1. ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
1./9. Define pioneer species and climax community. Pioneer species are the first organisms to come into an environment. A climax community is the stage of the environment where resources are used efficiently and balance is maintained; stable environment, equilibrium

2. BIOMES
2. How and why is the soil in a rainforest different than other biomes? Rainforest soil is poor in nutrients because of the high number of organisms that live in the soil and because of erosion by water. Any dead leaves or vegetation are consumed quickly.

3. BIODIVERSITY
3. How does a change in habitat reduce biodiversity? When the environment experiences a change like a loss of land, pollution, or a catastrophic event it can affect a variety of organisms, then that reduces biodiversity.

4. ADAPTATIONS
4. What are some adaptations plants made to live in a desert? Desert plants need to survive with little moisture. Needles as leaves will help them prevent loss of so much water in the heat. A waxy cuticle (skin) also helps a cactus not lose so much water. Animals burrow and hunt at night (nocturnal) to stay cool.

5. ADAPTATIONS
5. What are some adaptations plants made to live in a rainforest? Large leaves help to collect rain water for animals. The CANOPY is the upper part of the trees where there’s lots of life—insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, etc.

6. ECOLOGY
6. What forces act upon a plant as it grows? As a plant grows, the force inside (turgor pressure) helps it to break through and grow/stay upright. Plant responds to light (phototropism), gravity (geotropism), and water (hydrotropism).

7. TROPISM AND SCIENTIFIC METHOD
7. What is the plants response to stimuli and how could it be tested? A positive response is when the plant grows towards that force; if it grows away from the force, it is negative. To test a plant response, you could design and perform an experiment. This is part of scientific method = problem, hypothesis, research, experiment, analyze data, make conclusion.

8. ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
9. What occurs during primary succession? Successions is a gradual change of the environment. If there is no soil present, succession is called primary succession. It may take hundreds or thousands of years. First, lichens might come; they will help break down rock and create soil. Mosses, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, insects, birds, shrubs, small animals, trees, etc.

9. ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
10. What occurs during secondary succession? If there is already soil present, succession will progress faster. After a wildfire is an example. It is called S- s-s-secondary succession.

10. 11. Less energy is available as we go up the energy pyramid
11. Less energy is available as we go up the energy pyramid. Energy is used for life processes and released as heat.

11. 12. Grass field mouse hawk bacteria

12. 13./14. If we remove the flowers, . . . .
If we remove the bird,

13. WEATHERING AND EROSION
18. How are canyons formed? Sand dunes? Barrier islands? Sand bars? Canyons are formed due to weathering (break down of rock) and erosion (movement of soil) caused by wind and water. Sand dunes are mounds of sand that were deposited by wind or water. Wind or water move the sand and deposit it somewhere else (deposition).

14. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
19. What properties of the moon do not allow for life? NO WATER NO ATMOSPHERE NO WEATHER/CLIMATE = too hot and too cold temperatures vary from -172 degrees Celcius to 114 degrees Celsius (-277.6—57.2 degrees Fahrenheit)

15. WEATHERING AND EROSION
19. What effect does weathering and erosion have on structures such as mountains and volcanoes? Weathering and erosion can change the shape of mountains and volcanoes over time—slowly breaking down sides, smoothing sides, etc.

16. WEATHERING AND EROSION
20. Why do coastlines change shape over time? Coastlines change shape over time due to erosion. Water/waves are probably the main cause. Winds from hurricanes also.

17. WEATHERING AND EROSION
21. What effect does deposition have on a particle of sand? A particle of sand can get moved and re-deposited somewhere else by wind or water.

18. POLLUTION
22./26. What are the phases of the water cycle and what type of pollution could occur at each stage? Water cycle: continuous movement of water throughout Earth. Water takes on various phases. Runoff—water that runs-off the surface
Evaporation—liquid to gas—can trap pollution from air—lead to acid rain; Condensation—water vapor (gas) to liquid. Water picks up pollution. Precipitation—water or ice falls to Earth’s surface.

19. FORCE AND MOTION
23./24. Define work. When is work being done on an object? Work = force x distance. Is there a push/pull? Is the object moving? Is it moving in the SAME direction as that force? Force is a push/pull.

20. FORCE AND MOTION
24. Give an example of a situation where work is equal to zero? Object not moving - Pushing a wall - Walking while carrying my backpack - Holding a weight over your head

21. AQUIFERS
25. How would dumping chemicals affect the environment? Dumping chemicals can become part of run-off that can end up on rivers, lakes, ponds, streams. It can also move through permeable rock and pollute the groundwater. Well water will become contaminated

22. POLLUTION
27. How would an oil spill in a body of water affect the environment? An oil spill to a body of water can affect all animals in that habitat—even on beach. For example, ocean. Coral, plankton, fish will be mostly be affected. Birds in surrounding area can migrate.

23. CASTASTROPHIC EVENTS
28. How do floods effect the environment? Forest fires? Volcanoes? Drought? Floods—decrease native (already live there) plants, animals may move, contaminate drinking water. Replenish nutrients to soil; serve for breeding grounds for large fish populations.

24. CASTASTROPHIC EVENTS
28. How do floods effect the environment? Forest fires? Volcanoes? Drought? Forest fires—destroy habitat, plants, animals move, but soil remains. It eliminates invasive species; enriches soil with nutrients; some plants need heat to distribute seeds.

25. CASTASTROPHIC EVENTS
28. How do floods effect the environment? Forest fires? Volcanoes? Drought? Volcanoes—destroy animal/plant life, everything covered by hardened lava—primary succession, ashes/dust = block sunlight, affects plants, reduces temperatures. Ash and lava are rich in nutrients; creates new land.

26. CASTASTROPHIC EVENTS
28. How do floods effect the environment? Forest fires? Volcanoes? Drought? Drought—not enough water, animals will die if they don’t migrate (move), plants can die. Wetlands dry out for habitat for water fowl; plants dormant in soil can germinate and grow.

27. FORCE AND MOTION
31. Draw 2 pictures in which a force is being applied to an object. Use arrows to represent the magnitude of the force. A. In picture 1 draw an object moving. B. In picture 2 draw an object remaining motionless.

28. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
32. What properties of the Earth allow for life? Proximity to sun, composition of atmosphere, presence of water

29. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
33. What inventions allowed for humans to explore space? Space shuttles (travel to overcome gravity), space suits (pressure control, oxygen tank, temperature control), tethers and foot rests to overcome gravity.