Unit 1
What is carrying capacity?
Max number of animals an environment is able to support with the resources it has
Ms. Hogan owns land that once was used for farming. Now the land is covered in meadows, wetlands, and small groves of trees.Ms. Hogan is planning to convert the farmland into a golf course. She asks the town to choose from several plans. Each plan preserves the meadows, the wetlands, or the trees--but not all three parts of the ecosystem.Which is the strongest argument for the town to choose to preserve the wetlands?
More so than other ecosystems, wetlands filter and purify water as it soaks into the ground.
A developer proposes to develop a 300-acre tract of land known as Franklin Hill. The plan calls for 20 new houses, with solar panels installed on each house to provide electricity. The plan also calls for the establishment of a nature preserve where a forest will grow. However, another feature of the plan is for the wetlands of Franklin Hill to be drained and replaced with lawns. Is the planned housing development for Franklin Hill an example of sustainable development?
Only partially, because the draining of the wetlands damages an important ecosystem service.
What is the role of plants in the carbon cycle?
Plants transfer carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to carbohydrates in the biosphere.
Which policy would most likely have the greatest effect in reversing the increase of sea levels?
Reducing the global burning of fossil fuels, which add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Hyram fills a Petri dish with agar, which is a growth medium for bacteria. Then he raises a colony of bacteria in a Petri dish. For the first week, he observes the colony double in number every 1.5 days. Then he predicts that during the second week, the pattern of exponential growth will change to a pattern of logistic growth. If Hyram's prediction is correct, which MOST LIKELY will be the cause of the change in the growth pattern of the bacteria?
The amount of agar in the Petri dish will act as a limiting factor on the bacterial colony.
What is the triangle shape of a diagram for pyramid of biomass helpful for showing?
The amount of living organic matter decreases at each trophic level in this ecosystem.
Eleanor is evaluating a computer model of climate change in her hometown of Union City. The model predicts that the average temperatures in Union City will increase by 1.5°C over the next 20 years. Eleanor also notices that on February 19 of this year, the high temperature for Union City was 15°C cooler than the typical high temperature for that date.Based on this information, Eleanor argues that the evidence shows that Union City is becoming significantly colder, not warmer, and so the computer model is faulty. Is this reasonable, yes or no and why?
The argument is not reasonable because weather data from one date is not enough to evaluate climate.
Stanley is evaluating an article about climate change and potential solutions to climate change. The article argues that any solution must include reducing, and eventually eliminating, the human activity of burning fossil fuels. Which statement provides the strongest evidence in support of the article's argument?
The burning of fossil fuels acts to transfer carbon from the geosphere to the atmosphere, where it increases the greenhouse effect.
For many years in the 1800s, human hunters on the U.S. Great Plains hunted bison almost to extinction. Which statement, if true, BEST explains why the hunters were such a threat to the bison population?
The death rate from hunting was much greater than the maximum birthrate of the bison.
Deana applies the data in the table to calculate the rate of population increase or decrease of each country. Which assumption is necessary for Deana's calculations to be accurate?
The immigration and emigration rates of the countries are insignificantly small or approximately equal.
From 1970 to 2016, scientists were regularly observing the Joshua County Nature Reserve. Their data show that a community of grasses and other small plants was gradually replaced by a pine forest. Which claim about the history of the nature reserve could be supported by the data and logical reasoning?I. Several years before 1970, a forest fire burned down a pine forest.II. For several years until 1970, a pine forest was gradually replaced by grasses and other small plants.III. The land was used for farming or ranching before 1970, but was then abandoned.
1 and 3 only
About 800 ash trees live in a tract of conservation land. Which of these events would have the LEAST effect on the land's carrying capacity for ash trees?
About one third of the ash trees are cut down and hauled away.
The diagram shows an example of a food chain in a pond ecosystem. The first organisms in the food chain are algae, shown at the bottom of the diagram.Each arrow in the diagram represents a transfer of energy. To represent all of the energy in the food chain, which modification to the arrows, if any, would be MOST useful to include?
Add arrows from each organism to its environment, to show the energy lost as heat.
What is primary succession?
After an event occurs, live begins to develop on a once place devoid of anything. EX: A volcanic eruption covers a mountainside with molten rock.
Where is there more biodiversity, 1000 meters below the surface of water of 1000 meters away from the boat?
Below water
A group of students is developing models of the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. How should cellular respiration be included in these models?
Cellular respiration should be included in the carbon cycle only because the process transfers carbon from the biosphere to the atmosphere.
