Posttest 2023 Review

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Brine Shrimp Harvesting

Brine shrimp are crustaceans that live in salt water. Brine shrimp are an important part of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. They feed on algae within the lake, are a food source for migrating birds, and play an important role in the worldwide fishing industry. Brine shrimp can survive in waters of varying temperatures and salt levels. When environmental conditions are good, brine shrimp reproduce through live birth. When environmental conditions are not ideal, the shrimp form cysts—eggs surrounded by a thick coating—that hatch outside of the body. The cysts float on the surface of the water, many joining together and forming large mats. The eggs wait to hatch until conditions are good, sometimes remaining unhatched for years. Many cysts are laid in late summer and will hatch in the spring when there is plenty of food available and the lake has ideal temperatures and salt levels. Most adult brine shrimp die at the end of fall, so the entire population depends on the hatching of the cysts each spring. 

Brine shrimp cysts are collected, dried, canned, and transported around the world to be used as food at fish farms. The cysts are easy to transport. Once they reach their destination, they are placed in water, hatched, and used as a nutritious food source for other organisms. When cyst harvesting first began, the practice was not controlled, and the population of brine shrimp was affected. Local fishermen and the government stepped in to design policies to help brine shrimp continue to thrive in the Great Salt Lake. Four policy designs are described.

The following question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part A:Which policy design will BEST ensure that brine shrimp will continue to live in the Great Salt Lake?

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Brine Shrimp Harvesting

Brine shrimp are crustaceans that live in salt water. Brine shrimp are an important part of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. They feed on algae within the lake, are a food source for migrating birds, and play an important role in the worldwide fishing industry. Brine shrimp can survive in waters of varying temperatures and salt levels. When environmental conditions are good, brine shrimp reproduce through live birth. When environmental conditions are not ideal, the shrimp form cysts—eggs surrounded by a thick coating—that hatch outside of the body. The cysts float on the surface of the water, many joining together and forming large mats. The eggs wait to hatch until conditions are good, sometimes remaining unhatched for years. Many cysts are laid in late summer and will hatch in the spring when there is plenty of food available and the lake has ideal temperatures and salt levels. Most adult brine shrimp die at the end of fall, so the entire population depends on the hatching of the cysts each spring. 

Brine shrimp cysts are collected, dried, canned, and transported around the world to be used as food at fish farms. The cysts are easy to transport. Once they reach their destination, they are placed in water, hatched, and used as a nutritious food source for other organisms. When cyst harvesting first began, the practice was not controlled, and the population of brine shrimp was affected. Local fishermen and the government stepped in to design policies to help brine shrimp continue to thrive in the Great Salt Lake. Four policy designs are described.

The following question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part B:

Which evaluation supports the claim made in Part A?

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors

Carrying capacity is defined as the number of organisms that an ecosystem can support. The carrying capacity is determined by limiting factors that determine the growth of populations within the ecosystem. Biotic limiting factors include the availability of food and competition with other organisms. Abiotic limiting factors include space, temperature, and the availability of water. The carrying capacity and the limiting factors of an ecosystem are related. A population will experience logistic growth due to limiting factors and experience exponential growth due to an absence of limiting factors, as shown in the graph. 

The Sonoran Desert covers portions of Arizona, California, and Northwestern Mexico. The desert is rich in biodiversity and includes organisms such as desert cottontail rabbits, coyotes, birds, insects, reptiles, and many plant species. While it is mostly hot and dry, it has two rainy seasons where it receives 3–20 inches of rain per year. The diagram shows a simple food web of an ecosystem in the Sonoran Desert.

Which example correctly predicts the effect of a change on the ecosystem.

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors

Carrying capacity is defined as the number of organisms that an ecosystem can support. The carrying capacity is determined by limiting factors that determine the growth of populations within the ecosystem. Biotic limiting factors include the availability of food and competition with other organisms. Abiotic limiting factors include space, temperature, and the availability of water. The carrying capacity and the limiting factors of an ecosystem are related. A population will experience logistic growth due to limiting factors and experience exponential growth due to an absence of limiting factors, as shown in the graph. 

