SCIENCE HS STAAR REVIEW FOR BIOLOGY

REPORTING CATEGORY #5- INTERDEPENDENCE

WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

SE 11- BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS WORK TO

ACHIEVE & MAINTAIN BALANCE

HOW ORGANISMS RESPOND TO EXTERNAL FACTORS

Abiotic factors= non-living Biotic factors= living

HOW POPULATIONS RESPOND TO EXTERNAL FACTORS

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HOW COMMUNITIES RESPOND TO EXTERNAL FACTORS

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

Besides temperature, what other abiotic factor greatly affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in a body of water?

A. growth rate of populationsB. size of soil particlesC. length of light periodD. number of fish species

Question #2:

Why is it important for organisms to respond to external environmental factors?

A. to maintain homeostasisB. to increase tolerance of environmental

extremesC. to adapt to their environmentD. to accelerate the process of natural

selection

MICROORGANISMS MAINTAIN HEALTH

MICROORGANISMS DISRUPT HEALTH

Bacteria

Fungi

MICROORGANISMS MAINTAIN & DISRUPT ECOSYSTEMS

Plankton- ocean food

chain

Algal bloom

MICROORGANISMS MAINTAIN & DISRUPT ECOSYSTEMS

Remember- viruses are not living!

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

Bacteria decompose dead matter by:A. carrying out photosynthesis.B. going through binary fission.C. using plant & animal material as food.D. reproducing rapidly.

Question #2:

How can viruses be treated medically to reduce their numbers & prevent them from spreading?

A. Use antibiotics to kill them & use vaccines to prevent them from spreading.

B. Use vaccines to kill them & use antibiotics to prevent them from spreading.

C. Prevent them from spreading using vaccines, but do not treat them with antibiotics.

D. Prevent them from spreading using antibiotics, but do not treat them with vaccines.

PRIMARY SUCCESSION

SECONDARY SUCCESSION

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

A volcanic eruption devastates an area directly southeast of a volcano. Which of the following organisms would be the first to grow in this area?

A. a shrubby bushB. a hardwood treeC. a climbing vineD. a lichen

Question #2:

What term refers to the final stage of a forest’s development?

A. pioneer speciesB. secondary forestC. climax communityD. conifer forest

SE 12- INTERDEPENDENCE & INTERACTIONS OCCUR

WITHIN AN ENVIRONMENTAL

SYSTEM

COMPETITION FOR BIOTIC & ABIOTIC FACTORS

PREDATION

PARASITISM

+ / -

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COMMENSALISM

+ / Neutral

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MUTUALISM

+ / +

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SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

When two organisms in a mutualistic relationship are physically separated, which of the following will most likely occur?

A. both organisms will become parasitesB. one organism will consume the other

organismC. one organism will benefit, but the

other will dieD. both organisms’ chances of survival

will be reduced

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #2:

The roots of a mistletoe plant absorb nutrients from living oak trees causing some damage to the tissues of the trees. This is an example of:

A. mutualism.B. commensalism.C. parasitism.D. saprophytism.

ORGANISMS ADAPT TO THEIR ECOSYSTEM

Arctic fox- winter & summerSugar glider-

jungle

Fennec fox- desert

Mountain goat

Star-nosed mole-

underground

VARIATION / ADAPTATION WITHIN A SPECIES THAT ENHANCES SURVIVAL

Polar bear Cactus

Giant water lilyMushroom

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:Why are there more plant & animal species in tropical rainforests than in deserts?

A. because there is more available water in tropical rainforests

B. because there is too much sand in desertsC. because there is more carbon dioxide in desert

atmospheresD. because there is more sunlight in tropical

rainforestsQuestion #2:A lichen results from an interaction between two organisms, a fungus & an alga. The alga supplies food, while the fungus traps water & keeps the alga moist. This is an example of which of the following?

A. commensalismB. mutualismC. parasitismD. predation

AUTOTROPHIC= SELF + NOURISHING

Makes own food!

PRODUCER

HETEROTROPH= DIFFERENT OR OTHER + NOURISHING

Does not make its own food!

CONSUMER

FOOD CHAIN

FOOD CHAIN

Indicates the

Direction energyflows

FOOD WEB

TROPHIC LEVEL

TROPHIC LEVEL

10%

TROPHIC LEVEL

90%

10% Rule

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

If an ecosystem contains 100 units of energy at the producer trophic level, then it will most likely contain about how many units of energy at the secondary consumer level?

A. 1B. 10C. 100D. 1,000

SAMPLE QUESTION:

Question #2:

Study the above illustration of a food web. What would happen if coyotes were removed from the ecosystem?

A. The population of hawks & snakes would decrease.

B. The population of grasses & shrubs would greatly increase.

C. The rabbit & rat population would greatly decrease.

D. The rabbit & rat population would increase.

SPECIES SURVIVAL & LIMITED RESOURCES

Nile crocodile vs. wildebeest

Humpback whales bubble-

net feed on herring

Cheetah vs. gazelle

Great white shark vs. seal

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

The desert tortoise feeds on prickly pear cactus & other desert plants.

Which of these best describes the desert tortoise in this desert community food web?

A. the desert tortoise is a herbivoreB. the desert tortoise is a producerC. the desert tortoise is a predatorD. the desert tortoise is a carnivore

CYCLING OF MATTER IN AN ECOSYSTEM

Carbon

Nitrogen

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SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

Some marine organisms participate in the carbon cycle by using dissolved carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. This process is accompanied by which energy change?

A. solar energy being destroyedB. solar energy being transformed into

matterC. solar energy being split into its

component partsD. solar energy being transformed into

chemical energy

SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #2:

All of the organisms in a typical ecosystem are interdependent, helping to maintain the equilibrium of the ecosystem & sustaining each other. Which of the following processes can bacteria perform that is not possible for the other members of a typical ecosystem?

A. converting radiant energy into chemical energy

B. conserving waterC. using nitrogen from the atmosphereD. decomposing the remains of dead

organisms

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE CAN IMPACT ECOSYSTEM STABILITY

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SAMPLE QUESTION:Question #1:

A person living near this pond wants to reduce the mosquito population. The mosquito population in this ecosystem could be reduced by:

A. planting more duckweed.B. catching more minnows.C. removing some martin houses.D. adding more shelter for frogs.

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