What do energy pyramids show? What do biogeochemical cycles show? What do both models show?
Energy pyramid- shows one way flow, useful for classifying animals according to feeding relationship Biogeochemical cycles- shows an endless cycle, useful for explaining importance of photosynthesis Both- has energy source, shows differences between plants and animals
A pond ecosystem is home to a community of algae, insects, snails, and a variety of fishes and birds. The pond is part of a wildlife preserve and is adjacent to a new housing development. Which of these events would MOST LIKELY cause the greatest change to the pond ecosystem and why?
Fertilizer is washed regularly into the pond from the nearby lawns. Removes oxygen from pond and causes animals to die off.
Lionel uses a model that includes the atmosphere and sunlight to predict Earth's temperatures. In this model, why does increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cause temperatures to increase?
Heat is trapped by carbon dioxide.
Fossil fuels are commonly used as an energy source for transportation vehicles. Burning fossil fuels has led to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and dissolved in seawater. Which of the following describes how burning fossil fuels is most likely to impact marine organisms?
Increased levels of carbon dioxide in seawater would cause ocean acidification and weaken corals.
Which plant feature would MOST LIKELY be common in this type of climate? (Climate- fluctuating temps with lots of rain and mostly hot)
Leaves with waxy coverings
If algae is a producer, where does it most likely get its nutrients?
The sun is the energy source taken in by photosynthesis
What is the effect of ocean currents on the climate of coastal regions?
They add or carry away heat, making temperatures more moderate.
Professor Juneau is developing a model of Earth's climate. Her goal is to describe a natural, long-term cycle of climate change, as well as to explain and predict short-term changes to climate.What property applies to all of the events that should be represented in the model?
They alter the flow of energy into or out of Earth's systems.
What happens if two species have the same niche?
They compete with each other and only one will survive
Modern farming practices often act to reduce biodiversity, such as when genetically-identical crops are raised in large fields. Which of the following proposed solutions would most likely improve the genetic diversity of a field of potato plants and increase the value of the potato crop?
Transfer useful genes from wild potato plants to the crop plants
Scientists have concluded that human activities are affecting the atmosphere and causing rapid climate change on a global scale. Which statement provides the strongest evidence that these changes to global climate are NOT the result of natural causes, such as variations in Earth's orbit?
Until recently, Earth's climate had remained relatively constant.
How much does energy decrease for each trophic level?
by 1/10
A team of climate scientists issues a forecast for Earth's average temperatures by the year 2100. The forecast includes a range of temperatures, with a minimum increase of 2.6°C and a maximum increase of 4.8°C. Which factor is most likely responsible for the uncertainty in the forecast?
future human decisions about energy use and reforestation
What changes would cause an increase in Earth's average temperatures?
increase in solar radiation that hits the atmosphere and the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in atmosphere
Kara uses a model that shows slight changes to Earth's motion through space over many thousands of years. This model helps her explain long-term climate change due to what variable?
input of solar energy
How does energy flow to a carnivore?
light energy → plant → herbivore → carnivore
What is ocean adification?
reduced pH levels in ocean by the increase of carbon dioxide
Which of the following could be a solution to help reverse a loss of biodiversity?
reforestation
What type of conditions have plants adapted to that thrive in climates with fluctuating temperatures and rain? (If confused it is graph on chap 3 number 4)
seasonal variations in temperature
Khalil and Vera are visiting a region of land that is unfamiliar to them. They observe a community of grasses and shrubs, as well as a variety of insects, birds, snakes, and small mammals such as mice and rabbits. Khalil claims that they are visiting a meadow ecosystem that, if undisturbed, will remain stable for many years. Vera argues that Khalil is incorrect. She claims that the ecosystem is undergoing ecological succession, and that it likely will become a hardwood forest.Which observation from this region would provide the strongest evidence in support of Vera's claim?
singed or charred tree trunks along the ground or in the soil
What is the demographic transition?
stabilization in the populations birth and death rates, close to equal
In a tundra ecosystem, the carrying capacity for arctic hares is about 400 individuals. Which of these events is MOST LIKELY to reduce the carrying capacity for arctic hares in the ecosystem by at least 25 percent?
the arrival in the ecosystem of a species that competes with the arctic hare for its food
A lake is home to many native fishes and aquatic plants. Which of these events is MOST LIKELY to threaten the biodiversity of the lake ecosystem?
the introduction of a nonnative fish species that has no natural enemies in the lake
Evaluate the following activities. Which activity is MOST LIKELY to have the smallest impact on environmental systems?
using land to create a national park