Zombies
Decomposition
Vocabulary
Landfills
Ecosystems
100

Dr. Rathje would dig through landfills and look at the stuff other people threw away. What was his job title? 

Archeologist

100

Name three species of decomposers? 

Fungus, Bacteria, Invertebrates

100

What is a decomposer? 

Plants or animals that help things decompose
100

What is a landfill?

A landfill is a final resting place for household waste. 
100

What is an ecosystem? 

All the living and nonliving things in an area.

200

How long had the guacamole been in the landfill? How do you know?

There was a newspaper that was dated from 25 years ago near the bowl of guacamole. 

200

Name three of the four natural kinds of decomposers? 

Oxygen, Water, Temperature and Sunlight

200

What is an animal that eats plats; also called a primary consumer? 

Herbivore

200

How many tons of garbage go to Columbia Ridge Landfill each day? 

7,000-8,000 tons of garbage go to the landfill each day. 

200

What is a producer? (Name two)

A living thing that makes its own food from sunlight, air, and soil.

300

Describe the guacamole that Dr. Rathje found in the landfill? 

The guacamole was well-preserved. There were chunks of avocado still in the bowl. It was lumpy and bright green. 

300

According to the articles we read and discussed in class, what are some ways to preserve food? 

Oxygen absorbers, smoking and salting, freeze drying, air drying, sun drying. 

300

Microscopic organisms that live in the ocean and other bodies of water are called plankton. Which type of plankton cannot photosynthesize? 

Zooplankton

300

What is leachate? 

Leachate is formed when rainwater filters through wastes placed in a landfill. When this liquid comes in contact with buried wastes, it leaches, or draws out, chemicals or constituents from those wastes.

300

What is a consumer? (Name two)

A living thing that cannot make its own food. Consumers get their energy by eating food.

400

Why didn't the guacamole decompose? 

In a landfill there is no air, water, sun, heat or FBI's. These are needed for decomposition. 

400

Decomposers are often called "recyclers". Why? What are they recycling? 

Decomposers are organisms that consume dead organisms and other organic waste. They recycle materials from the dead organisms and waste back into the ecosystem. 

400

What is an organism? 

A living or formally living thing

400

What are some precautions that are taken to ensure landfills do not contaminate surrounding areas. 

1. 30-ft wind fences to contain garbage

2. Liner system to protect ground soil.

3. Garbage is covered each night with soil.

4. Leak detection system.


400

What is a food web? And what do the arrows show?

Food webs show how energy is passed from one living organism to another.

Arrows show the direction the energy flows.

500

Why do zombies go to sleep early? 

They are dead tired. 

500

According to the article, why didn't the Wooly Mammoth decompose? 

It was in an air tight, piece of ice (frozen). 

500

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web? 

A food web is a series of events in which one organism eats another to obtain energy. A food web is overlapping food chains in an ecosystem. 

500

What type of gas is produced at a landfill? What are some positive and negative effects of this gas? 

Methane Gas.

Negative: highly flammable, high quantities are bad for environment

Positive: It can be cleaned and used to produce electricity or heat. 

500

What are possible barriers to low-waste and zero-waste lifestyles and why might some people have more access to the lifestyle than others?

All opinions are correct IF you can back it up. 

Example answer: Many poor communities and communities of color do not have the same access to fresh foods, therefore use more packaging. They may not have the money to pay for proper waste disposal.

M
e
n
u