How animals adapt to environments

Question 1

A teacher shows a class a small pond on a hot summer day. The pond water is 30 °C, it contains lots of algae, has low dissolved oxygen, and floating leaves cover part of the surface. The teacher points out three organisms that live in the pond: a goldfish, mosquito larvae, and a salamander. Which statement best uses this evidence to argue which organism can survive well, which can survive less well, and which cannot survive at all in this habitat?

Accepted Answer

Mosquito larvae can survive well because they obtain oxygen from the air; goldfish can survive less well because they need more dissolved oxygen; salamanders cannot survive because they require cooler, oxygen‑rich water.

Answer

Goldfish can survive well because they are cold‑blooded; mosquito larvae can survive less well because they need dissolved oxygen; salamanders cannot survive because they need dry land.

Answer

Mosquito larvae can survive well because they like warm water; goldfish cannot survive because they need cold water; salamanders can survive less well because they need some oxygen.

Answer

Salamanders can survive well because they can breathe through their skin; goldfish can survive less well because the water is warm; mosquito larvae cannot survive because the water is too warm.

Question 2

A scientist studies a small pond habitat and makes these observations: - The pondweed is green and growing quickly. - The tadpoles are swimming, but many are small and seem sluggish. - The goldfish placed in the pond died after two days. Which statement best uses this evidence to argue that in this pond some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all?

Accepted Answer

The pondweed’s rapid growth shows it survives well; the sluggish tadpoles show they survive less well; the dead goldfish shows it cannot survive.

Answer

Because the pondweed is growing quickly, all organisms in the pond are surviving well.

Answer

The tadpoles are swimming, so they survive well, and the pondweed’s growth is irrelevant.

Answer

The goldfish died, so no organisms can survive in this pond.

Question 3

A gardener plants two identical groups of the same type of bean plant. One group is placed in a very windy spot, and the other group is placed in a calm spot. After several weeks, the plants in the windy spot have noticeably thicker stems than the plants in the calm spot. Which explanation best describes why the stems are different?

Accepted Answer

The windy environment caused the plants to grow thicker stems.

Answer

The plants inherited thicker stems from their parent plants.

Answer

The plants received more water, which made their stems thicker.

Answer

The plants are older, so their stems have become thicker over time.

Try three questions

Keep going on this shelf