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WorksheetsEcology (VA SOL LS.5-LS.9) Gr8 Science SOL Review
Total questions: 71
Worksheet time: 36mins
How do living things return carbon to the air? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
through photosynthesis
through respiration
through burning of fossil fuels
through drainage into the ocean
How do living things return carbon to the soil?
through photosynthesis
through respiration
through burning of fossil fuels
through decay
The breakdown of dead materials is called -
photosynthesis
decomposition
respiration
combustion
In this marine energy pyramid, which organism is an herbivore?
algae
krill
cod
killer whale
In this marine energy pyramid, which organisms are carnivores? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
algae
krill
cod
leopord seal
killer whale
Lizbeth went on a safari tour in South Africa and recorded the animals she saw during her trip. She noticed that the elephants and goats were standing together in the west loop. Why is this interaction possible?
Elephants and goats are both herbivores.
Elephants and goats are competitive.
Elephants and goats are both carnivores.
Elephants and goats are both at the tertiary level of the energy pyramid.
All the largemouth bass in a lake would be considered -
a population
a community
a biome
an ecosystem
Animals have five basic needs for life, including water, air, and space. What are the other two? CHOOSE TWO
dominance
food
affection
shelter
Which is an example of an animal using territorial behavior?
A spider monkey screams, barks, and rattles branches to defend its habitat.
A giant moray eel and grouper fish hunt together in the daytime for prey.
Two wolves fight to determine who will gain the opportunity to reproduce.
A remora fish attaches itself to a shark and eats the scraps from the food the shark consumes.
What is the best example of two animals behaving cooperatively together?
A hermit crab uses an abandoned snail shell as a home.
A tick feeds on the blood of a dog.
Two sharks swim through the same school of fish to find prey.
Lemurs take care of infants that are not related to them.
Identify each chart that correctly labels the organisms in the food web. CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
The major role of bacteria, fungi, and other decomposers in an ecosystem is to -
keep the soil for eroding
recycle the nutrients
provide water for the animals in the area
produce food for the consumers
Starting in 1985, the moose population begins to increase rapidly. What would be the best explanation, according to the graph, for why this happened?
the prey started hunting the predator
the predators stopped hunting the prey
there were too many prey for the predators to hunt
there were not enough predators to hunt the prey
Examine the patterns in the graph. An increase in prey population is very often associated with -
a decrease in predator population
an increase in predator population
no change in predator population
extinction of the predator population
All the populations living within an area are called -
a population
a community
an ecosystem
a biome
A whale has several barnacles attached to it. The barnacles receive a free ride, but do not help nor harm the whale. What type of symbiosis is this?
commensalism
parasitism
mutualism
An organism's particular role in the environment including what it eats and where it lives is called its -
competition
niche
ecosystem
symbiosis
A large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities is referred to as -
an ecosystem
a biome
a community
a niche
Which two biomes receive the least amount of precipitation?CHOOSE 2
grasslands
tropical rainforest
tundra
desert
temperate deciduous forest
In which aquatic biome would you most likely find bass, trout, and salmon?
freshwater
marine
tundra
desert
Which of the following abiotic factors of a marine biome would be different for organisms living at location A and location B? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
temperature
sunlight
algae
predators
pressure
Some animals have special body features that help them survive (adaptations). Which of the following birds has a beak that would be most adapted for eating meat?
What is an adaptation that would help an organism survive in the tundra?
migration to the south for the winter
thick blubber
a high-pitched call that will travel through water
brown fur color
Coniferous plants are adapted to conserve water in the winter due to -
their large, colorful leaves
the large size of the fruit they produce
the waxy coating on their needle-like leaves
a foul smell to their leaves
Which mammal needs the thickest fur to adapt to its winter environment?
moose
squirrel
raccoon
monkey
What natural event would have the least effect on the population size of gray squirrels in a small forest?
a two day rain storm
a long lasting drought
a forest fire
a major increase in predators
If a forest fire destroyed a deciduous forest, what long-term effects might the forest experience?
The ecosystem would remain lifeless because organisms would not relocate back into this area.
Fast growing plants would become the permanent residents of this area.
Large mammals and snakes would be the dominant species relocating back into this area.
Pioneer species would begin to grow and the ecosystem would be restored over time.
Zebra mussels and kudzu vine are both alien species brought to America. Why do alien species usually thrive and even become nuisances when brought to a new area?
lack of natural predators for the alien species
lack of pollution in the new area
the alien species are autotrophs
the alien species are weaker
What is the definition of ecology?
the abiotic and biotic factors in an area
the study of living things
the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment
the place where an organism lives
Which of the following shows the levels of ecology in the correct order?
population, ecosystem, organism, biome, biosphere, community
organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere
biome, biosphere, community, population, organism, ecosystem
Which of the following levels has the smallest number of organisms?
community
biome
biosphere
ecosystem
Which of the following are biotic factors? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY
mushrooms
sunlight
water
oak trees
soil
In the Yellowstone National Park, the reintroduction of gray wolves affected all other parts of the ecosystem in a positive way. What is the term for when things depend on one another and affect one another?
independent
parasitism
competition
interdependent
Which of the following is considered a carnivore?
butterfly
corn
fruit fly
wolf
Which of the following is considered a predator?
butterfly
lavender
rat
python
Which of the following is considered prey for the wolf?
