Science: Life and Environmental Flashcards

A disease suddenly eliminates most of the deer population in a Wisconsin forest ecosystem. The food web includes oak trees, deer, squirrels, hawks, and wolves. Deer and squirrels eat acorns from oak trees, while wolves prey on deer and hawks prey on squirrels. Which of the following is the most likely immediate effect?

Answer: The wolf population will likely decrease due to a loss of their primary food source.

In this food web, wolves depend on deer as their main source of food. A sudden and large reduction in the deer population would remove this food source, likely leading to starvation and a decline in the wolf population.

Which of the following is an invasive insect species that poses a significant threat to Wisconsin's ash trees by burrowing under the bark and disrupting nutrient transport?

Answer: Emerald ash borer

The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle from Asia that has killed millions of ash trees across North America, including Wisconsin. Its larvae feed on the inner bark, which cuts off the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. The other animals listed are native to Wisconsin.

A student is studying a wetland ecosystem in Wisconsin. Which of the following lists contains only abiotic factors the student might observe?

Answer: Water pH, soil composition, and sunlight

Abiotic factors are the non-living chemical and physical parts of an ecosystem. Water pH, soil composition, and sunlight are all non-living components. The other options include living (biotic) organisms such as plants, animals, and algae.

A scientist places a healthy green plant inside a sealed, transparent container with adequate water and light. Over several hours, how will the concentration of gases inside the container most likely change?

Answer: Oxygen will increase, and carbon dioxide will decrease.

During photosynthesis, plants use light energy, water, and carbon dioxide to create glucose (food) and oxygen. In a sealed container with light, the plant will consume carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen as a byproduct, causing the O2 level to rise and the CO2 level to fall.

What is the name of the process in the water cycle where water vapor in the atmosphere cools and changes back into liquid water droplets, forming clouds?

Answer: Condensation

Condensation is the process where water vapor (a gas) cools down and turns back into liquid water, which is what forms clouds in the atmosphere. Evaporation is liquid turning to gas, transpiration is water movement through plants, and precipitation is water falling from clouds.

Which of the following describes a behavioral adaptation, rather than a physical or physiological one, for an animal surviving a Wisconsin winter?

Answer: A flock of sandhill cranes migrating to a warmer climate.

A behavioral adaptation is something an organism does to survive. Migration is an action taken by animals like sandhill cranes to move to areas with more favorable conditions during winter. A thick coat and long claws are physical (structural) adaptations, while the ability to produce a natural antifreeze is a physiological adaptation.