Nurse Logs
What is a nurse log?
A. A fallen tree that helps new plants grow
B. A living tree that shades animals
C. A log used by scientists to measure growth
D. A pile of firewood
A. A fallen tree that helps new plants grow
What is an initial model in science?
A. A final answer to a question
B. A guess with no evidence
C. A starting idea scientists make to explain a phenomenon
D. A diagram used only in math
A starting idea scientists make to explain a phenomenon
An ecosystem is:
A. A group of living and nonliving things that interact in an area
B. Only the animals in a forest
C. Only the plants in a forest
D. A place where no living things exist
A. A group of living and nonliving things that interact in an area
Which of these is biotic?
A. A squirrel
B. A rock
C. Sunlight
D. Water
A. A squirrel
Trees and moss are abiotic factors.
False (They are living, so they’re biotic.)
Why do plants grow well on a nurse log?
A. The log gives them sunlight
B. The log provides nutrients and water as it rots
C. The log keeps animals away
D. The log is stronger than soil
B. The log provides nutrients and water as it rots
Why do scientists revise their models?
A. They like drawing
B. They get new evidence that changes their thinking
C. Their old models look messy
D. They always need more models
B.They get new evidence that changes their thinking
Which is an example of an interaction in a forest ecosystem?
A. A bird building a nest in a tree
B. A rock sitting on the ground
C. The sun shining on the forest
D. The wind blowing with no trees around
A. A bird building a nest in a tree
Which of these is abiotic?
A. Mushroom
B. Fallen leaf
C. Soil
D. Worm
C. Soil
A nurse log can provide nutrients and water for new plants.
True
Which of these is evidence that nurse logs support life?
A. You see ferns, moss, and tree seedlings growing on it
B. The log is hard and dry
C. The log never changes over time
D. Only animals use it for shelter
A. You see ferns, moss, and tree seedlings growing on it
If your first model shows trees growing only in soil, but you later learn about nurse logs, what should you do?
A. Keep the old model
B. Add nurse logs to the new model
C. Erase everything
D. Stop making models
B. Add nurse logs to the new model
Why are decomposers like fungi important in a forest?
A. They eat animals
B. They recycle dead material into nutrients
C. They make sunlight
D. They stop plants from growing
B. They recycle dead material into nutrients
Why do plants in a forest need abiotic factors?
A. Abiotic factors provide sunlight, water, and nutrients needed for growth
B. Abiotic factors protect plants from animals
C. Abiotic factors are not important
D. Plants do not need them
A. Abiotic factors provide sunlight, water, and nutrients needed for growth
An initial model is always perfect and never changes.
False (Models change as new evidence is found.)
What would most likely happen if a forest had no nurse logs?
A. Fewer new trees would grow
B. More animals would appear
C. The soil would become wetter
D. Nothing would change
A. Fewer new trees would grow
Which of these is the best example of evidence for revising an initial model?
A. “My teacher said so.”
B. “We saw seedlings growing on a rotting log.”
C. “I think it looks better this way.”
D. “I copied my friend’s model.”
B. “We saw seedlings growing on a rotting log.”
If too many trees in a forest die, what might happen to the ecosystem?
A. Less oxygen is made, animals lose shelter, and fewer new plants grow
B. More animals move in
C. The forest becomes healthier
D. Nothing would change
A. Less oxygen is made, animals lose shelter, and fewer new plants grow
Which is the BEST example of how biotic and abiotic factors interact?
A. Sunlight helps plants grow, which feeds deer
B. A rock sits by itself
C. A mushroom grows on a log without water
D. A river flows with no plants nearby
A. Sunlight helps plants grow, which feeds deer
Decomposers break down dead material and recycle nutrients.
True
Predict what would happen to a forest if all nurse logs were removed. Explain your thinking.
Without nurse logs, fewer new plants and trees would grow. The forest would lose nutrients and water recycling from the logs, leading to less biodiversity (fewer kinds of plants and animals).
Why is it important for scientists to share and compare initial models before making a final one?
Because scientists may have different ideas and evidence. By sharing, they can spot mistakes, add missing details, and build a stronger explanation that includes more evidence.
Explain how energy flows through a forest ecosystem from the sun to a top predator.
The sun gives energy to plants (producers). Herbivores eat the plants to get energy. Carnivores eat herbivores. Top predators eat smaller predators. At each step, energy moves through the food chain.
Predict how a drought (less rain) would affect both biotic and abiotic factors in a forest.
Abiotic factor (water) would decrease. Plants (biotic) would dry out or die, which would affect animals (biotic) that eat them. Soil (abiotic) could become dry and lose nutrients. This would harm the whole ecosystem.
If the sun disappeared, the forest ecosystem could still survive.
False (Without sunlight, plants can’t photosynthesize, so the whole food chain would collapse.)