Ecosystem Concepts and Biodiversity

What is an ecosystem?

• A place where only plants live

• A place where only animals live

• All the living things in an area

• All the living and non-living things that interact in an area

What does biodiversity mean for an ecosystem?

• Having only one type of plant

• Having many different kinds of plants and animals

• Having only animals that eat plants

• Having only non-living things

What happens if too many different kinds of living things are removed from an ecosystem?

• The ecosystem becomes stronger

• The ecosystem becomes more stable

• The ecosystem can become unstable and fall apart

• The ecosystem does not change

Which of these are considered non-living parts of an environment?

• Insects and grass

• Fungus and algae

• Seawater, rocks, and soil

• Plants and animals

What does biodiversity mean?

• The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

• The number of different types of rocks in an area.

• How many people live in a city.

• The different kinds of weather in a year.

What is a key difference between a farm and a natural ecosystem?

• Farms have more animals than natural ecosystems.

• Animals and plants on a farm depend on humans, while in a natural ecosystem they depend on each other.

• Natural ecosystems have more non-living things.

• Farms always have more sunlight.

What happens to an ecosystem when humans build new things like office parks?

• The ecosystem becomes more diverse.

• The ecosystem becomes less diverse.

• New types of plants and animals always move in.

• The amount of sunlight always decreases.

What kind of living things are so small that you need a special tool to see them?

• Big animals

• Tall plants

• Tiny organisms

• Fast birds

What are some common colors of mold?

• Red, orange, and yellow

• Black, blue, green, or tan

• Pink, purple, and white

• Brown, gray, and silver

What happens to an ecosystem when many different types of living things disappear?

• The ecosystem becomes stronger and healthier.

• It becomes harder for the ecosystem to stay balanced.

• The ecosystem quickly finds new living things to replace them.

• Nothing changes, the ecosystem stays the same.