The Sonoran Desert covers portions of Arizona, California, and Northwestern Mexico. The desert is rich in biodiversity and includes organisms such as desert cottontail rabbits, coyotes, birds, insects, reptiles, and many plant species. While it is mostly hot and dry, it has two rainy seasons where it receives 3–20 inches of rain per year. The diagram shows a simple food web of an ecosystem in the Sonoran Desert.

If the desert experiences a prolonged drought where many of the plants die, which BEST predicts the effect on the carrying capacity of the ecosystem?

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Changes in the Florida Panther Population

Florida panthers are a subspecies of cougars that live in the wetlands and forests of southern Florida. They are strict carnivores. Their diet consists mostly of deer, wild hogs, and livestock. Florida panthers need a large habitat in order to successfully hunt, reproduce, and raise their young. 

During the last century, the Florida panther population has experienced habitat fragmentation due to the construction of roads, urbanization, mining, and agriculture. This fragmentation has led to an increase in inbreeding within their population. Inbreeding occurs when closely-related animals mate and produce offspring. Inbred animals have a higher risk of inheriting genetic diseases, which often reduces their survival or ability to reproduce. 

To conserve the population of Florida panthers, a team of scientists introduced eight Texas panthers to Florida in 1996. Texas panthers are a closely related subspecies of cougars. After the Texas panthers were introduced, the scientists tracked the populations of pure Florida panthers and hybrid panthers produced from Florida and Texas panther crosses. The pie charts show the changes in the Florida panther population between 1995 and 2007. 

Which BEST describes how urbanization affected the Florida panther population? 

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Changes in the Florida Panther Population

Florida panthers are a subspecies of cougars that live in the wetlands and forests of southern Florida. They are strict carnivores. Their diet consists mostly of deer, wild hogs, and livestock. Florida panthers need a large habitat in order to successfully hunt, reproduce, and raise their young. 

During the last century, the Florida panther population has experienced habitat fragmentation due to the construction of roads, urbanization, mining, and agriculture. This fragmentation has led to an increase in inbreeding within their population. Inbreeding occurs when closely-related animals mate and produce offspring. Inbred animals have a higher risk of inheriting genetic diseases, which often reduces their survival or ability to reproduce. 

To conserve the population of Florida panthers, a team of scientists introduced eight Texas panthers to Florida in 1996. Texas panthers are a closely related subspecies of cougars. After the Texas panthers were introduced, the scientists tracked the populations of pure Florida panthers and hybrid panthers produced from Florida and Texas panther crosses. The pie charts show the changes in the Florida panther population between 1995 and 2007. 

Which factor limits the efforts to save the endangered panther population?

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Changes in the Florida Panther Population

Florida panthers are a subspecies of cougars that live in the wetlands and forests of southern Florida. They are strict carnivores. Their diet consists mostly of deer, wild hogs, and livestock. Florida panthers need a large habitat in order to successfully hunt, reproduce, and raise their young. 

During the last century, the Florida panther population has experienced habitat fragmentation due to the construction of roads, urbanization, mining, and agriculture. This fragmentation has led to an increase in inbreeding within their population. Inbreeding occurs when closely-related animals mate and produce offspring. Inbred animals have a higher risk of inheriting genetic diseases, which often reduces their survival or ability to reproduce. 

To conserve the population of Florida panthers, a team of scientists introduced eight Texas panthers to Florida in 1996. Texas panthers are a closely related subspecies of cougars. After the Texas panthers were introduced, the scientists tracked the populations of pure Florida panthers and hybrid panthers produced from Florida and Texas panther crosses. The pie charts show the changes in the Florida panther population between 1995 and 2007. 

Which TWO pieces of evidence suggest that the test of introducing Texas panthers into Florida was successful?