the Mountain Lion population in the region increased. What best explains the increase in the size of the Mountain Lion population?

• The Mountain Lions population is always increasing because no animal eats Mountain Lions

• More Mountain Lions were born than died.

• Fewer Mountain Lions were born than died.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

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What is the carrying capacity of an environment?

• The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely

• The minimum population size needed for a species to survive

• The average population size over a year

• The total number of resources available in an environment

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Which of the following is a renewable resource?

• Coal

• Natural Gas

• Solar Energy

• Uranium

What is the primary factor that limits the growth of a population in an ecosystem?

• Predation

• Disease

• Resource availability

• Climate

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