Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha PDF

Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha LOCATION, DATE & TIME: Rm 221, Friday, Jan 24th/9:00 am A.​ BIOLOGY: Sustainable Ecosystems 1.​ Biomes 2.​ Four spheres of the Earth 3.​ Biotic Interactions 4.​ Food Webs & Energy Flow...

Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha LOCATION, DATE & TIME: Rm 221, Friday, Jan 24th/9:00 am A.​ BIOLOGY: Sustainable Ecosystems 1.​ Biomes 2.​ Four spheres of the Earth 3.​ Biotic Interactions 4.​ Food Webs & Energy Flow 5.​ Biodiversity 6.​ Carbon Cycle & Biomass Activities -​ Owl Pellet Dissection -​ Ecological Energy Flow -​ Carrying Capacity Lab Biology: Ecosystem Sustainability 1. Biomes (Climate, Common Plants + Animals) -​ Taiga (Boreal Forest): located in cold regions, short mild summers, low precipitation (snow), coniferous trees - moose, bears, + wolves -​ Tundra: extremely cold, strong winds, low precipitation (snow), almost no trees - caribou, arctic foxes, + migratory birds -​ Grassland: moderate temperatures + seasonal changes, moderate precipitation, lots of grasses + little trees - bison, prairie dogs, + antelope -​ Tropical Rainforest: near equator with warm temperatures year-round, high rainfall, very moist + wet, high biodiversity, dense vegetation - jaguars, monkeys, parrots, + insects -​ Desert: hot region, very little rainfall, dry, sparse vegetation (cacti, shrubs) - lizards, snakes, camels + scorpions -​ Temperate Deciduous Forest: 4 distinct seasons, moderate rainfall, trees (oak, maple, birch) - deer, foxes, squirrels + many bird species -​ Marine: very warm in tropical areas, very cold in polar regions, high biodiversity, coral reefs, algae + phytoplankton are important producers - fish, whales, dolphins, + sea turtles -​ Freshwater: temperatures depend on season + location, holds algae, reeds, + submerged vegetation - freshwater fish, frogs, insects, + beavers Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha 2. The Four Spheres of Earth 4 Spheres: Atmosphere - gaseous layers that surround the Earth. Biosphere - portions of the earth where life exists. It is an interactive system that supports both living and non living things. Hydrosphere - all water that circulates on Earth and its atmosphere. Lithosphere - the Earth’s landmass and its components that support life. How They Interact: Volcanic eruption: impacts the atmosphere (ash), hydrosphere (acid rain), and biosphere (habitats). Water cycle: water in the hydrosphere can evaporate to become part of the atmosphere. Through precipitation, water in the atmosphere can return to the hydrosphere or percolate into the ground to become groundwater. 3. Biotic Interactions - relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. Include both cooperation and conflict. They maintain balance within ecosystems + influence population sizes, community structures, and species distribution. Symbiotic Interactions (long-term, close relationships between species): Mutualism: Both species benefit.​ Example: Bees pollinate flowers while collecting nectar. Commensalism: One species benefits, and the other is unaffected.​ Example: A bird builds a nest in a tree. Parasitism: One species benefits, and the other is harmed.​ Example: A tick feeds on a dog’s blood. Non-Symbiotic Interactions (Shorter-term or less direct interactions): Predation: One organism hunts and eats another.​ Example: A lion preys on a zebra. Competition: Two or more species compete for the same resources (e.g., food, water, etc.).​ Example: Trees in a dense forest compete for sunlight. Dynamic Equilibrium: Interactions maintain balance + regulate ecosystems Human Impact: Disruption of natural interactions can destabilize ecosystems Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha 4. Food Webs and Food Chains Food Chain: Shows energy flow from one organism to another. Food Web: Multiple interconnected food chains. Trophic Level Labels: Producers (autotrophs: plants) make energy. Consumers (heterotrophs: herbivores, carnivores) eat producers or other consumers. Decomposers break down dead organisms. 5. Ecological Pyramids Pyramid of Energy: Shows energy levels at different trophic levels. 10% Rule: Only 10% of energy is passed to the next level. The other 90% is used for bodily functions and heat. 6. Biodiversity Definition: The variety of living organisms in an ecosystem, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, as well as the ecosystems they form. High biodiversity helps ecosystems stay balanced, adapt to changes, and recover from disturbances. 7. Ecosystem Threats Invasive Species: Non-native species introduced to an ecosystem that outcompete or harm native species (e.g., Zebra mussels in freshwater systems). Chemical Contamination: Bioaccumulation: The buildup of harmful substances, such as pesticides or heavy metals, in the tissues of an organism over its lifetime. Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha Biomagnification: The increase in concentration of these substances as they move up the food chain, affecting top predators most severely (e.g., Mercury in fish). Humans Threats and Mitigation Strategies: Habitat destruction: Urbanization, deforestation, agriculture, and mining. Habitat restoration: Reforestation, wetland preservation. Pollution: Air, water, and soil contamination by chemicals, plastics, and waste. Pollution control: Reducing emissions and chemical use, cleaning up waterways. Overexploitation: Overfishing, overhunting, and unsustainable resource use. Sustainable farming, regulations prohibiting overexploitation. Climate change: Rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and melting ice caps.