Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Interdependence in Ecosystems ~ Misconception IEM065

Varying the size of a population of organisms will affect only those populations of organisms that are directly connected to it in a feeding relationship, not organisms that are one or more steps removed/away from it (Griffiths & Grant, 1985; Webb & Boltt, 1990).

Items that test for misconception IEM065 in this project (Original Project) and key idea (All organisms, both land-based and …)
Item ID Number	Item Description	How Often the Misconception was Chosen
IE025004	Changes in a population may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship even if they are several steps away in a food web (woodland ecosystem).	37%
IE016008	Changes in a population (introduction of a new species) may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship (caterpillars) even if they are several steps away in a food web.	37%
IE028006	Changes in a population (frogs) may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship (mice) even if they are several steps away and not within the same chain in a food web.	33%
IE019015	Changes in a population (fish in a pond) may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship (insects) even if they are several steps away in a food web.	31%
IE028005	Changes in a population may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship even if they are several steps away and not within the same chain in a food web (no specific organisms identified).	28%
IE019014	Changes in a population may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship even if they are several steps away in a food web (pond ecosystem).	24%
IE012011	Changes in a population in a food web (wolves) can affect populations of other organisms (grass) even if they are not directly connected in a feeding relationship.	20%
IE034005	Changes in a population (rabbits) may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship (crickets) even if they are several steps away and not within the same chain in a food web.	20%
IE020004	Changes in a population (fish in a pond) may affect populations that are not directly connected in a feeding relationship (large birds).	19%
IE012012	Changes in a population in a food web (wolves) can affect populations of other organisms (grass) even if they are not directly connected in a feeding relationship (text only, no diagram).	16%
IE026004	Changes in a population may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship even if they are several steps away in a food web (ocean ecosystem).	14%
IE032004	Changes in a population in a food web can affect populations of other organisms even if they are not directly connected in a feeding relationship (no specific organisms identified).	13%
IE026005	Changes in a population may affect populations that are not directly connected by a feeding relationship even if they are several steps away in a food web (no specific organisms indicated).	13%
IE032005	Changes in the number of worms in an area can affect the number of foxes in that area even though foxes do not depend directly on worms for food.	10%
IE031007	Changes in a population of organisms in a food web (worms) can affect other populations of organisms (foxes) even if they are not directly connected in a feeding relationship.	7%
IE031006	Changes in a population in a food web can affect other populations of organisms even if they are not directly connected in a feeding relationship (no specific organisms identified).	7%