Food Webs & Energy Transfer

Coyotes are opportunistic predators that are found throughout most of North America. They typically feed on small mammals, insects, and fruits and vegetables. They are known for their dietary adaptability. The best description of their role in the food web would be:

• A. An herbivore
• B. A carnivore
• C. An omnivore
• D. A primary producer

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A food chain is illustrated below:

• A. Energy released from metabolism into the environment as heat.
• B. Oxygen released from metabolism produced by cellular respiration.
• C. The absorption of energy from the environment that has been created.
• D. The transport of glucose away from the organism through photosynthesis.

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If several species of carnivores are removed from an ecosystem, the most likely effect on the ecosystem will be:

• A. An increase in the kinds of autotrophs
• B. A decrease in the number of abiotic factors
• C. A decrease in stability among populations
• D. An increase in the rate of speciation

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A pond ecosystem is shown in the diagram to the right. Which statement describes an interaction that helps maintain the dynamic equilibrium of this ecosystem?

• A. The frogs make energy available to this ecosystem through the process of photosynthesis.
• B. The algae directly provides food for both the rotifers and the catfish.
• C. The green-backed heron provides energy for the mosquito larvae.
• D. The catfish population helps control the populations of water boatman and waterfleas.

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Why is a fungus, like a mushroom, considered a heterotroph and not an autotroph?

• A. It creates different types of food.
• B. It makes food through photosynthesis.
• C. It makes food through chemosynthesis.
• D. It obtains nutrients from its environment.

A team of ecologists observed feeding patterns of several populations in the desert. The energy pyramid shown below depicts the feeding patterns the ecologist observed. Which of the following best explains the difference in the amount of available energy in the trophic levels of the desert ecosystem?

• A. There is less energy available in the producers because their tissues are less dense than those at higher trophic levels.
• B. There is more energy available in the second trophic level because less energy is needed for hunting compared to the higher trophic levels.
• C. There is more available energy in the birds of prey because they have greater muscle mass for storing energy than organisms in lower trophic levels have.
• D. There is less available energy in the fourth trophic level because of the loss of energy through metabolism in each of the lower trophic levels.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

The diagram below shows the cycling of nutrients in an ecosystem. The removal of which of the following groups would cause an immediate decrease in the amount of energy flowing through the system?

• A. Producers
• B. Consumers
• C. Decomposers
• D. Inorganic nutrients

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A food web is shown below. Which of the following organisms compete for the mouse as a food source?

• A. hawk and snake
• B. snake and kinglet
• C. oak tree and pine tree
• D. pine borer and salamander

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Which of the following energy pyramids best shows the correct placement of trophic levels?

• 
• 
• 
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Part of a desert food web is diagrammed below.

• A. Prairie rattlesnakes will become herbivores.
• B. Golden eagle and kit fox populations will decrease.
• C. Sagebrush grasshoppers will consume soil bacteria.
• D. Silk grass and sand sagebrush populations will decrease.

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