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WorksheetsRC5 Practice: Interdependence Within Environmental Systems
Total questions: 90
Worksheet time: 46mins
A mite (an eight-legged organism similar to a spider) lives in the base of the eyelashes of people who use mascara. It feeds on the mascara; it does not seem to harm people.
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
predation
A coyote captures, kills, and eats a rabbit.
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
predation
A tapeworm lives in the intestines of a dog. It absorbs food the dog has eaten and grows larger in the process. The dog becomes weaker from malnutrition.
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
predation
The flower of the yucca plant provides the only location where the yucca moth can lay her eggs. In the process, the moth pollinates the yucca flower.
mutualism
commensalism
parasitism
predation
Which answer choice best describes a community?
Praying mantises caring for their young.
Three-spined sticklebacks living in estuaries.
Different species of lizards living in a desert.
Roosting mother bats recognizing their offspring.
A science class is planning a field trip to a local farm that has a large pond. Which of the following lists the levels of biological organization from smallest to largest that students can expect to find at the pond?
organism, community, population, ecosystem
organism, population, community, ecosystem
population, organism, community, ecosystem
population, organism, ecosystem, community
All of the biotic and abiotic factors in an area make up a(n)...
ecosystem
community
population
biome
The sun, climate, rocks, and water in an ecosystem represent what kind of factors?
biotic
abiotic
biodiversity
ecosystem
Which of the following relationships are symbiotic?
predation
parasitism
mutualism
commensalism
competition
Where an organism lives is its ___; its role within its ecosystem is its ___.
habitat; niche
niche; habitat
ecosystem; biotic factor
ecosystem; niche
If two species attempt to occupy the same niche at the same time, what is likely to happen?
they can easily share the niche
they will be forced to compete
both will abandon the niche
both will die out quickly
What is the main energy source for life on Earth?
sunlight
producers
consumers
abiotic factors
What type of producer would you expect to find on the dark ocean floor?
plants
chemoautotrophs
photoautotrophs
algae
Consumers that break down organic matter outside of their bodies, and absorb nutrients.
decomposers
detrivores
scavengers
carnivores
What sort of organism would you expect to find in the first trophic level?
producer
primary consumer
secondary consumer
tertiary consumer
quaternary consumer
What sort of organism would you expect to find in the third trophic level?
producer
primary consumer
secondary consumer
tertiary consumer
quaternary consumer
A bear that eats both wild berries and small animals would be considered...
primary consumer
omnivore
producer
carnivore
In an ecosystem, energy ___ and matter ___.
flows one way; cycles
cycles; flows one way
cycles; cycles
flows one way; flows one way
Which trophic level(s) cannot contain a carnivore?
first trophic level
second trophic level
third trophic level
fourth trophic level
fifth trophic level
Which of the following are missing from the food web shown?
producers
decomposers
omnivores
predators
Which organisms in the food web are secondary consumers?
mice
weasels
hawks
raccoons
grass/shrubs
Which organism is likely a decomposer?
bacteria
opossum
quail
mice
Which organisms in the food web belong to more than one trophic level?
mice
weasels
hawks
raccoons
grass/shrubs
In this food web, would there be more hawks or more mice?
mice
hawks
about the same number of each
If the producer level of an ecosystem has 500,000 kcal of energy, how much energy would there be at the third trophic level?
500,000 kcal
50,000 kcal
5,000 kcal
500 kcal
What happens to the energy that is not passed to the next tropic level?
lost as heat
lost as undigested waste
it is used by the organisms
it disappears
What type of ecological pyramid is this?
energy
numbers
biomass
What is measured in a pyramid of numbers?
energy in each trophic level
mass of living things at each trophic level
population size in each trophic level
any pyramid with any kind of numbers
Which biomolecules contain carbon?
nucleic acids
proteins
carbohydrates
lipids
Which biomolecules contain nitrogen?
nucleic acids
proteins
carbohydrates
lipids
Which biological process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
photosynthesis
respiration
decomposition
feeding
Which biological process(es) return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?
photosynthesis
respiration
decomposition
feeding
How do plants get most of the carbon they need?
feeding
from the air
from the soil
from water
How do consumers get most of the carbon they need?
feeding
from the air
from the soil
from water
How do land-based plants get most of the nitrogen they need?
feeding
from the air
from the soil
from water
How do consumers get most of the nitrogen they need?
