I read this background article the other day: Predators play an important role in an ecosystem. For example, if they did not exist, then a single species could become dominant over others. Grazers on a grassland keep grass from growing out of control. Predators can be keystone species . These are species that can have a large effect on the balance of organisms in an ecosystem. For example, if all of the wolves are removed from a population, then the population of deer or rabbits may increase. If there are too many deer, then they may decrease the amount of plants or grasses in the ecosystem. Decreased levels of producers may then have a detrimental effect on the whole ecosystem. In this example, the wolves would be a keystone species. I am facing a new situation today: Mike is studying the predator prey relationship. He is specifically studying three species, species A, species B, and species C. Species A is a predator; species B is the prey; and species C is a plant species that species B lives on. Mike now needs to figure out how the predator prey relationship balance the ecosystem. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: If species A population decrease, would species C population increase or decrease?
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Answer: decrease
Q: I read this background article the other day: You generally can't see, smell, taste, hear, or feel radiation. Fortunately, there are devices such as Geiger counters that can detect radiation. A Geiger counter, like the one pictured in the Figure below , contains atoms of a gas that is ionized if it encounters radiation. When this happens, the gas atoms change to ions that can carry an electric current. The current causes the Geiger counter to click. The faster the clicks occur, the higher the level of radiation. I am facing a new situation today: Marie is walking through the garbage dump when she spots two old drums that are used to store waste materials. Curious about what these drums contain, Marie reads the stickers on the side of each one. Drum P says "nuclear waste" on the side, and drum X says "sulfuric acid" on the side. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which drum will cause a stronger reaction in a Geiger counter?
A: Drum P
Question: I read this background article the other day: Wind dispersal of seeds, or anemochory, is one of the more primitive means of dispersal. Wind dispersal can take on one of two primary forms: seeds can float on the breeze or alternatively, they can flutter to the ground. The classic examples of these dispersal mechanisms include dandelions (Taraxacum spp., Asteraceae), which have a feathery pappus attached to their seeds and can be dispersed long distances, and maples (Acer (genus) spp., Sapindaceae), which have winged seeds and flutter to the ground. An important constraint on wind dispersal is the need for abundant seed production to maximize the likelihood of a seed landing in a site suitable for germination. There are also strong evolutionary constraints on this dispersal mechanism. For instance, species in the Asteraceae on islands tended to have reduced dispersal capabilities (i.e., larger seed mass and smaller pappus) relative to the same species on the mainland. Reliance upon wind dispersal is common among many weedy or ruderal species. Unusual mechanisms of wind dispersal include tumbleweeds. A related process to anemochory is anemophily, which is the process where pollen is distributed by wind. Large families of plants are pollinated in this manner, which is favored when individuals of the dominant plant species are spaced closely together.Wind also limits tree growth. On coasts and isolated mountains, the tree line is often much lower than in corresponding altitudes inland and in larger, more complex mountain systems, because strong winds reduce tree growth. High winds scour away thin soils through erosion, as well as damage limbs and twigs. When high winds knock down or uproot trees, the process is known as windthrow. This is most likely on windward slopes of mountains, with severe cases generally occurring to tree stands that are 75 years or older. Plant varieties near the coast, such as the Sitka spruce and sea grape, are pruned back by wind and salt spray near the coastline.Wind can also cause plants damage through sand abrasion. Strong winds... I am facing a new situation today: John was studying plant varieties in different regions. He fist visited the Pacific Northwest. He found that the wind was constantly very strong there. He marked it as case A. Then he studied the plants in the Midwest. He found that on average the wind speed was very light there. He marked it as case B. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: In which case plant seedlings would be less vulnerable to evaporation and drought, case A or case B?
Answer: case B
[Q]: I read this background article the other day: Ants form symbiotic associations with a range of species, including other ant species, other insects, plants, and fungi. They also are preyed on by many animals and even certain fungi. Some arthropod species spend part of their lives within ant nests, either preying on ants, their larvae, and eggs, consuming the food stores of the ants, or avoiding predators. These inquilines may bear a close resemblance to ants. The nature of this ant mimicry (myrmecomorphy) varies, with some cases involving Batesian mimicry, where the mimic reduces the risk of predation. Others show Wasmannian mimicry, a form of mimicry seen only in inquilines. I am facing a new situation today: Greg was studying behavior of different organisms. He noticed that some organisms were showing inquiline behavior. He noted that behavior as case A. Then he noticed some other organisms didn't show any inquiline behavior. He noted that behavior as case B. He was astonished by the complicated interactions among organisms. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which case would see greater opportunity for food sources, case A or case B?
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[A]: case A
I read this background article the other day: The first evidence of baking occurred when humans took wild grass grains, soaked them in water, and mixed everything together, mashing it into a kind of slippery and wet broth-like paste.[3] The paste was cooked by pouring it onto a flat, hot rock, resulting in a bread-like substance. Later, when humans mastered fire, the paste was roasted on hot embers, which made bread-making easier, as it could now be made any time fire was created. The world's oldest oven was discovered in Croatia in 2014 dating back 6500 years ago. The Ancient Egyptians baked bread using yeast, which they had previously been using to brew beer.[4] Bread baking began in Ancient Greece around 600 BC, leading to the invention of enclosed ovens.[4] "Ovens and worktables have been discovered in archaeological digs from Turkey (Hacilar) to Palestine (Jericho) and date back to 5600 BC."[5] I am facing a new situation today: Students learned about bread making in school, and were fascinated by the history of bread. They learned ancient bread making techniques that they experimented with later on.Group A experimented with Egyptian and Greek techniques, while group B made it the Croatian and the Turkish way. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which people had a shorter bread baking history, Croatian or Greek?
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Answer:
Greek