Which of the following interactions best describes the relationship between the corals and algae?

Aloha ʻĀina Grade 7 - Pre-Post Assessment

Name:__________________________________ Date:___________________

Do not mark this assessment handout Please use the answer sheet provided to record your answers

1. As energy moves through the food web in a coral reef, which of the following happens?

A. Chemical energy is transferred from phytoplankton to zooplankton.

B. Feather duster worms use chemical energy from cellular respiration to collect phytoplankton and grow bigger.

C. Barracuda uses energy for muscular movement in catching fish, generating heat energy in the chase.

D. All of the above are examples of energy transfer situations in reef organism interactions.

2. The following circle-graphs display sea urchin species data collected from two coastal sites located 2 miles apart. What fraction of the data sampled at both sites are covered by rock boring urchins?

A. 1/2

B. 1/3

C. 1/4

D. 1/6

3. Which of the following best describes symbiotic relationships?

A. The relationship benefits both of the two organisms involved.

B. One of the organisms benefits from the relationship and the other is harmed.

C. One of the organisms benefits and the other is not affected by the relationship.

D. All of the above describe different types of symbiotic relationships.

4. Which of the following situations describes an interdependent relationship in the coral reef community?

A. Surgeonfish feeds on limu manauea growing on the sandy bottom.

B. Apex predator (e.g., ulua) feeds on moray eel.

C. Cleaner wrasse eats parasites on the scales of an herbivore fish.

D. All of the above describe interdependent relationships.

5. Which of the following statements is true?

A. More people can be fed from an ocean ecosystem than from a fishpond ecosystem of equal size.

B. Protein in the human diet is most efficient when we eat apex carnivores such as ulua compared to herbivores such as awa (milkfish).

C. Cellular respiration is the process that organisms use to produce organic sugar molecules from inorganic molecules of carbon dioxide and water.

D. Approximately 1000 pounds of limu is needed to support 100 pounds of awa (milkfish).

6. Organisms living in Kāneʻohe Bay transfer energy to enable them to survive in or around the reef ecosystem. Which of the following statements does not describe how energy moves through food webs?

A. As producers of a food web, limu (algae) utilize sunlight (solar energy) to form sugars (chemical energy).

B. Limu "burn" sugars formed through photosynthesis to produce energy for reproduction and growth.

C. Herbivores consume algae and through cellular respiration produce energy for maintenance of body cells, growth, reproduction, and locomotion.

D. The constant pounding of waves on coastal areas wears down coral reefs and volcanic rocks to create beach sand.

7. While investigating the invasive algae species in Kāneʻohe Bay, Jessica monitored abiotic factors that may influence algae growth. One of the abiotic factors was the nitrate concentration in various areas of the bay. Jessica considered several different methods that would allow her to collect precise data on nitrate concentration. Which of the following would provide the best data to determine the nitrate concentration in Kāneʻohe Bay?

A. Use a water quality test kit to measure the nitrate concentration and use this value as the standard nitrate concentration for that day.

B. Collect seawater samples from two sites in the bay. A specified quantity of different algae will be placed in each water sample and monitored for change in biomass after 3 weeks.

C. Measure the nitrogen gas dissolved in seawater samples collected at the surface and 2 meters below the surface in one specific site close to an injection well site.

D. Collect water samples along several transect lines in the bay. Use a water quality test kit to measure the concentration of nitrates that will be averaged for each site and compared to draw a conclusion.

8. Which of the following would have a major effect in upsetting the carrying capacity and sustainability of the reef ecosystem in Kāneʻohe Bay?

A. Increased level of nitrates from human sewage and plant fertilizers entering the bay.

B. Stabilize the growth and spread of fleshy limu species at Coconut Island.

C. Restrict the construction of hotels and recreational facilities along the Kāneʻohe Bay shoreline.

D. All of the above will upset the carrying capacity and sustainability of the reef ecosystem.

9. Which of the following activities would be most useful in determining how biotic factors affect the coral reef?

A. Focusing very thoroughly on the nitrate levels of an aquarium populated by live coral from Kāneʻohe Bay for one week.

B. Researching and analyzing the species that were dominant on the reef in the past compared to the dominant species currently inhabiting the reef.

C. Identifying the exact years that alien algae species were introduced to Hawaiʻi through the global trading industry.

D. All of the above would be useful activities in determining how biotic factors have affected the reefs in Kāneʻohe Bay.

