MISA Monday: Ecosystem Practice

Last updated about 1 year ago

8 questions

MISA Prep: Processes and Strategies

Required

1

Required

1

Required

1

Required

1

Required

3

Required

1

Required

4

Required

8

Library

MISA Monday: Ecosystem Practice

Last updated about 1 year ago

8 questions

MISA Prep: Processes and Strategies

Required

1

Required

1

Required

1

Required

1

Required

3

Draggable item		Corresponding Item

Read the following written response MISA prompt and answer the following questions. 

Prompt: Analyze the importance of biodiversity in maintaining the health and stability of ecosystems. Provide evidence from the text to support your argument.

Required

1

Required

4

Required

8

Which of the following best describes an ecosystem?

A single species living in a particular habitat

A collection of abiotic factors in a given area

A group of unrelated organisms competing for resources

A complex network of organisms and their physical environment interacting with each other

What is one key characteristic of ecosystems?

Dependence on human intervention

Stagnation

Homogeneity

Stability versus change 

How do organisms contribute to the stability of ecosystems?

By consuming resources without giving back

By forming symbiotic relationships and interacting with other organisms

By avoiding interactions with other organisms

By competing aggressively for resources

Which of the following is NOT a common element shared by all ecosystems?

Producers

Decomposers

Predators

Consumers

Match the Cross-Cutting Concepts:

Draggable item		Corresponding Item
Cause & Effect		Investigating or designing new systems or structures requires a detailed examination of the properties of different materials, the structure of different components, and connections of components to reveal its function and/or solve a problem.
Systems & System Models		Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.
Structure & Function		This concept can be used to simulate systems and interactions including energy, matter, and information flows - within and between systems at different scales.

Read the following written response MISA prompt and answer the following questions. 

Prompt: Analyze the importance of biodiversity in maintaining the health and stability of ecosystems. Provide evidence from the text to support your argument.

The above prompt can be broken down into 5 sub-questions that together build an entire written response. Which of the following is true?

The first sentence (claim) is the last sentence you write. 

The last sentence (reasoning) is the first sentence you write. 

Differentiate between an evidence point and a reasoning statement:

Symbiotic relationships contribute to nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems.
Genetic drift, natural selection, and symbiotic relationships all affect the health and stability of an ecosystem by increasing the resilience of its integral biotic factors when faced with inevitable environmental change.
Genetic drift (random mutations) contributes to increasing biodiversity over time.
Natural selection is the process by which the random mutations that occur to organisms' DNA, and then those mutations are considered to be advantageous or detrimental to survival of that species.

Evidence From the Text
Reasoning linking the evidence to the essential question

One of the most well-known deserts in the United States is the Mojave Desert. Located in southeastern California, and extending into portions of Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, the Mojave Desert is characterized by its arid climate, sparse vegetation, and unique geological formations such as Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park. It is one of the hottest and driest deserts in North America, with high temperatures and low rainfall contributing to its harsh conditions. 

Applying your knowledge of ecosystems and carrying capacity, complete the following sentences: 

Water is a(n) ____________ factor and a _____________ resource. As water became more scarce in this region, organisms had to __________ in order to survive. One example of this is the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). The Joshua tree developed _________________ leaves to deter animals from eating it and to _____________ water conservation within the harsh desert environment. Because plants that are not eaten are the ones that reproduce, the Joshua tree population has developed more traits related to water conservation over time through a process called ______________________ . Limitations of _______________ size result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources, and from such challenges such as __________________________________________ 

Other Answer Choices:

soft, lush

biotic

desert-adaptation

population

sharp, spiky

adapt

maximize

predation, competition, and disease.

natural selection

limiting

move away

Minimize

unlimited

abiotic

Focus Question: How is carrying capacity affected by biotic and abiotic factors within an ecosystem? 

Ecosystems are intricate networks of organisms and their physical environments that interact and depend on each other for survival. These interactions involve both living organisms, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, and non-living components like air, water, and soil. One of the key characteristics of ecosystems is their stability, which is maintained through complex processes such as nutrient cycling, energy flow, and the relationships between different species. For instance, in a forest ecosystem, trees provide habitat for various animals, while those animals help in seed dispersal and pollination, thus forming a symbiotic relationship.

Furthermore, ecosystems can vary greatly in size and complexity, ranging from small ponds to vast oceans, from dense rainforests to barren deserts. Despite this diversity, all ecosystems share common elements like producers (organisms that produce their own food), consumers (organisms that consume other organisms for energy), and decomposers (organisms that break down dead organisms and organic matter). 

Understanding these components and their interactions is crucial for maintaining the balance and health of ecosystems, which in turn supports life on Earth.

Vocabulary: 
Symbiosis: the living together in close association of two different kinds of organisms, especially when such an association is of benefit to both 
Biotic Factors: The living components (organisms) that shape the environment
Abiotic Factors: Nonliving conditions or things, such as climate or habitat, that influence or affect an ecosystem and the organisms in it. 
Homogeneity: The quality or state of being all the same or all of the same kind. 

Which of the following best describes an ecosystem?

A single species living in a particular habitat

A collection of abiotic factors in a given area

A group of unrelated organisms competing for resources

A complex network of organisms and their physical environment interacting with each other

What is one key characteristic of ecosystems?

Dependence on human intervention

Stagnation

Homogeneity

Stability versus change 

How do organisms contribute to the stability of ecosystems?

By consuming resources without giving back

By forming symbiotic relationships and interacting with other organisms

By avoiding interactions with other organisms

By competing aggressively for resources

Which of the following is NOT a common element shared by all ecosystems?

Producers

Decomposers

Predators

Consumers

Match the Cross-Cutting Concepts: 

Cause & Effect

Investigating or designing new systems or structures requires a detailed examination of the properties of different materials, the structure of different components, and connections of components to reveal its function and/or solve a problem.

Systems & System Models

Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

Structure & Function

This concept can be used to simulate systems and interactions including energy, matter, and information flows - within and between systems at different scales.

The above prompt can be broken down into 5 sub-questions that together build an entire written response. Which of the following is true? 

The first sentence (claim) is the last sentence you write. 

The last sentence (reasoning) is the first sentence you write. 

Differentiate between an evidence point and a reasoning statement: 

Symbiotic relationships contribute to nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems. 

Genetic drift, natural selection, and symbiotic relationships all affect the health and stability of an ecosystem by increasing the resilience of its integral biotic factors when faced with inevitable environmental change. 

Genetic drift (random mutations) contributes to increasing biodiversity over time. 

Natural selection is the process by which the random mutations that occur to organisms' DNA, and then those mutations are considered to be advantageous or detrimental to survival of that species.

Evidence From the Text

Reasoning linking the evidence to the essential question

One of the most well-known deserts in the United States is the Mojave Desert. Located in southeastern California, and extending into portions of Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, the Mojave Desert is characterized by its arid climate, sparse vegetation, and unique geological formations such as Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park. It is one of the hottest and driest deserts in North America, with high temperatures and low rainfall contributing to its harsh conditions. 

Applying your knowledge of ecosystems and carrying capacity, complete the following sentences: 

Water is a(n) ____________ factor and a _____________ resource. As water became more scarce in this region, organisms had to __________ in order to survive. One example of this is the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). The Joshua tree developed _________________ leaves to deter animals from eating it and to _____________ water conservation within the harsh desert environment. Because plants that are not eaten are the ones that reproduce, the Joshua tree population has developed more traits related to water conservation over time through a process called ______________________ . Limitations of _______________ size result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources, and from such challenges such as __________________________________________ 