Name: _____________________ Section: ___________ Week of 12/2/13 Homework

A) a loss of biodiversity B) an increase in ecological succession

C) a lack oI diIIerentiation D) an increased carrying capacity
1. Researchers have reported that the number oI diIIerent species oI Iish Iound in certain areas oI the
ocean has been greatly reduced over the past 50 years. This situation is an example oI
A) guarantees that the largest organisms will dominate the area
B) ensures a large amount oI identical genetic material
C) develops relationships between organisms that are always positive over long periods oI time
D) increases the chance that some organisms will survive a major change in the environment
2. One advantage oI biodiversity in an ecosystem is that it
A) an increase in the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere
B) an increase in the size oI predators
C) a decrease in biodiversity
D) a decrease in the amount oI soil that is washed away during rainstorms
3. A Iorest is cut down and is replaced by a cornIield. What is a negative consequence oI this practice?
A) Human population growth reached 6.8 billion in 2010 and it continues to increase.
B) The number oI AIrican elephants has declined Irom 1.2 million in 1979 to about 20,000 today.
C) Approximately 6,500 gallons oI oil were spilled into a river in Illinois aIter a pipeline broke.
D) At one time, rain Iorests covered 14 percent oI Earth and today they cover only 6 percent.
4. Which occurrence most likely led to the other three?
A) decrease diversity in a plant habitats
B) introduce new consumers to control autotrophs
C) release extra CO2 into the atmosphere to help autotrophs
D) learn about the interaction of populations
5. One way humans can promote the survival oI organisms in an ecosystem is to
A) soil minerals used by corn plants are not recycled
B) corn plants remove acidic compounds Irom the air all season long
C) corn plants may replace renewable sources oI energy
D) large quantities oI water are produced by corn plants
6. Many Iarmers plant corn, and then harvest the entire plant at the end oI the growing season. One
negative eIIect oI this action is that
Section: ___________
7. State one speciIic way the removal oI trees Irom an area has had a negative impact on the
environment.
8. Base your answer to the Iollowing question on
the passage below and on your knowledge oI biology.
Overstaying Their Welcome: Cane Toads in Australia
Everyone in Australia is in agreement that the cane toads have got to go. The problem is getting
rid oI them. Cane toads, properly known as Bufo marinus, are the most notorious oI what are called
invasive species in Australia and beyond. But unlike other species oI the same classiIication, cane
toads were intentionally introduced into Australia. The country simply got much more and much
worse than it bargained Ior.
BeIore 1935, Australia did not have any toad species oI its own. What the country did have,
however, was a major beetle problem. Two species oI beetles in particular, French's Cane Beetle
and the Greyback Cane Beetle, were in the process oI decimating |destroying| the northeastern
state oI Queenland's sugar cane crops. The beetle's larvae were eating the roots oI the sugar cane
and stunting, iI not killing, the plants. The anticipated solution to this quickly escalating problem
came in the Iorm oI the cane toad. AIter Iirst hearing about the amphibians in 1933 at a conIerence
in the Caribbean, growers successIully lobbied to have the cane toads imported to battle and
hopeIully destroy the beetles and save the crops....
The plan backIired completely and absolutely. As it turns out, cane toads do not jump very high,
only about two Ieet actually, so they did not eat the beetles that Ior the most part lived in the upper
stalks oI cane plants. Instead oI going aIter the beetles, as the growers had planned, the cane toads
began going aIter everything else in sight insects, bird's eggs and even native Irogs. And because
the toads are poisonous, they began to kill would-be predators. The toll on native species has been
immense....
Source: Tina Butler, mongabay.com, April 17, 2005
State one speciIic example oI how the introduction oI the cane toads threatened biodiversity in
Australia.
Scroll down to the next page to see
the answers for questions 7 & 8
Answer Key
Biodiversity & Ecosystem Stability HW
1. A
2. D
3. C
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. Examples. Less
oxygen is produced.
Less carbon
dioxide is removed
Irom the
atmosphere.
Habitats are
destroyed.
Biodiversity is
diminished. Plant
species valued Ior
medicines are lost.
aIIects global
temperatures
increased erosion
8. Examples: killed
oII other species
outcompeted other
species reduced
number oI birds by
eating eggs
poisoned other
species