10. While exploring the reef ecosystem in Kāneʻohe Bay, Hoku observed an unusual animal that he did not recognize. Although it appeared to have a mouth on one end, it did not have a distinct head with antennae or eyes. It did not have any jointed appendages or ventral muscular foot for locomotion and was not divided into distinct body sections. The animal was very soft and pliable with sturdy, spine-like projections down the length of its symmetrical body. The blue animal was 30 cm long and observed on the sandy bottom of the bay. The animal that Hoku observed was probably an invertebrate species in which phylum?

A. Annelida

B. Arthropoda

C. Echinodermata

D. Mollusca

11. Hoku examined the new animal and discovered a tiny resident in the anal opening. The one-cm long resident has a hard white exoskeleton with orange spots and ten jointed appendages. He also observed eyestalks on the animal and it has very small pincers. This animal hiding in the long blue organism was probably a(n):

A. Annelid

B. Arthropod

C. Coelenterate

D. Mollusk

12. Kehau wants to investigate if sea lettuce seaweed (Ulva spp.) is able to take up nutrients and grow more quickly than other limu (seaweed). Which of the following steps would be useful in designing an investigation focused on sea lettuce growth?

A. Add the same amount of fertilizer to 5 different types of limu commonly found in Kāneʻohe Bay and monitor growth in 24 hours.

B. Remove all the sea lettuce seaweed from a specific area of the reef in Kāneʻohe Bay and monitor the algae growth in the area. Record the time it takes for the sea lettuce seaweed to colonize again.

C. Set up an aquarium with sea lettuce seaweed and add two fish to the aquarium each day for five days. Feed the fish daily. Monitor growth of sea lettuce seaweed for one month.

D. Vary the quantity of nitrate added to 5 different containers with identical masses of sea lettuce seaweed. After 3 days, transfer algae to nitrate-free water and monitor change in mass after 2 weeks.

13. The crown of thorns seastar (Acanthaster planci) has been reported in exceptionally large numbers in certain areas of the Pacific. This invertebrate is known to feed on live coral and is regarded as one of the invaders of the coral reef ecosystem. This seastar has many arms radiating from a central disc, barbed-like projections that cover its entire body, and tube-feet that assist in locomotion, defense, and feeding. Crown of thorns is grouped with which of the following invertebrates?

A. Parrot fish

B. Sea anemone

C. Octopus

D. Sea urchin

14. Malia wants to collect data on the percent-cover of crown of thorn seastar species related to distance from shore in Kāneʻohe Bay. She decides to use the quadrat sampling technique to collect data. Which of the following would allow her to collect the best data to answer her research question?

A. Lay a transect line in the bay and record the percentage of algae cover close to shore and 20 meters from shore. Gather water quality data 20 meters from shore.

B. Lay three transect lines in the bay and record the percentage of crown of thorn seastars in quadrats placed every 2 meters from shore to 20 meters offshore along the transect lines. Gather water quality data at all quadrat sites.

C. Lay three transect lines in the middle of the bay and record the number of fish species found in quadrats every 2 meters along the transect lines. Gather water quality data at each site.

D. Lay a transect line in the bay and record the number of crown of thorn seastar species found every 5 meters from the shore to 20 meters offshore. Gather water quality data at each site.

15. Kehau wants to investigate if the bubbles in Dictyosphaeria cavernosa (green bubble algae) allow storage of nutrients, which enables better growth of this species. Which of the following steps would be useful in designing an investigation focused on Dictyosphaeria growth?

A. Add the same amount of fertilizer to 5 different types of limu commonly found in Kāneʻohe Bay and monitor growth in 24 hours.

B. Remove all the Dictyosphaeria from a specific area of the reef in Kāneʻohe Bay and monitor the algae growth in the area. Record the time it takes for the Dictyoshpaeria to colonize again.

C. Set up an aquarium with Dictyosphaeria and add two fish to the aquarium each day for five days. Feed the fish daily. Monitor growth of Dictyosphaeria for one month.

D. Vary the quantity of nitrate added to 5 different containers with identical masses of Dictyosphaeria. After 3 days, transfer algae to nitrate-free water and monitor change in mass after 2 weeks.

16. Which of the following would be the best method or protocol for Kanoa as he investigates the effect of nitrates on the growth of invasive algal species on the reefs in Kāneʻohe Bay?

A.One nitrate reading at the east end of the bay was 0, therefore nitrate concentration is not one of the factors that need to be monitored in Kanoa's investigation on invasive species.

B. Use water quality tests to measure multiple seawater samples from different parts of the bay and average the nitrate concentration for that particular day. Repeat the tests every day that algae species data is collected.