butterfly
corn
rat
python
Which of the following is a scavenger?
lion
zebra
hyena
impala
Which of the following are examples of competition? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY
two bucks fighting over a mate
a lion hunting down and catching an antelope
ants working together in a colony
hyenas, zebras, and lions at a watering hole
Why do organisms mark and defend territories?
to protect their access to resources (food, shelter, mates, etc.)
to share food with others in their family group
to attract prey to their habitat
to kill off predators in an area
Which of the following best describes the niche of a grasshopper?
producer
herbivore
omnivore
carnivore
What is the term for when two or more organisms of different species live closely together and at least one benefits?
territorialism
competition
symbiosis
niche
The boxer crab has anemones on its claws, which helps the crab to defend itself against predators. The anemones feed on scraps of food from the crab. What kind of relationship is this?
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
predation
Ticks attach to the skin of dogs and other mammals. They feed off the blood of the dog, which weakens it and can give it diseases. What kind of relationship is this?
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
predation
These lionesses are hunting together in a pack. What kind of relationship is this?
mutualism
competition
cooperation
abiotic
Why do ants and bees cooperate in a social order?
to compete against one another for food
to find mates
to establish a territory
to share resources and work loads
What is the term for the place that an organism lives (its home)?
biome
habitat
predator
biotic factor
What is the carrying capacity of the deer population on this island?
approximately 80 deer
90 deer
96 deer
approximately 10 deer
Which of these organisms is a primary consumer?
White-tailed deer
Earthworm
Red Elderberry
Bobcat
What is the main purpose of an energy pyramid?
to show what organisms live in an ecosystem
to show what animals eat berries
to show how energy moves through the food chain
to show who the decomposers are
Which cycle is represented in this model?
water cycle
carbon cycle
nitrogen cycle
Which cycle is represented in this model?
water cycle
carbon cycle
nitrogen cycle
What organisms are helping to take unusable nitrogen from the air and begin the process of turning it into a usable form for life (nitrogen fixation)? (Labeled A on the model)
the sheep
the tree
bacteria on the roots of the plant
decomposers
What is the source of almost all energy on earth?
volcanoes
electricity
the sun
bacteria
What process is the foundation for all food webs because it allows producers to use the energy of the sun to turn carbon dioxide into glucose (sugar)?
respiration
photosynthesis
decomposition
symbiosis
According to the food web, which organisms are decomposers?
baboon, zebra, and giraffe
dung beetle and termites
lion and cheetah
hyena
According to the food web, what is being consumed by the zebra?
hyena
dung beetle
grass
termites
What is the primary or 1st level consumer in this energy pyramid?
grass
rodent
insect
hawk
Which organism can have the largest population in the food chain represented on this energy pyramid?
grass
rabbits
snakes
hawks
As the population of third level consumers increases, what will happen to their competition for food?
it will increase
it will decrease
it will stay the same
it will stop
As the population of primary consumers increases, what will happen to the population of the producers?
it will increase
it will decrease
it will stay the same
If food were to suddenly become scarce (not enough food), what possible outcomes are there for the organisms in the ecosystem? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
the organisms population may increase
the organisms may adapt
the organisms may move
the organisms may change color
the organisms may die
Which of the following are examples of dormancy? CHOOSE 2
a bear hibernating in the winter
a hare's coat turns white in winter
temperatures drop below freezing in winter
trees lose their leaves in fall and regain them in spring
Sand crabs follow the tides and bury themselves in the sand at just the right level of moisture. This is a response to what kind of change?
daily
seasonal
long-term
Geese migrate in the winter. This is a response to what kind of change?
daily
seasonal
long-term
Which of these is an example of primary succession?
a beaver builds a dam forming a pond, which eventually fills in to become a field
an oil pipeline bursts, destroying the river ecosystem next to it and killing most of the organisms
a fire destroys a small forest, which then regrows into a field, and eventually back into a forest
lichens and moss grow on bare rocks, help to create soil, and are followed by larger plants and trees
Which of these is an example of secondary succession? CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY
a beaver builds a dam forming a pond, which eventually fills in to become a field
an oil pipeline bursts, destroying the river ecosystem next to it and killing most of the organisms
a fire destroys a small forest, which then regrows into a field, and eventually back into a forest
lichens and moss grow on bare rocks, help to create soil, and are followed by larger plants and trees
True or False: Mosses and lichens are known as pioneer species because they are among the first species to grow in a new ecosystem with bare rock?
True
False
Which of the following would be a short-term change to an ecosystem?
a flood wiping out an area of grasses
climate change causing sea level rise and putting a coastal ecosystem underwater
radioactive pollution contaminating a forest
temperatures dropping below freezing in winter
Which of the following would be a long-term change to an ecosystem?
lightning striking a tree and causing a small fire
clear-cutting a large area of the Amazon rainforest
an earthquake causing rubble to destroy a small area of field
a drought during the summer in Virginia
Which of these would be a seasonal change to an ecosystem?
there is a period of rainy weather in spring in Virginia
a small fire breaks out in a forest in Rocky Mount
as the population grows, the city of Roanoke expands into rural areas
a large area of coral reef in Australia dies off due to long periods of warm water temperatures
Eutrophication is caused by too much of what element getting into the water, causing algal blooms and fish kills?
carbon
nitrogen
water
