Population Dynamics
Energy Flow
Succession
Human Impact
Scientific Investigation
100
A biologist observed a population of rabbits living in a meadow. During one year, 45 rabbits were born and 18 rabbits died. No rabbits moved into or out of the meadow.
What most likely happened to the rabbit population?
A. It increased.
B. It decreased.
C. It remained the same.
D. It reached carrying capacity.
A. It increased.
100
Which organism is a producer in a food web?
A. Hawk
B. Rabbit
C. Grass
D. Mushroom
C. Grass
100
A forest fire burns through a forest, but the soil remains.
Which process will most likely occur?
A. Primary succession
B. Secondary succession
C. Carrying capacity
D. Evolution
B. Secondary succession
100
Blue catfish were introduced into several Virginia rivers and now compete with native fish for food and habitat.
Blue catfish are an example of
A. a keystone species.
B. an invasive species.
C. a producer.
D. a pioneer species.
B. an invasive species.
100
A student investigated the effect of fertilizer on algae growth by adding different amounts of fertilizer to four identical containers of pond water. The student measured algae growth after two weeks.
Which variable was the independent variable?
A. Amount of algae growth
B. Time
C. Amount of fertilizer added
D. Type of pond water
C. Amount of fertilizer added
200
A deer population increases rapidly after being introduced to a new habitat. Several years later, the population stops increasing even though deer continue to reproduce.
Which statement best explains this observation?
A. The deer became extinct.
B. The environment reached its carrying capacity.
C. The deer stopped competing for resources.
D. The amount of available energy increased.
B. The environment reached its carrying capacity.
200
A fox eats rabbits, mice, and squirrels.
What is the main advantage of having multiple food sources?
A. The fox can make its own food.
B. The fox can survive if one prey population decreases.
C. The fox receives more energy than producers.
D. The fox becomes a decomposer.
B. The fox can survive if one prey population decreases.
200
Which organism is most likely to be a pioneer species during primary succession?
A. Oak tree
B. Lichen
C. Hawk
D. Shrub
B. Lichen
200
Fertilizer from nearby farms enters a lake after a heavy rainstorm. Within a few weeks, algae populations increase and dissolved oxygen levels decrease.
Which process most likely occurred?
A. Secondary succession
B. Habitat fragmentation
C. Eutrophication
D. Carrying capacity
C. Eutrophication
200
Students investigated the effect of sunlight on plant growth. They used the same type of plant, the same amount of soil, the same amount of water, and the same size pots.
Why did the students keep these factors the same?
A. To increase the number of dependent variables
B. To ensure the investigation was a fair test
C. To increase the amount of data collected
D. To prevent plants from growing
B. To ensure the investigation was a fair test
300
The graph shows the growth of a squirrel population over time.
Which statement is best supported by the graph?
A. The population has unlimited resources.
B. The population exceeded carrying capacity.
C. Limiting factors slowed population growth.
D. The population experienced exponential growth during the entire study.
C. Limiting factors slowed population growth.
300
Which trophic level contains the least amount of available energy?
A. Producers
B. Primary consumers
C. Secondary consumers
D. Tertiary consumers
D. Tertiary consumers
300
Which sequence correctly shows the stages of primary succession?
A. Bare rock → Lichens → Grasses → Trees
B. Bare rock → Trees → Grasses → Lichens
C. Grasses → Lichens → Bare rock → Trees
D. Trees → Bare rock → Lichens → Grasses
A. Bare rock → Lichens → Grasses → Trees
300
Scientists have worked to restore oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay because oysters
A. increase water temperature.
B. remove invasive species.
C. reduce the amount of available sunlight.
D. help improve water quality by filtering water.
D. help improve water quality by filtering water.
300
The graph below shows the number of fish found in a pond before and after an invasive species was introduced.
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
A. Native fish populations increased after the invasive species was introduced.
B. The invasive species had no effect on the pond ecosystem.
C. The pond immediately reached carrying capacity.
D. The invasive species most likely contributed to the decline of native fish populations.
D. The invasive species most likely contributed to the decline of native fish populations.
400
Scientists studied two bird species that nest in the same trees and eat the same insects. Over several years, one bird population steadily declined while the other increased.
Which interaction most likely caused this change?
A. Mutualism
B. Competition
C. Predation
D. Commensalism
B. Competition
400
A disease causes the grasshopper population to decrease dramatically.
Which organism would most likely be affected first?
A. Grass
B. Frog
C. Mushroom
D. Rabbit
B. Frog
400
Scientists observed two areas after separate natural events.
- Area 1: A volcanic eruption covered the land with lava, leaving only bare rock.
- Area 2: A wildfire destroyed a forest, but the soil remained.
Which statement best compares the two areas?
A. Both areas will experience primary succession.
B. Area 1 will undergo primary succession, while Area 2 will undergo secondary succession.
C. Area 1 will recover faster than Area 2 because no soil is present.
D. Neither area will experience ecological succession.
B. Area 1 will undergo primary succession, while Area 2 will undergo secondary succession.
400
A housing development is built in the middle of a large forest. Roads divide the forest into several smaller sections, making it more difficult for wildlife to find food and mates.
Which human impact is best illustrated by this example?
A. Habitat fragmentation
B. Pollution
C. Overexploitation
D. Climate change
A. Habitat fragmentation
400
A student wanted to determine whether fertilizer affects plant growth.
Which investigation would provide the most reliable results?
A. Test one plant with fertilizer and compare it to observations from another student's plant.
B. Test several identical plants, changing only the amount of fertilizer each group receives.
C. Test different species of plants using different amounts of fertilizer.
D. Observe plants growing naturally in a field.
B. Test several identical plants, changing only the amount of fertilizer each group receives.
500
The graph above shows the population sizes of wolves and deer over a ten-year period.
Which statement best explains the relationship between the two populations?
A. As the wolf population increased, predation caused the deer population to decrease.
B. Wolves increased because the deer population became extinct.
C. Deer populations are not affected by predators.
D. Wolves and deer compete for the same food source.
A. As the wolf population increased, predation caused the deer population to decrease.
500
A student made the following claim:
"If all producers disappeared from an ecosystem, decomposers would continue to survive because they do not depend on producers."
Which statement best evaluates the student's claim?
A. The claim is correct because decomposers make their own food.
B. The claim is correct because decomposers only consume dead animals.
C. The claim is incorrect because all organisms ultimately depend on producers for energy.
D. The claim is incorrect because decomposers are producers.
C. The claim is incorrect because all organisms ultimately depend on producers for energy.
500
A scientist monitored an abandoned farm for 100 years.
Which statement is best supported by the data?
A. The ecosystem is undergoing secondary succession because soil was already present.
B. The ecosystem is undergoing primary succession because pioneer species are present.
C. The ecosystem reached carrying capacity during Year 40.
D. The ecosystem experienced eutrophication before Year 100.
A. The ecosystem is undergoing secondary succession because soil was already present.
500
Scientists collected the following data from a Virginia pond.
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
A. Increased algae growth improved biodiversity.
B. Fish populations increased because more producers were present.
C. Fertilizer runoff most likely contributed to eutrophication.
D. The pond experienced primary succession.
C. Fertilizer runoff most likely contributed to eutrophication.
500
Students investigated how the amount of sunlight affects algae growth in pond water. Their data are shown below.
Which claim is best supported by the data?
A. Increasing sunlight causes algae growth to decrease.
B. Fertilizer is the only factor affecting algae growth.
C. Algae growth generally increases as the amount of sunlight increases.
D. Sunlight has no measurable effect on algae growth.
C. Algae growth generally increases as the amount of sunlight increases.