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NY Released Regents Exam - Life Science: Biology (Jun 2025)
Quiz by New York Life Science: Biology
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​Carbon! Where Does It Come From? Where Does It Go?
On Earth, carbon compounds are found in the oceans, atmosphere, and living organisms, as well as stored in rocks and sediments. Earth and its atmosphere can be considered a closed system. The amount of carbon in different locations within Earth’s system is always changing.Â
Sea otters help maintain the carbon balance in their ecosystem. Otters eat sea urchins. Eating sea urchins is important, as sea urchins are herbivores that can destroy a kelp forest. Kelp are large autotrophic algae that grow much faster than most plants. When kelp die, they sink into the deep ocean. The low oxygen conditions of the sea floor cause decomposition to be slow or incomplete.Â
Scientists calculated the carbon pool (how much carbon kelp stores) with and without sea otters, as shown in the model below.Â
Which claim about the kelp carbon pool is best supported by evidence from the information and the model above?
The carbon storage is higher with the otters present because the sea otters eat the sea urchins.
The carbon storage is higher with the sea urchins present because they control the kelp population.
The carbon storage is lower with the otters present because the sea otters eat the kelp.
The carbon storage is lower with the sea urchins present because they carry out autotrophic nutrition.
​Which statement uses the model to describe how kelp contributes to a reduction of carbon entering the atmosphere?
Kelp produces carbon as it grows within the hydrosphere.
Some of the carbon stored in the dead kelp is trapped in the geosphere of the sea floor.
Kelp produces carbon as it sinks into the hydrosphere.
Some of the carbon stored in kelp is added to the geosphere through cell respiration.
Carbon! Where Does It Come From? Where Does It Go?
On Earth, carbon compounds are found in the oceans, atmosphere, and living organisms, as well as stored in rocks and sediments. Earth and its atmosphere can be considered a closed system. The amount of carbon in different locations within Earth’s system is always changing.Â
Sea otters help maintain the carbon balance in their ecosystem. Otters eat sea urchins. Eating sea urchins is important, as sea urchins are herbivores that can destroy a kelp forest. Kelp are large autotrophic algae that grow much faster than most plants. When kelp die, they sink into the deep ocean. The low oxygen conditions of the sea floor cause decomposition to be slow or incomplete.Â
Scientists calculated the carbon pool (how much carbon kelp stores) with and without sea otters, as shown in the model below.Â
Which claim about the kelp carbon pool is best supported by evidence from the information and the model above?
Which statement uses the model to describe how kelp contributes to a reduction of carbon entering the atmosphere?
Which model identifies the process that converts light energy into chemical energy inside the kelp?
