Biology Leap 2025 Review

Pond The Great Blue Heron is a carnivorous bird that can be found in Louisiana’s wetlands. They are expert fishers. Herons trap their prey by walking slowly or standing still for long periods of time. They wait for fish to come within range of their long necks and blade-like bills. Their diets also consist of mice, insects, and other small creatures. The Great Blue Heron depends on the living components of its ecosystem and nonliving components like sunlight and air for growth and survival. Part B: Which statement best explains the model in Part A?

• All food can eventually be traced back to plants. Plants in the pond ecosystem captured energy from the sun.

• All food can eventually be traced back to soil. The soil provides plants the energy for the pond ecosystem.

• All food can eventually be traced back to dead organisms. Dead organisms in the pond ecosystem provide plants and animals with energy.

• All food can eventually be traced back to the sun. Energy from the sun shines on the earth and is captured by plants and animals.

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Question 9: Pond

The Great Blue Heron is a carnivorous bird that can be found in Louisiana’s wetlands. They are expert fishers. Herons trap their prey by walking slowly or standing still for long periods of time. They wait for fish to come within range of their long necks and blade-like bills. Their diets also consist of mice, insects, and other small creatures. The Great Blue Heron depends on the living components of its ecosystem and nonliving components like sunlight and air for growth and survival.

Part A: Each organism in the pond ecosystem needs food. Choose the model that best represents how energy flows through the pond ecosystem.

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Food provides animals with the materials they need for body repair and growth. Food also provides animals with the energy they need to maintain body warmth and for motion. Arctic ground squirrels in Alaska are the largest of the North American ground squirrels. They are omnivores. They eat plants, mushrooms, eggs, insects, small animals, and even their own young! To deal with the harsh winters, they will hibernate. When animals hibernate they become inactive or “sleep” for an extended period of time. The Arctic ground squirrel hibernates for 7 to 8 months. When they hibernate, they lose a large amount of their body weight. Part A: Arctic ground squirrels will not hibernate until they have enough body fat. Why would this be an important behavior for the animal?

• This behavior will allow the Arctic ground squirrel the ability to fight for the best shelter.

• This behavior will help the Arctic ground squirrel find a mate.

• This behavior will give the Arctic ground squirrel more energy to find food and store it for emergencies during the winter.

• This behavior will help the Arctic ground squirrel maintain its body temperature during hibernation and move after hibernation.

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10: Arctic Ground Squirrels

Food provides animals with the materials they need for body repair and growth. Food also provides animals with the energy they need to maintain body warmth and for motion.

Arctic ground squirrels in Alaska are the largest of the North American ground squirrels. They are omnivores. They eat plants, mushrooms, eggs, insects, small animals, and even their own young! To deal with the harsh winters, they will hibernate. When animals hibernate they become inactive or “sleep” for an extended period of time. The Arctic ground squirrel hibernates for 7 to 8 months. When they hibernate, they lose a large amount of their body weight.

Part B: Which model best represents how the Arctic ground squirrel will get the food it needs to store body fat?

• grass -> caterpillar -> arctic ground squirrel -> sun

• sun -> grass -> caterpillars -> arctic ground squirrel

• arctic ground squirrel -> grass -> caterpillars

• caterpillars -> grass -> arctic ground squirrel -> sun

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What is the basic unit of heredity that is passed from parents to offspring?

• Chromosome

• Gene

• DNA

• Protein

What is the process by which plants make their food using sunlight called?

• Respiration

• Photosynthesis

• Fermentation

• Digestion

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What is the powerhouse of the cell, responsible for producing energy?

• Nucleus

• Mitochondria

• Ribosome

• Endoplasmic Reticulum

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What is the basic unit of life in all living organisms?

• Atom

• Molecule

• Cell

• Tissue

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Which of the following is NOT a part of a cell?

• Cytoplasm

• Bark

• Cell membrane

• Nucleus

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Sam found a figure of animal fossils in rock layers. Which claims can best be supported by the fossil record in the figure? Select the two correct answers.

• The type of animal that formed fossil Y existed for only 50 million years.

• The type of animal that formed fossil W existed for the longest period of time.

• The type of animal that formed fossil X was the last of the animals to die out.

• The type of animal that formed fossil Y died out more than 350 million years ago.

• The type of animal that formed fossil X could be found on Earth more than 300 million years ago.

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