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WorksheetsEcological Succession
Total questions: 14
Worksheet time: 4hrs 30mins
Which result of ecological succession leads to an increase in animal species diversity?
Soil develops more slowly.
Food choices increase.
Precipitation rates stabilize.
Temperatures drop steadily.
Which of the following types of organisms would be present during the pioneer community stage of ecological succession?
Lichens and mosses
Grasses and shrubs
Small trees and wildflowers
Tall trees and thick brush
Which
Which of the following is a characteristic of a habitat in the earliest stages of succession?
Relatively low biodiversity
Mostly hardwood trees
Thick layer of rich soil
High density of organic matter
Primary succession is an ecological process that occurs in an environment in response to -
the destruction of existing vegetation.
erosion and weathering of rock.
a change exposing bare rock.
significant moisture in a short time.
Lichens are important to the creation of an ecosystem due to the fact that they create soil by -
becoming tall.
collecting water.
reproducing asexually.
weathering rock.
The process of secondary succession can begin –
after an ecosystem disturbance.
before soil has been established.
once new land has been created.
when plants begin reproducing.
After a volcanic eruption, lava covers the land. What is the order that plants grow to repopulate the area?
Lichens → Shrubs → Grasses → Trees
Shrubs → Trees → Grasses → Lichens
Grasses → Lichens → Shrubs → Trees
Lichens → Grasses → Shrubs → Trees
As an ecosystem transitions from a grassland to a forest, grasses will begin to -
adapt to life in the forest.
be replaced by other plants.
multiply to establish dominance.
relocate to a nearby grassland.
In a pond, which of the following changes would most likely result in terrestrial succession?
An increase in water plants growing in the pond.
A decrease in the number of decomposers in the pond.
An increased rate of deposition of sediments into the pond.
A decreased oxygen content kills large fish in the pond.
Trees are the final (climax) stage of ecological succession because they -
require rich soil created by shrubs.
only need limited amounts of sunlight.
reproduce at a very fast rate.
depend on animals to disperse their seeds.
Which of the following events will most likely change the dominant plants in an ecosystem from large trees to grasses?
High winds from a tornado.
A brush fire from lightning.
Flash flooding from storms.
Overgrazing by herbivores.
Succession will cease in an ecosystem when what occurs?
Biodiversity reaches its lowest point.
Lichens and mosses dominate.
Animals begin to use plant resources.
Trees have replaced shrubs and grasses.
What would be the most likely effect of a wildfire that burned a large area of a forest?
More sugars and starches would be available for animals in the area.
The availability of fossil fuels for use by industries in the area would be reduced.
Less carbon dioxide would be removed from the atmosphere in the area by plants.
An increase in animal respiration would increase the release of carbon dioxide in the area.
During secondary succession, which of these best describes why decomposing pioneer plants give way to larger, more complex plants species, such as hardwood trees?
Increased amounts of sunlight are able to reach the ground while the pioneer species are decomposing.
Increased soil temperatures from decomposing pioneer species help tree seeds germinate more quickly.
Increased amounts of decomposing pioneer species remove nutrients that tree seedlings need to grow and mature.
Increased amounts of soil from decomposing pioneer species allow plants with more extensive root systems to become established.