feeding
from the air
from the soil
from water
Which are true regarding nitrogen fixation?
it involves soil bacteria
it can happen through lightning or volcanoes
it converts nitrates into nitrogen gas
it converts nitrogen gas into ammonium
Which are true regarding denitrification?
it occurs when organisms decompose
it is done by soil bacteria
it converts nitrogen gas to ammonium
it returns nitrogen to gas form
When a body of water receives excess nutrients, it may cause algal growth, followed by death of other organisms. What is this process called?
eutrophication
biomagnification
nitrogen fixation
ecological succession
The sequence of changes in a community over time are known as...
ecological succession
biomagnification
eutrophication
nitrogen fixation
Which of the following apply to primary succession?
starts with no soil
pioneer species begin the process
may begin after a forest fire
occurs quickly
What are common as pioneer species?
lichens
moss
shrubs
grasses
The stable community at the end of succession is called...
climax community
pioneer species
trees
secondary community
Which of the following would occur first in primary succession?
Seeds of flowers and shrubs grow into plants that offer habitat for small animals and continue to build soil
Lichen and mosses break down rock. As they die, their decayed bodies begin to build soil
Wind, rain, and ice begin to break down rock surfaces
Larger plants and animals move into the area as the soil layer gets thicker
Which of the following would occur last in secondary succession?
Evergreen trees grow larger and hardwood trees begin to grow
Weed and wildflower seeds take root in the soil
A disturbance destroys a community
Shrub and evergreen tree seedlings begin to grow
How do fires help succession?
Fires return nutrients to the soil
Fires help break up rocks to form soil
Fires destroy pioneer species and allow trees to grow
Fires help seeds to germinate
What do pioneer species do?
They break down solid rock to form soil
They produce seeds that repopulate the area
They provide a habitat for small animals
They provide shade for animals
Why does primary succession take longer than secondary succession?
Many fires must add nutrients to the soil before primary succession can take place
An ecosystem must be established in a previously uninhabited area
A thick layer of soil must be formed so pioneer species can grow
Animals do not contribute to secondary succession
Which sequence is typical of primary succession?
Lichens-shrubs-small trees-forest
Lichens-small trees-shrubs-pine forest
Crabgrass-shrubs-small trees-oak forest
Crabgrass-mosses-oak trees-pine forest
How does the growth of tall trees in an ecosystem affect the other organisms there?
it blocks sunlight for grasses and shrubs, so they decrease
the trees provide shelter for animals that live there
in autumn, falling leaves provide nutrients to decomposers
the trees encourage the growth of pioneer species
Where are you likely to find the highest species diversity?
beginning of primary succession
beginning of secondary succession
climax community
in a community of lichens and mosses
The variety of species found in an ecosystem is a measure of the ecosystem’s ___.
biodiversity
loss of habitat
reduction in stability
natural resource depletion
A loss of biodiversity can make it difficult for an ecosystem to ___.
lose populations
slow population growth
adjust to change
deplete natural resources
The highest levels of biodiversity on Earth are found in ___.
deserts
lakes
tundra
rain forests
Building roads, clearing forests, and building new housing developments are human activities that contribute to ___.
increased diversity
habitat fragmentation
increased ecosystem stability
forest preservation
A species brought into an ecosystem as the result of human actions is ___.
a discovered species
an introduced species
an endangered species
a native species
an invasive species
Which of the following is associated with invasive species?
species native to an area
increased biodiversity
decreased ecosystem stability
less successful than native species
Pesticides are applied to a field of corn. Mice eat the corn; the mice are eaten by snakes; the snakes are eaten by hawks. Over time, the organisms with the highest levels of pesticides in their body would be the:
corn
mice
snakes
hawks
The ___ slows the release of heat energy from Earth out into space.
air pollution
acid rain
greenhouse effect
water cycle
The diagrams show some of the levels of biological organization. In what order are the levels in the diagrams?
population -> community -> ecosystem
organism -> community -> population
organism -> population -> community
ecosystem -> population -> community
The table shows some observations made by four students during a field trip to a nature area. Which student made observations of a community of organisms?
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
During secondary succession, which of these best describes why decomposing pioneer plants give way to larger, more complex plants such as trees?
Increased amounts of sunlight are able to reach the ground while the pioneer species are decomposing.
