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WorksheetsOrganisms and the Environment
Total questions: 35
Worksheet time: 1hrs 9mins
Which organism is a producer?
oak tree
mushroom
mountain lion
butterfly
Which organism is a tertiary consumer?
clownfish
brittle star
killer whale
octopus
What is the source of energy in most ecosystems?
animals
plants
oxygen
sunlight
Which statement is supported by the energy pyramid?
The ecosystem can support fewer foxes than grasshoppers.
Foxes require less energy than birds.
The ecosystem can support more foxes than birds.
Grasshoppers require more energy than birds.
In a grassland ecosystem, praying mantises catch and eat grasshoppers. However, there has been a significant decrease in the praying mantis population in recent years.
How will this most likely affect the grasshopper population over time?
The population will decrease because grasshoppers are the competition.
The population will increase because grasshoppers are the prey.
The population will increase because grasshoppers are the competition.
The population will decrease because grasshoppers are the prey.
In the Arctic, caribou and musk ox eat different kinds of plants, but the plants they eat typically grow in the same area. Therefore, these two species often require the same space in which to feed. In one part of the Arctic, caribou numbers have decreased and musk ox numbers have increased.
Which best summarizes this scenario?
This is an example of cooperation, and the musk ox were better adapted to the environment.
This is an example of predation, and the musk ox were better adapted to the environment.
This is an example of competition, and the musk ox were better adapted to the environment.
This is an example of competition, and the caribou were better adapted to the environment.
Which is the best example of commensalism?
Honey bees feed on the pollen of cornflowers and help the flowers reproduce.
Barnacles ride on a gray whale’s back to obtain food, and the whale is not harmed.
Squirrels and chipmunks eat the same nuts in a forest where food is scarce.
Prairie dogs often collect and eat food in groups so they are better protected from enemies.
Freshwater leeches attach to fish and suck blood from the fish for extended periods of time. This results in sores on the fish that often become infected.
This relationship is best described as
parasitism
mutualism
commensalism
cooperation
Some consumers, like lions, do not eat plants or any other producers. They only eat other animals.
How do lions obtain the carbon they need?
by eating animals that have carbon-based molecules stored in their bodies
by breathing it in from the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide
by absorbing carbon-based molecules through their skin from the soil
by drinking water that contains carbon dioxide
X: Producers undergo photosynthesis.
Y: Decomposers return carbon to the soil and release waste.
X: Decomposers return carbon to the soil and release waste.
Y: Producers undergo photosynthesis.
X: Decomposers take in carbon dioxide.
Y: Producers absorb carbon through their roots.
X: Producers absorb carbon through their roots.
Y: Decomposers take in carbon dioxide.
During the nitrogen cycle, through which structure are nitrogen compounds first absorb into the plant?
roots
leaves
flower
stem
Which process occurs at location W?
precipitation
evaporation
condensation
transpiration
During one year, seven coyotes in a population die. Eight immigrate into the population, but none emigrate.
If the overall population growth is 13 coyotes, what was the birth rate of coyotes during the year?
Use this formula:
population growth = (birth rate + immigration) – (death rate + emigration)
7
11
12
15
Population X and Y live in the same area. The size of population X increases over time. As a direct result, the size of population Y decreases.
Which is most likely the limiting factor of population Y?
Individuals of population X are predators.
Individuals of population X are prey.
Individuals of population Y caught and spread a disease.
Individuals of population Y lost their shelters after a flood.
Which best describes the carrying capacity of an environment?
An area of a desert can support a population of 320 cactus plants.
Over 1,500 species of birds live in a tropical rain forest.
About 500 fish in part of a river died as a result of water pollution.
A vegetable garden is six feet long and 10 feet wide.
