Ecosystems and Biomes

Energy

Biomes

Ecosystems

Variety 1

Variety 2

100

Sam listed some of the factors that regulate the deer population in North Carolina forests.

Which factors will increase when the deer population increases?

A 1 and 2
B 2 and 3
C 3 and 4
D 4 and 1

B 2 and 3

100

A terrestrial biome has long, cold winters and short, cool summers. The precipitation is low, and the ground remains frozen permafrost for most of the year. Plants such as lichens and mosses that can withstand dry and cold conditions are found in this biome.

Which biome is characterized by these factors?

A coniferous forest
B savannah
C tropical rainforest
D tundra

D tundra

100

Heavy floods bring eroded soil, dirt, and debris into a river, increasing the turbidity (cloudiness of water) and the temperature of the water. What effect does increasing turbidity have on aquatic life forms?

A Muddy water will make it easier for predators to find food.
B Warmer water will help fish reproduce.
C An decrease in nutrients will help plants grow.
D A lack of sunlight will make it difficult for plants to grow.

D A lack of sunlight will make it difficult for plants to grow.

100

How does oxygen gas enter a food web?

A Plants use oxygen and sunlight to form nutrients.
B Organisms intake oxygen for cellular respiration.
C Plants intake oxygen through tiny pores in their roots.
D Oxygen is transferred from plants to animals through soil.

B Organisms intake oxygen for cellular respiration.

100

Barnacles are small filter feeders that attach themselves to the thick skin of a whale. The barnacles do not harm the whale or feed on it. What benefit does the barnacle most likely get from this relationship?

A gets more sunlight
B gets more air to breathe
C keeps it away from predators
D helps it reach new feeding areas

D helps it reach new feeding areas

200

The Caribbean monk seal was a species native to the Caribbean Sea. The blubber of the seal was a great source for making oil, and the seal was officially declared extinct in 2008.

What most likely led to the extinction of the Caribbean monk seal?

A excessive hunting
B global warming
C habitat loss
D water pollution

A excessive hunting

200

Which table correctly identifies the biotic and abiotic factors in a grassland Biome?

200

The wings of fruit fly offspring curl up sharply if the parents mate at a temperature above 25°C. However, if the parents mate at a lower temperature such as 16°C, the wings of the offspring remain straight. What can be concluded based on the example?

A Some traits are not permanent.
B Some traits are dominant in nature.
C Some traits are influenced by the environment.
D Some traits are always inherited by the offspring.

C Some traits are influenced by the environment.

200

Study the food chain.

What niche does the owl occupy?

A decomposer
B primary consumer
C producer
D secondary consumer

D secondary consumer

200

Which statement is an example of mutualism?

A A koala eats eucalyptus leaves, and it is unharmed by the poison in the leaves.
B A deer tick feeds on the blood of a deer, and the deer loses blood and nutrients.
C A plover bird feeds on food stuck in a crocodile’s teeth, and the crocodile gets its teeth cleaned in the process.
D A hookworm feeds on the small intestine of a dog, causing the dog to lose weight and become weak.

C A plover bird feeds on food stuck in a crocodile’s teeth, and the crocodile gets its teeth cleaned in the process.

300

The chart describes behaviors shown by an opossum.

Why does the opossum display these behaviors?

A to go into a deep sleep
B to warn off predators
C to attract potential mates
D to attract prey of different kinds

B to warn off predators

300

The eastern United States is part of the temperate forest biome. The biome is characterized by a mixture of deciduous and coniferous forests.

Which table lists the abiotic and biotic elements that can be found in a temperate forest?

300

What Abiotic factors can be found in a desert biome?

A little water, high temperature, and sandy soil
B small shrubs, large, woody trees, and sandy soil
C snakes, little water, and large, woody trees
D small shrubs, snakes, and scorpions

A little water, high temperature, and sandy soil

300

Which diagram correctly shows the exchange of gases between plants and animals?

300

The diagram shows the amount of available energy decreasing while moving up the trophic levels of an energy pyramid.

Which statement best explains the reason for the decrease in available energy with each higher trophic level?

A Some energy is lost to the environment.
B Some energy is converted into nonliving matter.
C Some energy is consumed by the producers.
D Some energy is broken down by the decomposers.

A Some energy is lost to the environment.

400

The table shows different organisms interacting with each other to fulfill their basic requirements.

Which interaction(s) is (are) an example of parasitism?