Increased soil temperatures from decomposing pioneer species help tree seeds germinate more quickly.
Increased amounts of decomposing pioneer species remove nutrients that tree seedlings need to grow and mature.
Increased amounts of soil from decomposing pioneer species allow plants with more extensive root systems to become established.
Below are statements that describe the four main steps of primary succession. Which would happen first?
Seeds of flowers and shrubs grow into plants that offer habitat for small animals and continue to build soil.
Lichen and mosses break down rock. As they die, their decayed bodies begin to build soil.
Wind, rain, and ice begin to break down rock surfaces.
Larger plants and animals move into the area as the soil layer gets thicker.
Below are statements that describe the four main steps of primary succession. Which would happen last?
Seeds of flowers and shrubs grow into plants that offer habitat for small animals and continue to build soil.
Lichen and mosses break down rock. As they die, their decayed bodies begin to build soil.
Wind, rain, and ice begin to break down rock surfaces.
Larger plants and animals move into the area as the soil layer gets thicker.
As ecosystems move through the stages of succession, the populations of organisms in them change. Which of the following describes the stage of succession likely to have the most species diversity?
A newly formed volcanic island
An agricultural field that has not been plowed for one year
A temperate forest that has never been cleared by logging
A field that is regularly mowed
Which organisms belong to more than one trophic level?
foxes
owls
rabbits
birds
mice
Carbon cycles through the biosphere in all of the following ways, except...
photosynthesis
transpiration
burning fossil fuels
decay of dead plants and animals
How is carbon stored in the biosphere?
in the atmosphere as CO2
underground as fossil fuels and calcium carbonate rock
in the oceans as dissolved CO2
in soil as ammonia
Bacteria are....(select all that apply)
Single-celled organisms
Multi-cellular organisms
Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes
a form of asexual reproduction in which one cell divides, forming two identical cells.
binary fission
conjugation
decomposer
pasteurization
Nitrogen fixing bacteria help put nutrients back into the soil and help plants grow.
true
false
What might happen if you didn't have bacteria in your digestive tract?
Your intestines would shut down
Your body couldn't break down certain types of food
You would never get sick
You wouldn't be able to eat vegetables
Which of the following is a true statement about bacteria?
Bacteria exist in only a few environments on earth
Bacteria can grow to extremely large sizes
Most bacteria are harmful to humans
Bacteria can be both harmful and helpful to humans
What are pathogens?
Eukaryotic cells that turned in to bacteria
Disease causing agents
Microorganisms that help clean up oil spills
Beneficial bacterial cells
Living things with ________ than normal helpful bacteria in their guts can become infected more easily because there is more food and space available for harmful bacteria.
fewer
more
What is the human microbiome?
All of the communities of microbes in and on the human body
A drug that destroys helpful bacteria along with harmful bacteria
A species of bacteria that helps protect humans against asthma
A group of people in developed countries who are infected with Helicobacter pylori
Which of these is NOT a way that bacteria can be helpful?
Aid in digestion of our food
Protect against harmful bacteria
Decompose organic matter in soil
Fix nitrogen in soil for plants to use
Can become resistant to antibiotics
Bacteria in soil help plants
grow more root hairs
make the roots grow longer
get the nutrients they need like nitrogen
absorb more water
Bacteria are needed to help make some of our vitamins needed in our bodies
True
False
Mowing a field would have what effect on the species diversity?
Decrease the species diversity
Increase the species diversity
Maintain the species diversity
After which types of ecological disturbances would primary succession occur?
volcanic eruption
forest fire
retreating glacier
hurricane
Which of the following are adaptations that would help a prey organism not get eaten?
camouflage
mimicry
releasing poison or foul-tasting chemicals
bright warning colors
What type of organisms are always found at the base of a food chain or ecological pyramid?
primary consumers
omnivores
autotrophs
top predators
Places where carbon is stored are called...
carbon sinks
carbon reservoirs
carbonated beverages
carbon basements
Which of the following are carbon reservoirs?
living things
soil and rocks
fossil fuels
atmosphere
ocean
Which of the following are ways that humans decrease the stability of ecosystems?
overfishing and overhunting
destroying or fragmenting habitats
introducing new species
global warming
conservation of resources
Which process directly returns both carbon and nitrogen to the soil?
respiration
combustion
photosynthesis
decomposition
