The Sonoran Desert
Where is the Sonoran Desert located?
USA, Arizona
What is a food chain?
A sequence showing who eats whom in an ecosystem.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of living things and their environment.
What is a species?
A group of organisms that can reproduce together.
What does DDT stand for?
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane
Name one plant and one animal found in the Sonoran Desert.
Cactus and rattlesnake
What do arrows in a food web show?
The direction of energy flow.
Name one feature of a tropical rainforest ecosystem.
High rainfall and dense vegetation.
What does "introduced species" mean?
A species brought by humans to a new area.
What is bioaccumulation?
The build-up of chemicals in living organisms over time.
What adaptation helps cactus plants survive in the Sonoran Desert?
They store water in their thick stems.
What happens if a producer in a food web dies out?
Consumers may lose their food source, affecting the whole web.
How do rainforest plants adapt to low sunlight on the forest floor?
They have large leaves to absorb more light.
What is one introduced species in New Zealand?
Stoats, rats
Why is DDT harmful to animals at higher levels in the food chain?
levels in the food chain?It becomes more concentrated as it moves up the food chain.
Why do many desert animals come out only at night?
To avoid high daytime temperatures.
What is the difference between producers and consumers?
Producers make their own food; consumers eat other organisms.
How are deserts and rainforests different?
Deserts are dry with little rain; rainforests are wet with lots of rain.
Why are introduced species sometimes harmful?
They can eat or compete with native species.
What are two effects of DDT on humans
Nervous system problems, possible cancer risk.
How do animals get most of their water in the desert?
From the food they eat (like plants or prey).
Give one example of a decomposer and its role.
Fungi or bacteria; they break down dead matter.
Why are rainforests important for the planet?
They produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide.
What does the term “invasive species” mean
A non-native species that spreads quickly and causes harm to native species or ecosystems.
How does DDT affect birds?
it weakens eggshells, reducing hatching success