Content Benchmark L.12.C.3
Students know the amount of living matter an environment can support is limited by the
availability of matter, energy, and the ability of the ecosystem to recycle materials. E/S
Sample Test Questions
1st Item Specification: Explain that different environments have different carrying
capacities.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
1. The following graph shows growth patterns of population over time.
Line 2
Population Size
Line 1
Line 3
Line 4
Time
Which line represents a population that reaches a carrying capacity?
A. Line 1
B. Line 2
C. Line 3
D. Line 4
2. Which type of graph represents a population in an environment with limited
resources?
A. Exponential curve
B. Bell curve
C. Logistic curve
D. Predator/Prey curve
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
3. The following table shows the primary productivity of several biomes. The
accompanying graph shows the temperature/precipitation relationship of major
biomes.
Biome
Tundra
Productivity
Kcal/m2/year
600
Grassland
2000
Desert
200
Seasonal
Forest
Rainforest
6000
Scrubland
1000
9000
(Graph from: (Graph http://www.geology.iastate.edu/gcp/datasets/images/ecosystems.gif)
Based on the data given in the graph and table, which environmental factor
contributes to greater biodiversity?
A. Average temperature
B. Available water
C. Plant biomass per meter
D. Average latitude
4. The following table describes data collected on herbivores living in the same
habitat. All four species eat the same food.
Deer Species
Average size
Daily food intake
Offspring per Year
Species
1
500 kg
12-16kg
1-2
Species
2
320kg
3-5kg
4-6
Species
3
120kg
4-6kg
5-7
Species
4
400kg
9-13kg
3-5
Based on the data given, rank the carrying capacity for the herbivore species from
lowest to highest.
A. 1-2-3-4
B. 2-3-4-1
C. 3-4-2-1
D. 4-2-1-3
2nd Item Specification: Identify the factors that affect carrying capacity.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
5. Which of the following factors is a density independent limiting factor?
A. Competition
B. Disease
C. Drought
D. Predation
6. What happens to a population that exceeds the environmental carrying capacity?
A. Death rate and birth rate remain constant.
B. Birth rate and death rate decrease.
C. Death rate decreases and birth rate increases.
D. Birth rate decreases and death rate increases.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
7. Graph A shows the increase in sewage waste and a decrease in oxygen content of
a lake. Graph B shows population changes of four species of fish in the lake over
the same time period.
Graph A
Graph B
(Modified from Examgen 4.3)
Which of the following is a plausible conclusion drawn from the above data?
A. The carp were tolerant of the water quality changes. Therefore, the population
was able to grow due to decreased competition.
B. The walleye were more tolerant of the water quality changes and the
population increased from lowered competition from the carp.
C. The trout are intolerant of water quality changes but the population remained
stable.
D. The whitefish were intolerant of water quality changes and the population
grew.
8. Which of the following would NOT be a limiting factor to the size of a large,
dense population?
A. Competition for food, water, space, and sunlight.
B. Predation by abundant predators in the area.
C. Surviving a natural disaster such as a hurricane.
D. Spreading of parasites and other disease agents.
3rd Item Specification: Predict the result of changing a factor on the carrying
capacity of an ecosystem.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
9. The moose and wolf populations of Isle Royal National Park are one of the most
studied predator/prey relationships. What would be a long term effect of
removing the wolves from the park? The moose population will
A. increase dramatically due to the lack of predators.
B. die off due to disease because the wolves are not removing the sick
individuals.
C. decrease initially due to disease and then increase dramatically because of
lack of predators.
D. increase initially due to lack of predators then decrease due to overgrazing.
10. When Rapa Nui (Easter Island) was colonized by a small number of humans it
was covered with trees and abundant food types. Within a thousand years the
Rapa Nui population disappeared and the island was grassy. Which of the
following is the MOST plausible cause of the population crash? As the
population increased,
A. the different groups warred with each other reducing the overall
population.
B. the people cut down the trees for shelter and overused the food available
faster than the resources were replenished.
C. the people used the island as a resting place before moving onto other
islands.
D. new immigrants brought a disease with them that caused a fatal epidemic.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
11. The following graph illustrates the population of rabbits following the release of a
mating pair into an environment without predators.
Four possible scenarios are provided in Graphs A through D
A.
B.
90
80
100
Number of Rabbits
Number of Rabbits
120
80
60
40
20
50
40
30
20
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Years
Years
D.
90
Number of Rabbits
80
Number of Rabbits
60
10
0
C.
70
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Years
Years
Predict what the graph will look like following the introduction of fox at Year 10.
A. Graph A
B. Graph B
C. Graph C
D. Graph D
Number of Grasshoppers (x1000)
12. A farmer harvests a hay field twice a year. The following graph represents the
grasshopper population every summer between harvests. Week 0 is immediately
following a harvest.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Weeks
B.
1000
800
600
400
200
Number of grasshoppers (x1000)
A.
Number of grasshoppers (x1000)
The farmer retires immediately after a harvest (Week 0) and the field is left
unplowed.
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
0
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Weeks following harvest
5000
D.
4000
3000
2000
1000
Number of grasshoppers (x1000)
C.
Number of grasshoppers (x1000)
Weeks following harvest
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Weeks following harvest
18
19
20
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Weeks following harvest
Which of the following graphs shows the grasshopper’s population growth in
Weeks 11-20 without a second harvest?
A. Graph A
B. Graph B
C. Graph C
D. Graph D
Content Benchmark L.12.C.3
Students know the amount of living matter an environment can support is limited by the
availability of matter, energy, and the ability of the ecosystem to recycle materials. E/S
Answers to Sample Test Questions
1. C, DOK Level 1
2. C, DOK Level 1
3. B, DOK Level 2
4. B, DOK Level 2
5. C, DOK Level 1
6. D, DOK Level 1
7. A, DOK Level 2
8. C, DOK Level 2
9. D, DOK Level 1
10. B, DOK Level 1
11. C, DOK Level 2
12. A, DOK Level 2