​ 8. Carbon Cycle Carbon Movement: Photosynthesis and respiration move carbon. Human Impact: Burning fossil fuels and deforestation change the cycle. Photosynthesis: Plants absorb carbon from the atmosphere to produce glucose + oxygen. 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + energy (sunlight) C6H12O6 + 6 O2 Cellular Respiration: Animals and plants consume glucose and release carbon back into the atmosphere. C6H12O6 + 6 O2 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + energy​ 9. Carrying Capacity Definition: Carrying capacity is the maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can support. Determined by the resources and conditions in an ecosystem. Predator-prey dynamics naturally regulate populations to stay within carrying capacity. Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha Human activities, such as deforestation and pollution, can disrupt this balance and lower the carrying capacity. Practice Questions Biomes: What are the key features of the tundra biome? How does it differ from the desert biome? The Tundra has a harsh climate with very cold temperatures, low annual rainfall (mostly coming in snow), + a short growing season. On the other hand, the Desert is a sweltering hot region, with hot days and extremely cold nights. The Tundra is home to caribou + arctic foxes while the Desert is a habitat for lizard + snake species. How does the climate of a biome affect the types of plants and animals that live there? Climate determines plant growth, which then influences the number and variety of other organisms in a biome. Biodiversity is usually greater in more humid climates - the moisture can benefit more plants. Temperature and rainfall patterns also determine what species of organisms will thrive in a biome. For example, most frogs live in aquatic + swampy habitats due to the fact that their skin requires freshwater. Give an example of how a specific animal is adapted to live in its biome. An Antelope might live in a grassland because they are grazing animals, they need large amounts of grasses + ferns to eat. Another reason is because Antelopes are larger + built for running at high speeds, an open grassland allows them to outrun predators. The Four Spheres of Earth: How do the hydrosphere and lithosphere interact to affect the water cycle? In the water cycle, water must evaporate from bodies of water and then condense to form water droplets. In return, clouds form and drop this water back into the lithosphere where the water seeps into the ground and collects as groundwater. This groundwater finds a way back to a water source and then the process is repeated again. Essentially, the hydrosphere is the starting point of the pathway for water, and once the lithosphere gains the water back, it replenishes the water source. Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha Explain how the biosphere depends on the atmosphere for survival. The biosphere needs gases from the atmosphere in order to survive. For example, plants need CO2 to complete photosynthesis and then produce oxygen to sustain the surrounding animals. Additionally as the plants grow from the use of CO2, they are eaten by organisms (like ourselves - with the vegetables we harvest). Without the production of oxygen, humans would not be able to live! Describe an example of how a natural event impacts more than one sphere of Earth. When a wildfire occurs, large amounts of CO2 are released impacting the atmosphere. Water supplies can also be affected from wildfires, as the ash and various other contaminants settle on streams, rivers, or nearby water reservoirs. The lithosphere is also affected because plants and trees in the region are burned, which may render the soil loose and increase soil erosion. Lastly, the fire can cause serious harm to the biosphere, where inhabitants of the land may be displaced and injured. A wildfire endangers the overall integrity of a biome and challenges whether an ecosystem will be able to restore itself after the incident. Biotic Interactions: Define commensalism and give an example of this interaction from an ecosystem. Commensalism is a symbiotic interaction where out of two species, one benefits, and the other is unaffected. An example would be tree frogs using plants for protection. The frog benefits by hiding from its predator, and the plant is unharmed. What is predation, and how does it impact the populations of predators and prey in an ecosystem? Predation is a non-symbiotic interaction where one organism hunts and eats the other. An example of this would be owls hunting mice, where the owl benefits from successfully killing the mouse and eating it, the mouse would be harmed because it is now dead. How does competition between species affect the structure of an ecosystem? Grade 9 Science Exam Review Sheets - Agatha Competition is a non-symbiotic interaction between two different species, fighting for the same resources. These resources could be food, water, or shelter, an example of this is trees fighting for light in a dense forest. Competition should cause a reduction in the number of species living within an area, preventing very similar species from co-occurring. In the long run, however, competition is likely to increase species diversity, by acting as a force for specialization and divergence. Food Webs and Food Chains: What is the difference between a food chain and a food web? The difference between food chains and food webs is that food chains only show a direct line of energy flow from one organism to another. A food web shows a more interconnected system of food chains. Construct a simple food web with at least 5 organisms. Label the producers, consumers, and decomposers.