Wizer.me - Changes to Ecosystems

The picture below shows a type of plant called kudzu. Kudzu is a fast-growing Asian vine that was introduced into the United States. Kudzu quickly uses available resources and can completely cover the plants in an area. What effect does the rapid growth of kudzu most likely have on an ecosystem? The variety of native plants decreases. The water supply in the area increases. Weather patterns in the area change. The number of other plants increases Clearing a forest to build a shopping mall will most likely result in woodpeckers — nesting on roofs losing habitat laying more eggs flying slower Snakes feed on mice. The mice eat grain crops.When the crops are plentiful, what will MOST LIKELY happen? The mouse population will decrease. The snake population will increase. The snake population will decrease. The mouse population will not change. Bison are grazing animals. They travel across a prairie, eating grass. If there were too many bison in an area, there would probably be— fewer predators of bison many other large grazing animals tall shrubs and many trees less grass and more bare soil Highways allow people to travel between towns and cities. These highways also divide ecosystems into smaller pieces. Animals can become separated from lakes they use for breeding. For example, tiger salamanders travel long distances to breed at certain lakes. How could highway systems affect animals such as the tiger salamander? Tiger salamander habitats may be exposed to less pollution. Tiger salamanders may be cut off from important resources. Tiger salamanders could improve their ability to remember roads. Tiger salamander habitats within ecosystems could become larger. A species of giant pandas lives only in central China. Bamboo, a tall, green tropical plant, is the main food source for these animals. Large areas of bamboo are being cut down in central China to make room for growing other crops. What will MOST LIKELYhappen to these giant pandas? They will become endangered or extinct. They will migrate to warmer areas of China. They will become carnivores. They will begin to live in caves. All of the following are ways humans can adversely change the ecosystem EXCEPT— waste dumping using recycled products overhunting animals industrial pollution Some changes that happen in ecosystems are a result of nature. Others can be caused by humans. Analyze each situation below and sort into the categories - human or nature. Human pollution over use of fertilizers thermal pollution from waster water in chemical plants loss of soil due to cutting down of trees depletion of soil nutrients from re-growing same crops year after year Nature fires triggered by lightning overgrazing of grasses by deer herds flooding windstoppling trees