C. Take one water sample from the surface water in the east end of the bay and another from a different location in the bay and use water quality tests to measure the nitrate concentration for that day.

D. For the length of the study, monitor the initial nitrogen concentration at the east end of the bay and a final nitrogen concentration on the last day. Take an alga species count on the last day.

17. Organisms use 90% of the food consumed for living functions (e.g., growth, respiration, reproduction) leaving only 10% to pass on to their consumers. In a typical food chain, the first level consumer (e.g., uhu) eats 10,000 pounds of limu. The uhu is eaten by the second level moray eel (pūhi) and finally the eel is consumed by the third level ulua. How many lbs. of ulua would result from the original 10,000 pounds of limu in this typical marine food chain?

A. 10,000pounds.

B. 1,000 pounds.

C. 100 pounds.

D. 10 pounds.

18. Kapono collected data on populations of barracuda related to different nutrient concentrations over a 3-week period. Which of the following representations is the best to analyze the relationship between nutrient concentration and fish growth?

A. Circle graph

B. Line graph

C. Bar graph

D. Stem and leaf plot

19. Which of the following statements best describes the interaction between zooxanthellae and corals?

A. Coral polyps (predator) feed on zooxanthellae (prey) swimming in the water.

B. Coral polyps produce photosynthetic nutrients to feed zooxanthellae.

C Zooxanthellae are carnivores that feed on coral polyps to survive.

D. Zooxanthellae live in coral tissue, producing sugars for the coral polyps.

20. Using water quality test kits, Chris monitored the nitrate concentration in mg/L at various sites in Kāneʻohe Bay over a 10-month period (winter-spring-summer). Which of the following graphs would be the best way to represent his data?

A. Bar graph

B. Line graph

C. Circle graph

D. Scatter graph

21. Decomposers in the reefs include all of the following except:

A. Sea cucumber

B. Butterfly fish

C. Box crab

D. Sea urchin

22. Nicole wondered if the nitrate concentration in Kāneʻohe Bay varied with heavy rainfall. She hypothesized that if there was heavy rainfall in the Kāneʻohe area, then nitrate concentration in the water would increase because the fertilizers from the yards and golf courses contain lots of nitrates that would enter the bay.

On a sunny day in September, Nicole measured once the nitrate concentration at the mouth of a stream that emptied into the bay. She again took one reading at the same spot on a cloudy day in October. After 3 days of rain in November, she took one reading from the same site. Which of the following statements represents the best description of her experimental procedure?

A. Nicole was thorough in collecting a reasonable "snapshot" of how the nitrate levels are affected by rainfall in Kāneʻohe.

B. Nicole needed to add more data-collection days from December to May to compare nitrate levels over an extended period of time.

C. Nicole needed to collect nitrate data from the same site at least 3 different times on sunny days and 3 different times after heavy rainfall.

D. Rather than collect/test only one sample of water in September, October, and November, Nicole should have tested 3 water samples each month and calculated an average for the month.

23. Early Hawaiians supported wise/efficient energy production of protein for human consumption by practicing which of the following procedures?

A. Cultivate first level consumers (herbivores) in the fishponds.

B. Cultivate second level consumers (carnivores) in the fishponds.

C. Cultivate third level consumers (apex carnivores).

D. Cultivate producers (algae) in the fishpond.

24. The following table reflects sample quadrant data of the surface area (cm2) covered by some common algae and coral species in Kāneʻohe Bay. What percent of the quadrat is covered by finger coral?

Algal Species in Quadrat	Surface Area Covered in cm2
Prickly seaweed (Acanthophora spp)	1000
Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora spp.)	3000
Finger coral (Porites spp.)	1500
Sea lettuce (Ulva spp.)	500

A. 25%

B. 30%

C. 50%

D. 100%

25. Predator-prey relationships in the reef ecosystem include all of the following except:

A. Cowry → octopus

B. Ulna → shark

C. Zooplankton → ulna

D. Sea urchin → wrasse

Answers to Grade 7 Aloha ʻĀina Pre-Post Assessment

Aloha ʻĀina Grade 7 Pre-Post Assessment

Answer Sheet

Use pencil to completely darken the appropriate circle for each question.

Which best describes the relationship between the corals and algae?

Which of the following best describes an example of resource partitioning an ecosystem?

Which of the following best describes a terrestrial ecosystem that will have the highest net primary productivity?

Which of the following best describes the flow of energy in most terrestrial and near surface marine ecosystems?