Ecology and Trophic Levels

​Ecology: Trophic levels

By Michelle Menard

Poll

Consider the flow of energy between organisms in a food chain. What do you think happens to the stored energy in the grass as one organism eats another in a food chain relationship?

• Most of the energy ends up in the eagle

• Most of the energy ends up in the snake

• Most of the energy ends up in the grasshopper

• The amount of energy stays the same as it moves through the food chain

Multiple Select

Which of these things is part of an ecosystem?

• The water that the deer drink

• Deer

• Trees

• The soil that the trees grow from

• Predators

Open Ended

How is a food web different from a food chain?

Draw

Complete this food web by drawing arrows to show the feeding relationships

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a producer?

• An elephant

• A rose bush

• A mushroom

• A spider

Multiple Choice

Which of these is a consumer?

• A human

• A palm tree

• Algae

Multiple Choice

Earthworms break down decaying matter in the soil and return these nutrients to the soil. What role do earthworms play in an ecosystem?

• Scavenger

• Decomposer

• Producer

• Consumer

Multiple Choice

Animals that eat only plants are considered ________________ consumers.

• Primary

• Secondary

• Tertiary

Multiple Choice

The animals who do not have any natural predators and are at the top of the food web are called ____________________

• Producers

• Decomposers

• Apex predators

• Primary consumers

Labelling

Identify each role in this food chain by dragging the label over the correct organism.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Producer

Tertiary consumer

Secondary consumer

Decomposer

Apex predator

Primary consumer

Open Ended

Where does the energy in producers come from?

Poll

Consider the flow of energy between organisms in a food chain. What do you think happens to the stored energy in the grass as one organism eats another in a food chain relationship?

• Most of the energy ends up in the eagle

• Most of the energy ends up in the snake

• Most of the energy ends up in the grasshopper

• The amount of energy stays the same as it moves through the food chain

Multiple Choice

In any ecosystem, the organisms that can make their own food from energy

in their surroundings are called ______________.

• Producers

• Consumers

• Decomposers

Multiple Choice

What do the arrows in a food web represent?

• The direction in which an animal travels

• The flow of energy and matter

• The relationship between animals

Multiple Choice

In any ecosystem, the organisms that break down decaying organisms are

called ___________________ .

• Producers

• Consumers

• Decomposers

Multiple Choice

How are food chains and food webs different?

• Food webs are made by spiders and food chains are made by humans

• Food webs are a small part of a larger food web

• Food chains are a small part of a larger food web

• They mean the same thing and used interchangeably

Multiple Choice

What happens to the energy in an ecosystem as it moves up the trophic

levels?

• It increases

• It decreases

• It stays the same