Bill Nye - Biodiversity and Invasive Species Class | Science 7th Grade - Free Printable

To solve the problems in the worksheet, let's address each question step by step:

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1. All environments are Earth on crowded with _____________.

- Answer: organisms/life/biodiversity
- Explanation: All environments on Earth are filled with a variety of living organisms, contributing to biodiversity.

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2. Ecosystems contain both _________ and _________ parts.

- Answer: living and non-living
- Explanation: Ecosystems consist of both biotic (living) components like plants, animals, and microorganisms, and abiotic (non-living) components like water, air, soil, and sunlight.

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3. Describe what Bill Nye was trying to demonstrate by removing some of the blocks in his tower of blocks.

- Answer: Bill Nye was demonstrating the interconnectedness and fragility of ecosystems. By removing blocks from the tower, he showed how the removal of one component can cause the entire structure to collapse, illustrating that ecosystems are delicate and dependent on all their parts working together.

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4. What does the expression “You pick a flower without jiggling a star” say about ecosystems?

- Answer: This expression highlights the complex interconnections within ecosystems. It suggests that every action, no matter how small (like picking a flower), can have unforeseen consequences elsewhere in the ecosystem (like "jiggling a star"). This emphasizes the idea that ecosystems are interconnected and sensitive to changes.

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5. In Consider the Following, Bill Nye makes a special request to not spread out our development projects. WHY?

- Answer: Bill Nye requests this because spreading out development projects can lead to habitat fragmentation, which disrupts ecosystems. Concentrating development in specific areas allows for better conservation of natural habitats and reduces the impact on biodiversity.

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6. Name at least two species that have gone extinct. (four were shown)

- Answer:
- Dodo bird
- Passenger pigeon
- Tasmanian tiger
- Steller's sea cow
- Explanation: These are well-known examples of species that have gone extinct due to human activities, habitat loss, or overhunting.

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7. The “best way to wipe out a species” is to change its ___________.

- Answer: habitat
- Explanation: Changing or destroying a species' habitat is one of the primary causes of extinction. If an organism cannot adapt to the new conditions, it may die out.

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8. In the area where the students were digging out invasive plants, what was on that land originally, before it was a dump?

- Answer: Before it was a dump, the land was likely a natural habitat (e.g., forest, grassland, wetland). Dumping waste alters the natural environment, making it unsuitable for native species.

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9. The largest ecosystem in the world is _______________, where 2/3 of all species live.

- Answer: rainforests
- Explanation: Rainforests are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, housing approximately two-thirds of all known species.

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10. Of the 30,000,000 species on Earth, how many are lost each HOUR?

- Answer: Approximately 3 species per hour
- Explanation: Scientists estimate that due to human activities, species are going extinct at an alarming rate, with estimates suggesting around 3 species per hour.

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11. In conclusion, Bill Nye states that “As more and more species disappear, it’s harder and harder to keep an ecosystem in balance because we don’t know WHAT?”

- Answer: what role each species plays
- Explanation: Each species has a specific role in maintaining the balance of an ecosystem. As species disappear, we lose understanding of their functions, making it difficult to maintain ecological balance.

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12. To keep our ecosystem healthy, we must keep our ___________.

- Answer: biodiversity
- Explanation: Biodiversity is crucial for the health and resilience of ecosystems. Maintaining a wide variety of species ensures that ecosystems can withstand disturbances and continue to function effectively.

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Final Answer Summary:

1. organisms/life/biodiversity
2. living and non-living
3. Demonstrating the interconnectedness and fragility of ecosystems
4. Highlights the complex interconnections within ecosystems
5. To avoid habitat fragmentation
6. Dodo bird, Passenger pigeon, Tasmanian tiger, Steller's sea cow
7. habitat
8. A natural habitat (e.g., forest, grassland, wetland)
9. rainforests
10. Approximately 3 species per hour
11. what role each species plays
12. biodiversity

Boxed Final Answer:
\boxed{
\begin{aligned}
&1. \text{organisms/life/biodiversity} \\
&2. \text{living and non-living} \\
&3. \text{Demonstrating the interconnectedness and fragility of ecosystems} \\
&4. \text{Highlights the complex interconnections within ecosystems} \\
&5. \text{To avoid habitat fragmentation} \\
&6. \text{Dodo bird, Passenger pigeon, Tasmanian tiger, Steller's sea cow} \\
&7. \text{habitat} \\
&8. \text{A natural habitat (e.g., forest, grassland, wetland)} \\
&9. \text{rainforests} \\
&10. \text{Approximately 3 species per hour} \\
&11. \text{what role each species plays} \\
&12. \text{biodiversity}
\end{aligned}
}