Quiz Date: 2/9/16
Study Guide
Terrestrial & Aquatic Environments
Vocabulary
Please study the vocabulary. Know the definitions and which
investigations they relate to.
aquarium: a tank for keeping live water plants and animals.
carbon dioxide: A colorless, odorless gas, present in the atmosphere. It is
released by plants and animals during respiration.
beetle: a type of insect with special forewings, which form hardened
wing covers that cover a second pair of wings.
environment: everything that surrounds and influences an organism.
environmental factor: one part of the environment. An environmental
factor can be nonliving, such as water, light, temperature, or chemicals,
or living, such as a plant or an animal.
germinate: when a seed sprouts, or starts to grow and develop.
indicator: a chemical used to test for the presence, absence, or amount
of a substance in a material.
isopod: a small crustacean with 14 legs that all function the same.
optimum (conditions): the condition or degree of an environmental
factor that is favorable to growth, development, and reproduction of an
organism.
organism: any living thing, including all plants and animals.
preferred environment: the set of environmental conditions that an
organism appears to choose over other conditions.
range of tolerance: the varying conditions of one environmental factor in
which an organism can survive.
viable: alive and able to grow.
Investigations #1-3 Concept Review
Foss Investigation
Investigation #1
Terrestrial Environments
Investigation #2
Bugs & Beetles
Investigation #3
Water Tolerance
Summary
We created terrariums and
grew five types of seeds:
radish, pea, barley, clover,
and corn. We observed the
seeds to see if germination
(sprouting) occurred. We
found that over time,
environments change. Some
(but not all) of our plants
grew, and we found that
plants need water and light
to grow.
We designed investigations to
control the variables so that
the effect of one
environmental factor could
be observed. We varied the
amount of water and light.
We found that isopods prefer
moist, or mostly wet
environments, and that
darkling beetles usually prefer
dry environments. Isopods
and beetles usually prefer
dark environments.
We set up a controlled
experiment where we
manipulated one variable
(amount of water) in each
environment. We then
observed the plants at 5 and
8 days to see whether the
plants had a different range
of tolerance for water. Within
the range of tolerance, the
condition or conditions where
the plants grew best defined
our range of tolerance.
Science Content
 everything that
surrounds an organism
makes up the
organism’s
environment
 an environmental
factor is one part of an
environment. It can be
living or nonliving
 environments have
both living and
nonliving components
 organisms are living
creatures
 designing an
investigation involves
controlling the
variables so that one
factor can be
observed at a time
 we found that each
organism has a set of
preferred
environmental
conditions
 organisms have ranges
of tolerance for
environmental factors
 organisms have
specific requirements
for successful growth,
development, and
reproduction
 optimum conditions
are those that are most
favorable and produce
the maximum growth,
development, and
reproduction
Investigations #4 Concept Review
Reread these investigation summaries to remember what we did together in class! You
may want to highlight or underline important facts and vocabulary to study for the quiz!
Foss Investigation
Investigation #4
Aquatic Environments
Summary
We created aquariums that included
conditioned (dechlorinated) tap
water and goldfish. We considered
the environmental factors in the
aquarium that included the
conditioned tap water, light and
heat, aquarium walls, gases and
other materials in the water, and
other goldfish.
Science Content
 Water quality and
temperature are two
important nonliving
environmental factors
to consider when
setting up a goldfish
aquarium.
We added the chemical BTB to three
different types of water to test for the
presence of acid. We found that
water with the goldfish in it had the
highest acidity (turned yellow).
 Carbon dioxide
produced by aquatic
organisms changes the
acidity of the water.
 An aquatic
environment can
contain many different
organisms.
Multiple Choice and Fill in the Blank Practice
1.) The environment an organism chooses to live in is their preferred
environment.
2.) Light, water, soil, and temperature are examples of environmental
factors.
3.) The optimum environments for beetles would be dark and
dry.
4.) To find the optimum (best) conditions for an organism, you must:
a.) set up a controlled experiment
b.) choose one variable (such as salt) to change in the experiment
c.) just watch the organism in one condition to see if it likes it or not.
d.) both a and b
5.) If the chemical BTB is added to conditioned water from a goldfish
aquarium and the water turns a yellow color, you can assume that:
a.) the water is dirty
b.) fish have been spitting out germs in the water.
c.) fish are exhaling carbon dioxide into the water,
causing the level of acidity to rise.
d.) both a and b
3.)
True To improve an aquatic environment for goldfish, you could
add water plants such as elodea, small pond snails, or other small
crustaceans (for the goldfish to eat).
4.)
True: Experiments to determine the range of tolerance for living
organisms takes time and close observation. The conditions where the
organisms appear to thrive (do best) will be the optimum (best)
conditions.
5.) Which of the following is an example in which organisms may still be
alive and able to grow (viable), but might appear to be not viable
because the conditions are wrong (not optimal)?
a.) A plant seed may appear not viable until it receives the
appropriate amount of water so the seed can germinate and the
plant can grow.
b.) Fish float at the top of the water when the water is not clean.
c.) Brine shrimp may appear not viable unless the water you hatch
them in is at an appropriate salt concentration.
d.) a and c only
e.) all of the above
Essay Question Preparation
1. What is the relationship between an organism’s range of tolerance
and its optimum condition.
ANSWER:
An organism’s optimum living conditions can be found
within its range of tolerance. For example, if you set up a controlled
experiment to test the range of tolerance of water on a radish seed, you
would find out how much water would be the optimum amount to use for
maximum growth and development within the range of tolerance tested.
2. Set up a controlled experiment to test the range of tolerance for
light. You must use all of these supplies in your experiment: 3
containers, soil, water, 6 sunflower seeds, and a measuring cup.
(Hint: Remember the other plant experiment that we did!)
1. Put one cup of soil in each of the three containers.
2. Place 2 sunflower seeds in the same place in each of the three
containers on top of the soil.
3. Cover the seeds with some more soil.
4. Measure an equal amount (20 ml) of water to pour in each
container. Pour onto soil and seeds.
5. Place one container in an area with direct sunlight, one in an area
with partial sunlight, and one in a dark area.
6. Wait for a few days. Observe and record any growth in the three
containers.
7. After about a week or 8 days, determine which container has the
most observable growth. That container will have the optimum
conditions for growing sunflower seeds.
3. After Ms. Larson’s class discovered the best condition to hatch brine
shrimp eggs, the class decided to hatch more eggs. This time,
when making the salt solution, Ms. Larson accidentally used a
different-size spoon for measuring the salt and used the same
amount of water. Even with this different solution, most of the
shrimp eggs hatched anyway. Explain why.
Answer: Brine shrimp eggs can hatch in a range of salt conditions,
so even though Ms. Larson’s class may not have hatched the eggs in
their optimum conditions, some eggs would hatch anyway.
4. Look at the picture of the saltwater aquarium above, and answer
these questions.
a. List the environmental factors that make up the aquatic environment.
aquarium/tank
water
thermometer
snail (L)
water filter/bubbler
shells
light/lamp
gravel/sand
fish (L)
rocks
water plants (L)
b. Look at your list ABOVE and mark an L on your list next to all of the
LIVING environmental factors.
c. Describe how the nonliving factors might influence the living factors in
this aquarium environment.
An example of a nonliving factor influencing a living factor would be if the
temperature (nonliving) got too high then the fish (living) might die. Also, if
the lamp (nonliving) was too bright/hot or too dim/cold, then the fish,
snails, and water plants (living) might not be in their optimum conditions
and could die (or not be as healthy). A rock (nonliving) could provide a
hiding place or shelter for a fish (living) in the aquarium.