Question 1

Question

A)
Use the image to answer the question below.

The plants are eaten by consumers at the first level, such as rat, grasshopper, frog, squirrel, whiptail, and deer. The consumers at the second level, such as ringtail, eagle, and pine marten eat the consumers at the first level. The consumers at the third level, such as wolf, mountain lion, and cat eat the consumers at the second level. Some of the consumers at the first level are also eaten by consumers at the third level.



Which one of the following animals is most likely to be a keystone species, based on the food web provided?

(1 point)
Responses

deer
deer

grasshopper
grasshopper

frog
frog

Mouse
Mouse
Question 2
A)Based on the data below, which group of animals are genetically diverse?
# of different type of species in the world
Birds 9,000+
Bears 8
Horses 350+
Whales 90


(1 point)
Responses

bears
bears

horses
horses

whales
whales

birds
birds
Question 3
A)The Northern Pacific seastar is a particularly successful invasive species. Which of the following explains why it is so successful in the waters of southeastern Australia, outside of its native environment?(1 point)
Responses

It consumes the eggs of the spotted handfish.
It consumes the eggs of the spotted handfish.

It breeds rapidly and has no predators in this environment.
It breeds rapidly and has no predators in this environment.

It is accustomed to a cold climate.
It is accustomed to a cold climate.

It can cling to the bottom of ships and other vessels.
It can cling to the bottom of ships and other vessels.
Question 4
A)Aside from killing native species, what other negative issue might an invasive species present?(1 point)
Responses

They might increase the diversity of native species.
They might increase the diversity of native species.

They might avoid interacting with other organisms.
They might avoid interacting with other organisms.

They might provide economic benefit.
They might provide economic benefit.

They might introduce other organisms, like viruses and bacteria.
They might introduce other organisms, like viruses and bacteria.
Question 5
A)What happens after coral is bleached?(1 point)
Responses

The coral produces peroxides.
The coral produces peroxides.

The coral releases algae into the ocean.
The coral releases algae into the ocean.

The coral is susceptible to starvation.
The coral is susceptible to starvation.

The coral dies immediately.
The coral dies immediately.
Question 6
A)The most biodiverse ecosystem in the world is likely a(1 point)
Responses

tundra.
tundra.

cold desert.
cold desert.

coral reef.
coral reef.

taiga.
taiga.
Question 7
A)The Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado are home to several massive redwood stumps that were subjected to a special kind of fossilization millions of years ago. What service could these fossilized stumps most likely provide?(1 point)
Responses

tourism
tourism

shelter
shelter

soil creation
soil creation

lumber
lumber
Question 8
A)Marine biologist Dr. James Estes researched sea otters and their habitats in the Aleutian Islands of the North Pacific Ocean. Sea otters feed on animals such as crabs and urchins. Islands with sea otters contained a lot of kelp, a seaweed that is an important food source for fish and other sea animals. However, Islands without otters had large populations of urchins but no kelp since sea urchins feed on this seaweed. Since sea otters are able to control the population of urchins, this allows for kelp to freely grow in those areas. Given this information, what term best describes the otter in the Aleutian Islands ecosystem?(1 point)
Responses

producer
producer

decomposer
decomposer

keystone species
keystone species

apex predator
apex predator
Question 9
A)Your friend John is having trouble with his compost bin. The material in his compost pile doesn’t seem to be decomposing well. You take a sample of the pile and check for the presence of microorganisms under the microscope. You see that there are indeed microorganisms; however, they don’t appear to be growing very fast. John says that he regularly mixes his compost pile to expose it to oxygen but has noticed the pile feels cold. What is the most likely explanation for this problem?(1 point)
Responses

The compost pile contained incorrect amounts of "greens" and "browns".
The compost pile contained incorrect amounts of "greens" and "browns".

The compost pile contained aerobic bacteria.
The compost pile contained aerobic bacteria.

The compost pile was placed in the sunshine.
The compost pile was placed in the sunshine.

The compost pile was sufficiently moist.
The compost pile was sufficiently moist.
Question 10
A)“Green” material has high amounts of (1 point)
Responses

carbon.
carbon.

nitrogen.
nitrogen.

phosphorus.
phosphorus.

magnesium.
magnesium.
Question 11
A)
Some students decide to plant their own garden. They want to eat a more plant-based diet. For meat, they will buy locally from a butcher. Any remaining plant-based scraps will be composted and used as fertilizer for their garden.

