Ecology Review

Which organism is most likely to be at the top of a food chain?

• Grass

• Rabbit

• Hawk

• Grasshopper

In a pond ecosystem, algae are eaten by small fish, which are then eaten by larger fish. This sequence of who eats whom is an example of a:

• Food web

• Food chain

• Energy pyramid

• Biomass pyramid

Which of the following best describes the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• They convert sunlight into usable energy.

• They consume other living organisms.

• They break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients.

• They produce oxygen through photosynthesis.

What is the primary difference between a food chain and a food web?

• A food web consists of many interconnected food chains.

• A food chain shows the flow of water through an ecosystem.

• A food web only includes plant species.

• A food chain does not involve energy transfer.

Which factor would most likely cause a decrease in the rabbit population in a forest ecosystem?

• An increase in the number of predators

• A decrease in the number of predators

• An increase in the number of trees

• A decrease in the amount of rainfall

In an aquatic food web, small fish are eaten by larger fish, and larger fish are eaten by birds. If the population of small fish decreases, what is the most likely effect on the bird population?

• Increase

• Decrease

• No change

• Fluctuate wildly

What role do plants play in the water cycle within an ecosystem?

• They release water vapor into the atmosphere through transpiration.

• They absorb water vapor directly from the atmosphere.

• They decrease groundwater levels through root absorption.

• They increase air humidity by shading the ground.

A decrease in the wolf population in a forest would most likely result in:

• an increase in the population of deer.

• a decrease in the population of deer.

• no change in the population of deer.

• an unpredictable change in the population of deer.

Which of the following best defines an ecosystem?

• A community of organisms interacting with their physical environment.

• A collection of all the biotic factors in a particular area.

• All the abiotic factors within a geographic location.

• A group of similar species that can breed with each other.

What is the primary function of producers in an ecosystem?

• To consume other organisms for energy.

• To decompose organic material.

• To convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.

• To regulate the temperature of the ecosystem.