Ecology

Which of the following best describes an ecosystem?

• all the living organisms in an area and their physical surroundings
• a region with a distinct climate
• all the living organisms of the same species throughout the world
• all the living organisms in an area

A pod of dolphins hunting and feeding on a school of fish is an example of

• an ecosystem interaction.
• a population interaction.
• a community interaction.
• a biome interaction.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

The animal species shown above would most likely be found wild in which of the following biomes?

• grassland
• temperate forest
• tropical rainforest
• arctic tundra

The taiga biome that covers most of Alaska is pictured above.  Which of the following only lists biotic factors that can be found in this ecosystem?

• freezing temperatures, low precipitation, bogs, and acidic soil
• owls, poor soils, moss, and caribou
• moss, aspen trees, weasels, and raccoons
• birch trees, short summers, lichen ground cover, and bears

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What is the ultimate source of energy for all ecosystems?

• the Sun
• plants
• secondary consumers
• primary consumers

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

The energy pyramid below shows a possible amount of energy, in kilocalories, available in the organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem.  According to the law of conservation of energy, energy can neither be created nor destroyed.  If this is true, why is there less energy in the top of the energy pyramid than there is in the bottom of the energy pyramid?

• Energy is lost between each trophic level as heat.
• The law of conservation of energy does not apply to ecosystems.
• Organisms in the top of the energy pyramid use up energy the fastest.
• The extra energy in the bottom is slower to reach the top.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Which of the following interactions is an example of symbiosis?

• an insect acts as a pollinator for a plant species
• a population of hummingbirds migrates during the summer
• a tropical bird performs a courtship dance for a mate
• a mother bear feeds and protects her cubs

A farmer plants two species of grass with similar nutrient needs on the same small plot of land.  What kind of interaction will most likely occur between the two species?

• parasitism
• competition
• commensalism
• mutualism

The diagram below depicts the water cycle.  Which process is represented by the number 2?

• precipitation
• evaporation
• surface runoff
• condensation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

The bodies of all living things are based on carbon.  Which of the following is the primary source of carbon in living things?

• carbon compounds stored in fossil fuels
• carbon compounds in the soil
• dissolved carbon dioxide in the biosphere
• carbon dioxide in the atmosphere