Which part of this plan represents recycling to reduce their waste?

(1 point)
Responses

buying locally
buying locally

eating a plant-based diet
eating a plant-based diet

composting scraps
composting scraps

planting a garden
planting a garden
Question 12
A)Plants, bison, elk, and wolves are all members of an ecosystem. The bison and elk are both primary consumers in this ecosystem, while the wolves are a predator. Over time, the bison completely disappear. Give an example of how the ecosystem may respond to this change, and explain how this relates to both resiliency and biodiversity. (4 points)
A)
Beavers, large members of the rodent family in North America, are often referred to as “ecosystem/keystone engineers” by wildlife managers. Ecosystem engineers are described as animals that create, alter, or destroy a habitat. Beavers contribute to river ecosystems by bringing down old and dead trees along riverbanks. They use these trees to make their dams. Although these dams are primarily used for protection and food storage, scientists report that these dams change the surrounding environment in different ways.

Given this information, in three to five sentences, describe a potential benefit that beavers contribute to the ecosystem as keystone engineers and describe a plausible impact that the removal of beavers could have on the surrounding ecosystem.

(4 points
A)Some students are trying to convince their parents to let them raise backyard chickens. They want to present a logical argument on how raising your own chickens reduces food waste. In three to five sentences, construct an argument for how raising livestock yourself can help you reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.(4 points)

Answer 1

Answers

Question 1

Answer: frog
Explanation: Frogs are often considered keystone species because they play a critical role in maintaining the structure of their ecosystem by controlling insect populations and providing a food source for many higher-level consumers.

Question 2

Answer: birds
Explanation: Birds have the highest number of different species (9,000+) compared to the other groups listed, making them more genetically diverse.

Question 3

Answer: It breeds rapidly and has no predators in this environment.
Explanation: The Northern Pacific seastar is successful as an invasive species because it reproduces quickly and has no natural predators in the new environment, allowing its population to grow unchecked.

Question 4

Answer: They might introduce other organisms, like viruses and bacteria.
Explanation: Invasive species can bring new pathogens that affect native species, disrupting ecosystems and harming biodiversity.

Question 5

Answer: The coral is susceptible to starvation.
Explanation: After bleaching, corals expel the symbiotic algae that provide them with energy, which makes them more vulnerable to starvation and can ultimately lead to their death.

Question 6

Answer: coral reef.
Explanation: Coral reefs are known to be one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, hosting a high variety of marine life.

Question 7

Answer: tourism.
Explanation: The fossilized stumps can attract tourists interested in natural history and geology, providing an economic benefit through tourism.

Question 8

Answer: keystone species.
Explanation: Sea otters are considered a keystone species because they maintain the balance of the ecosystem by controlling urchin populations, which in turn allows kelp forests to thrive.

Question 9

Answer: The compost pile contained incorrect amounts of "greens" and "browns".
Explanation: A balanced ratio of greens (nitrogen-rich materials) and browns (carbon-rich materials) is essential for effective composting; an imbalance can slow down decomposition.

Question 10

Answer: nitrogen.
Explanation: "Green" materials in compost are high in nitrogen, which is vital for microbial activity in the decomposition process.

Question 11

Answer: composting scraps
Explanation: Composting scraps represents recycling as it allows the students to reuse organic waste to create fertilizer for their garden instead of letting it go to landfill.

Question 12

Answer: The disappearance of bison may lead to an overpopulation of elk, as there would be less competition for resources. This could reduce biodiversity because fewer herbivore species could lead to a homogenized ecosystem dominated by elk, affecting plant life and other species dependent on a diverse habitat, thus impacting resilience to environmental changes.

Question 13

Answer: Beavers contribute to their ecosystem by creating ponds and wetland areas with their dams, which provide habitats for various species, improve water quality, and help in groundwater recharge. The removal of beavers could lead to decreased biodiversity as these ecosystems might dry up, resulting in the loss of organisms that depend on aquatic environments, ultimately destabilizing the local ecosystem.

Question 14

Answer: Raising backyard chickens can help reduce food waste by letting the chickens eat kitchen scraps and garden leftovers, thereby recycling nutrients back into the food system. This practice not only reduces waste that would typically go to landfills but also produces organic fertilizer in the form of chicken manure. Moreover, it encourages local food production, making the family less reliant on industrial food systems, which have larger waste footprints.