Name Ecosystems: critical thinking

What Might Happen If…?

Study the simplified ecosystem pictured below. Then answer numbers 1–6.

1. On the back of this page, make a chart to list all the abiotic things, primary producers, primary
consumers, secondary consumers, and decomposers that are found in the simplified
ecosystem above.
2. Explain what might happen if the sun stops shining in this ecosystem.
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3. Explain what might happen if there is no rainfall for several months in this ecosystem.
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4. Explain what might happen if the population of hawks in this ecosystem grows very large.
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5. Explain what might happen if a local water treatment plant leaks raw sewage into the stream
in this ecosystem. ___________________________________________________________
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6. Name three other actions that could occur in this ecosystem and the effects they might have
on it. Write your answers on the back of this page.
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 Answer Key

Students’ answers may vary. In general, students’ answers should include the fact
that if an animal or a plant cannot get what it needs to survive, it has three choices: it
may move (change habitat), adapt (adjust to new conditions), or die. Possible
answers include the following:

1. abiotic things—water, soil, air, energy

primary producers—mostly green plants, such as trees and grass
primary consumers—mice, rabbit, squirrel (occasionally eats insects)
secondary consumers—hawk
decomposers—bacteria, fungi
2. The primary producers could possibly die off, which would leave nothing for the
primary consumers to eat. The primary consumers would then have three choices:
move to another ecosystem, adapt to the current conditions, or die.
3. If there were no rainfall, the primary producers and all the other animals wouldn’t
have water to drink. The animals or plants would have three choices: move, adapt,
or die.
4. The hawks might lower the population of primary consumers.
5. The water might become contaminated, which would affect all the other animals
and plants in the ecosystem.
6. Various actions could include a flood, land development, and disease. If an animal
or a plant cannot get what it needs to survive, it has three choices. It can move
(change habitat), adapt (adjust to the new conditions), or die.

©The Mailbox • www.themailboxcompanion.com • June/July 2006