A only 1
B only 2
C both 2 and 3
D both 3 and 1

B only 2

400

The kudzu vine was introduced to the United States in 1876 as part of a display of Japanese foliage. Soon after, it began to be used not only as a decorative plant but also to control erosion and feed livestock due to its large leaves and ability to grow quickly in the spring. The map shows the locations where kudzu is currently found in the United States, and the image shows kudzu in a native forest.

Why is kudzu currently considered an invasive species?

A It is from Japan.
B It grows quickly in the spring.
C It is able to be eaten by animals.
D It outcompetes native plants.

D It outcompetes native plants.

400

A group of environmentalists learn that the Amazon rainforest is the oldest biome. The warm, humid, and predictable climate has characterized the rainforest for centuries.

Which conclusion best summarizes the organisms living in the rainforest biome?

A There are a lower number of organisms and fewer varieties of species.
B There are a higher number of organisms and more varieties of species.
C The variety of species has remained constant over the years.
D The increase or decrease in the variety of species is unpredictable.

B There are a higher number of organisms and more varieties of species.

400

Army ants and antbirds in South America are known to have a commensalistic relationship. Which example would be an accurate description of the nature of their relationship?

A Antbirds nest near the mounds of large colonies of army ants so that they have a reliable supply of food when their chicks are born.
B Army ants and antbirds both feed on the same species of plant, so they compete for access to the same food source.
C The antbirds eat insects that prey on the army ants, and the ants help deter snakes from eating the bird eggs.
D As army ants move in large columns through the jungle, insects flee from them and are caught and eaten by the birds. The birds benefit from the ants’ activity without affecting the ants.

D As army ants move in large columns through the jungle, insects flee from them and are caught and eaten by the birds. The birds benefit from the ants’ activity without affecting the ants.

400

Rachel dissected owl pellets to study food chains. She bleached, sorted, and reconstructed a partial rat skeleton the owl had eaten. She also discovered seeds, corn, and wheat in the pellets but knows that owls are strictly carnivores.

What inference can Rachel draw from her study of the owl pellets?

A The owl ate the seeds, corn, and wheat, and the rat ate the owl.
B The rat ate the seeds, corn, and wheat, and the owl ate the rat.
C The owl ate the rat, and then the owl ate the seeds, corn, and wheat.
D The bones, seeds, corn, and wheat were mixed with the pellet when it was gathered.

B The rat ate the seeds, corn, and wheat, and the owl ate the rat.

500

Reindeer in the Arctic feed on lichens during the cold winter season to obtain food energy. When the reindeer dig into the snow-covered ground to find lichens, they often uncover the burrows of small mammals (such as lemmings and voles) that live under the snow cover. The Arctic fox follows the reindeer and digs deeper in the snow to locate and eat its prey.

How is the relationship between the reindeer and the Arctic fox an example of commensalism?

A Both animals in the relationship benefit from each other
B Both animals compete for the same resources at the same time
C One animal benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped.
D One of the animals in the relationship is harmed while the other is helped.

C One animal benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped.

500

Japanese honeysuckle is an ornamental plant that was introduced in the United States in 1906. These plants grow as vines and have attractive, fragrant flowers. However, after a few years of their introduction, these plants started growing rapidly and displaced the native species. Researchers suggested that an alternative native plant similar to the invasive species should be planted to minimize the impact of Japanese honeysuckle. What should be kept in mind while selecting an alternative plant?

A It should have seeds that can be wind-pollinated.
B It should be a source of food for native herbivores.
C It should have a similar growth rate and pattern to the Japanese honeysuckle.
D It should produce toxins to prevent other plants from growing.

B It should be a source of food for native herbivores.

500

The flathead catfish is an invasive predatory species of fish. What would be the effect of the introduction of the flathead catfish on the native fish in the rivers of the United States?

A The populations of native fish would become extinct.
B The populations of native fish would increase.
C The populations of native fish would decrease.
D The populations of native fish would remain unaffected.

C The populations of native fish would decrease.

500

The image shows an aquatic food chain.

Which organisms will receive less energy if the krill are removed from the aquatic food web?

A fish and penguin only
B fish, squid, and penguin
C penguin and phytoplankton only
D penguin, squid, and phytoplankton

B fish, squid, and penguin

500

Which trait of an Arctic fox is influenced by environmental factors/seasonal changes?

A small round eyes
B 10-13 inches long tail
C presence of foot pads on paws
D fur that turns brown in summers

D fur that turns brown in summers