Grade 9 · Science · Biology

9th grade Biodiversity and why it keeps ecosystems steady worksheet

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Biodiversity and why it keeps ecosystems steady

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

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A field note about one meadow (model data)
what is counted number
different plant species in the meadow 14
1.
Pia reads a field note about one meadow. Which kind of diversity does the note count?
- Genetic diversity: the versions of genes inside one species
- Population size: the number of plants in the meadow
- Species diversity: the number of kinds of species in the meadow
- Ecosystem diversity: the number of different ecosystems in an area
A field note about one nature area (model data)
what is counted number
different ecosystems in the area: a pond, a meadow and a woodland 3
2.
Bo reads a field note about one nature area. Which kind of diversity does the note count?
- Habitat size: how much land the area covers
- Genetic diversity: the versions of genes inside one species
- Ecosystem diversity: the number of different ecosystems in an area
- Species diversity: the number of kinds of species in the area
Plants counted in two meadows (model data)
species meadow A plants meadow B plants
clover 10 25
yarrow 10 25
dandelion 10 0
plantain 10 0
3.
Jun reads the table of plants in two meadows. Which meadow has more species, and how many?
- Meadow A, with 40 plants in total
- Meadow B, with 2 different species
- Meadow A, with 4 different species
- Meadow B, with 50 plants in total
Species found in two plots (model data)
plot species found number of species
X oak, maple, birch 3
Y oak, maple, birch, elm, pine 5
4.
Kira reads the table of species found in two plots. How many more species does plot Y have than plot X?
- 8 more species: the two counts added
- 5 more species: the species in plot Y
- 2 more species: 5 − 3
- 3 more species: the species in plot X
Trees counted in one woodland (model data)
species trees
oak 12
maple 8
birch 5
elm 5
5.
Luz reads the table of trees counted in one woodland. How many species are in the woodland?
- 30 species: the trees added up
- 5 species: the birch count
- 4 species: oak, maple, birch and elm
- 12 species: the oak count
6.
Milo reads the graph. What was the growth of the one-species plot in year 2, the dry year?
- 800 grams per square meter: the start of both lines
- 400 grams per square meter
- 600 grams per square meter: the many-species line
- 760 grams per square meter: the one-species line in year 3
7.
Noah reads the graph. Year 2 was a dry year. Which statement about year 2 is correct?
- Both plots fell, and the one-species plot fell further, to 250
- Just the one-species plot fell; the many-species plot stayed at 500
- Both plots fell, and the many-species plot fell further, to 375
- Both plots fell by the same amount, 125
8.
Esme reads the graph. In which year were both lines lowest?
- Year 5, the last point on the graph
- Year 4, when both lines rose again
- Year 3, when both lines dipped
- Year 1, the first point on the graph
Growth in one many-species plot (model data)
time growth (grams per square meter)
before the dry year 400
during the dry year 300
9.
Ren reads the table for a plot with many species. How much growth did the plot lose during the dry year?
- 700 grams per square meter: 400 + 300
- 0 grams per square meter: a plot with many species does not change
- 100 grams per square meter: 400 − 300
- 300 grams per square meter: the growth in the dry year
Growth in three plots (model data)
plot species before the dry year during the dry year
A 1 500 250
B 4 500 350
C 16 500 400
10.
Zee reads the table. Which plot lost the least growth during the dry year?
- Plot A, which lost 250 grams per square meter
- Plot C, which lost 0 because it has the most species
- Plot B, which lost 150 grams per square meter
- Plot C, which lost 100 grams per square meter

what is counted	number
different plant species in the meadow	14

what is counted	number
different ecosystems in the area: a pond, a meadow and a woodland	3

species	meadow A plants	meadow B plants
clover	10	25
yarrow	10	25
dandelion	10	0
plantain	10	0

plot	species found	number of species
X	oak, maple, birch	3
Y	oak, maple, birch, elm, pine	5

species	trees
oak	12
maple	8
birch	5
elm	5

time	growth (grams per square meter)
before the dry year	400
during the dry year	300

plot	species	before the dry year	during the dry year
A	1	500	250
B	4	500	350
C	16	500	400

9th grade Biodiversity and why it keeps ecosystems steady worksheet – printable — Print: 1 2 3 4 5 6

About this worksheet

Biodiversity and why it keeps ecosystems steady: kinds of diversity, richness and evenness, resistance to a dry year, and recovery. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

I can name the kind of diversity a description counts: species diversity (the kinds of species), genetic diversity (the versions of genes inside one species) or ecosystem diversity (the number of different ecosystems in an area).
I can count species richness from a table and tell it from a count of individuals.
I can say why two communities with the same number of species can differ in diversity: the relative abundance, how evenly the individuals are spread, matters too.
I can read a graph or table of plant growth through a dry year, find the drop, and say which plot lost more.
I can find a percent change by dividing the change by the starting value, and compare two plots by percent and not by grams.
I can tell resistance (the change during the event) from recovery (the return afterward), and I know the research found that diverse plots resisted more but did not recover faster.

Standard: HS-LS2-2

Words to know

biodiversity: The variety of life, counted as species, as gene versions or as ecosystems

species richness: The number of different species in a place

relative abundance: How common each species is compared with the others

species diversity: Richness and relative abundance together: many species, evenly spread

genetic diversity: The variety of gene versions (alleles) inside one species

ecosystem diversity: The number of different ecosystems in an area

productivity: How much new plant growth a place makes in a year

resistance: How little a plot changes during a dry or wet year

Common mistakes

Your child counted only the number of species. Diversity also depends on how evenly the individuals are spread among them. Ask your child, 'How many of each species are there?'

Your child counted the plants instead of the species. Richness is the number of different kinds, not the number of individuals. Ask your child, 'How many different kinds are there?'

Your child thought a plot with many species is not changed by a dry year. It still changes, but by a smaller percent. Ask your child, 'Did the number go up or down?'

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with biodiversity and why it keeps ecosystems steady?

Your child counted only the number of species. Diversity also depends on how evenly the individuals are spread among them. Ask your child, 'How many of each species are there?'

Are these 9th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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9th grade Biodiversity and why it keeps ecosystems steady worksheet

A field note about one meadow (model data)

A field note about one nature area (model data)

Plants counted in two meadows (model data)

Species found in two plots (model data)

Trees counted in one woodland (model data)

Growth in one many-species plot (model data)

Growth in three plots (model data)