Catastrophic Events
What is an example of how flooding can impact ecosystems?
A. Burial and uprooting of plants
B. Removing the leaves from tall trees
C. Increasing the nutrients in the soil
D. Preventing plants from photosynthesizing
A. Burial and uprooting of plants
The breaking down of rocks
A student builds a model to show how pollutants move through an ecosystem. In plastic tub, the student places a layer of small marbles, covers it with a thick cloth, and then adds a layer of sand. The student then sprinkles red powdered paint on top of the soil. When the student sprays water onto the model, red color appears in the cloth and in the water in the layer of marbles. Which part of the model represents pollutants introduced by humans?
A. The marbles
B. The thick cloth
C. Red powdered paint
D. Layer of sand
C. Red powdered paint
What is the difference between erosion and deposition?
Erosion is the moving of sediments; deposition is the depositing of sediments in a new place.
Green plants capture and store light energy from the Sun through the process of –
A. cell division
B. respiration
C. homeostasis
D. photosynthesis
D. photosynthesis
In a marsh ecosystem that experiences a hurricane, which of the following would most likely occur?
A. More burrowing animals living in deeper soil layers
B. Death of most organisms due to fires from lightning strikes
C. A loss of plant life from saltwater brought in by storm surge
D. Increase of biodiversity due to more competition
C. A loss of plant life from saltwater brought in by storm surge
Which example of weathering includes a chemical change?
A. salt deposits in a rock dissolving during a rainstorm
B. pollutants that are dissolved in rain reacting with metals in a rock
C. rushing water in a river breaking rough edges of rock on the river bed
D. water freezing in a small crack in a rock that increases the size of the crack
B. pollutants that are dissolved in rain reacting with metals in a rock
Pollutants from a factory that enter the water in a watershed will have a negative effect on which of the following?
A. local pond life
B. rainfall rates
C. direction of river flow
D. available space for crops
A. local pond life
What are 2 ways that sediments are moved from one location to another?
Wind, moving water, waves
What is the role of a consumer in the flow of energy through a food chain?
A. obtaining necessary nutrients from the soil
B. transforming the Sun's energy to make food
C. gaining energy by eating other living things
D. decomposing the remains of living things
C. gaining energy by eating other living things
The extremely strong winds associated with a tornado will have the greatest negative effect on which of the following kinds of organisms?
A. Fish that feed around coral reefs
B. Smaller mammals that burrow underground
C. Birds and other animals that use trees for shelter
D. Organisms that feed on decaying plants and animals
C. Birds and other animals that use trees for shelter
Sand dunes are large piles of sand that can be found in the desert. What causes these sand dunes to form?
A. Water
B. Wind
C. Earthquakes
D. Volcanoes
B. Wind
When fertilizers enter surface water, they cause problems in the watershed by -
A. clogging narrow streams and preventing water from flowing properly
B. increasing the amount of nutrients available to fish in lakes and streams
C. causing rapid algal growth that decreases oxygen level and chokes marine life
D. raising the water levels in nearby rivers leading to flooding
C. causing rapid algal growth that decreases oxygen level and chokes marine life
The Texas High Plains region does not receive much rain. It is reasonable to predict that this region, compared to other ecoregions, would have -
A. less soil erosion
B. larger river deltas
C. many mountains
D. sandy beaches
A. less soil erosion
Several years of drought affect a population of plants in southwest Texas. Which of the following characteristics would you expect to see more frequently in the plants over the next several generations?
A. abundant broad leaves
B. waxy coating on leaves
C. flowers blooming regularly
D. tall, narrow stems
B. waxy coating on leaves
If a large volcano on an island erupts, it will impact the local ecosystem. Which of the following is NOT a way the volcano will affect the local ecosystem?
A. Lava will run down the volcano, burning down all the trees around the volcano
B. The lava from the volcano will heat up the air in the area and kill all life in the area
C. When the volcano erupts, it will throw dust in the air affecting plants across the island
D. The lava will run into the ocean and kill coral reef animals
B. The lava from the volcano will heat up the air in the area and kill all life in the area
Canyons could be formed by -
A. earthquakes breaking rock layers apart
B. wind smoothing rock formations
C. lava flowing from nearby volcanoes
D. rivers carrying sediments that erode land
D. rivers carrying sediments that erode land
A neighborhood in a small Texas town had to be evacuated because the houses were sinking due to a problem in the aquifer. What is the most likely cause of this problem?
A. heavy rains caused oversaturation of soil foundations
B. overbuilding in the area polluted the groundwater
C. runoff from fertilized land created a dead zone
D. excessive removal of water weakened the ground
D. excessive removal of water weakened the ground
The Blackland Prairie ecoregion of Texas has many exposed boulders that are smooth and rounded. What feature of this area could cause the boulders to take on these characteristics?
A. hurricane activity
B. wind-blown sand and rain
C. severe droughts
D. deep and rapid rivers
B. wind-blown sand and rain
Which of the following is an example of a plant responding to the external stimulus of gravity?
A. a seedling growing towards a sunny window
B. plant roots growing down into the soil
C. flowers producing nectar to attract bees
D. a potted plant wilting when it dries out
B. plant roots growing down into the soil
What change would most likely be observed in nonliving parts of ecosystems after a hurricane?
A. Taller sand dunes on the beach
B. Increase in oxygen in the atmosphere
C. Less sunlight reaching ground level
D. Higher levels of soil nutrients
A. Taller sand dunes on the beach
Name 3 types of mechanical weathering.
Frost wedging, root wedging, salt wedging, abrasion, exfoliation, thermal expansion
What are 2 ways that watersheds are beneficial to humans?
Drinking water, recreation, water for crops, water for manufacturing
A student gathered four trays and four different kinds of rock samples — granite, limestone, marble, and sandstone. She tilted the trays, put a rock sample on the top end of each tray, and used a pump to force water continuously through a tube over the rocks for four days (96 hours). She collected data and recorded observations of each rock sample at the end of each day. The results of the student’s investigation will be useful for —
A. a farmer choosing between contour farming or terracing to prevent erosion
B. a shorefront property owner wanting to protect his property from chemical weathering
C. a sculptor deciding what type of rock to use in a monument
D. a golf course groundskeeper deciding what kind of turf to plant on the greens
C. a sculptor deciding what type of rock to use in a monument
Many birds migrate long distances when the seasons change. Which of the following is an environmental stimulus that would signal to the birds the changing seasons?
A. changes in the length of daylight
B. increase in the population of edible plants
C. decreased number of offspring per hatching event
D. increase in annual precipitation levels
A. changes in the length of daylight