Which represents the size of a population?
the birth rate
number of species in an area
the death rate
number of individuals in a species
Which biome receives 200 to 400 cm of rain per year?
deciduous forest
temperate rain forest
taiga
grassland
Which biomes would be the coldest?
deciduous forests and savannas
tundras and taigas
deciduous forests and taigas
tundras and savannas
Gila monsters are very well adapted to their homes. They have thick skin to prevent water loss and they burrow to escape the heat during the day.
A Gila monster would most likely live in which biome?
taiga
temperate rain forest
desert
deciduous forest
Some species of hares are brown most of the year, but change color to white in the winter. This allows them to blend in through the seasons.
Where are these organisms adapted to live?
deciduous forests
desert
tropical rain forests
savanna
Which is the best example of an organism’s niche shown in the picture?
The environment contains several of the same species of coral.
The shallow area of the ocean meets the needs of the coral and the fish.
The ocean has fish and coral that live in the same area.
The coral take in food from the water and provide shelter for the fish.
Which lists only biotic factors in this environment?
water, sky, rocks, sand
bush, snake, cactus, rat
rat, sand, cactus, snake
bush, water, sky, snake
Which statement best describes the building?
abiotic because it is made from rock
biotic because it is made from rock
abiotic because it is a resource that living things use
biotic because it is a resource that living things use
Which best describes what the picture shows?
an organism
a community
a niche
a population
Which organism is a primary consumer?
krill
elephant seal
squid
penguin
If the flowers contain 50,000 kcal of energy, about how much energy will the lizard obtain from eating the butterfly?
500 kcal
5,000 kcal
50,000 kcal
500,000 kcal
Ladybug beetles chase, capture, and eat smaller insects called aphids.
Which best describes this relationship?
It is parasitism. The ladybugs are the parasites and the aphids are the hosts.
It is parasitism. The ladybugs are the hosts and the aphids are the parasites.
It is predation. The ladybugs are the predators and the aphids are the prey.
It is predation. The ladybugs are the prey and the aphids are the predators.
A flowering yucca plant and a yucca moth have a relationship. The adult female moth lays eggs in the plant, and the young moths eat some of the plant seeds when they first hatch. The rest of the seeds are pushed out of the plant by the young moths, which helps them land in the soil and grow into new plants.
This relationship is best described as
parasitism
mutualism
commensalism
competition
Which label belongs in the area marked X?
breathe in from atmosphere
produce themselves
eat other organisms
absorb from soil
Which best describes the process occurring at locations U and X?
Water cycles from a nonliving to a living part of the environment.
Water changes from a liquid to a gas.
Water changes from a gas to a liquid.
Water cycles from a living to a nonliving part of the environment.
Which biomes receive less than 100 cm of rain each year? Select three options.
tropical rain forest
temperate rain forest
desert
tundra
grassland
Which shows the levels of organization within an ecosystem from largest to smallest?
organism, population, community, ecosystem
organism, community, population, ecosystem
ecosystem, community, population, organism
ecosystem, population, community, organism
Ground squirrels inhabit African savannas. Which adaptation helps the ground squirrels live in this biome?
tan coloring to blend in with the surroundings
thick fur to conserve heat
sharp claws for climbing trees
white coloring to blend in with the surroundings
Which scenario would result in a population growth of zero?
Use this formula:
population growth = (birth rate + immigration) – (death rate + emigration)
12 individuals emigrate, 12 individuals die, 12 individuals are born, 0 individuals immigrate
16 individuals emigrate, 3 individuals die, 13 individuals are born, 0 individuals immigrate
8 individuals emigrate, 0 individuals die, 20 individuals immigrate,12 individuals are born
10 individuals emigrate, 4 individuals die, 14 individuals immigrate, 0 individuals are born
Ladybug beetles chase, capture, and eat smaller insects called aphids.
Which best describes this relationship?
It is parasitism. The ladybugs are the parasites and the aphids are the hosts.
It is parasitism. The ladybugs are the hosts and the aphids are the parasites.
It is predation. The ladybugs are the predators and the aphids are the prey.
It is predation. The ladybugs are the prey and the aphids are the predators.
