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Worksheets

Dynamic Ecosystems

Total questions: 80

Worksheet time: 1hrs 5mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the ultimate source of energy in any food chain?

a)

the sun

b)

producers

c)

consumers

d)

decomposers

2.

Weather (such as rain) and soil conditions are considered to be part of the ____________ factors of an ecosystem.

a)

biotic

b)

antibiotic

c)

abiotic

d)

biomass

3.

All the nonliving things in an environment are called the ________ factors.

a)

abiotic

b)

biotic

c)

ecological

d)

inorganic

4.

What is an example of a biotic factor?

a)

water

b)

grass

c)

soil

5.

If a disease strikes the snake population in the food chain shown, what will be the initial effect on the populations of hawks and rabbits?

a)

The populations of hawks and rabbits will decrease.

b)

The populations of hawks and rabbits will increase.

c)

The population of hawks will increase. The population of rabbits will decrease.

d)

The population of hawks will decrease. The population of rabbits will increase.

6.

In the stable food chain shown here, what would you expect to happen initially if you were to suddenly double the population of rabbits?

a)

The populations of the other three species would also increase.

b)

The populations of the other three species would decrease.

c)

The grass population would decrease. The snake population and hawk population would increase.

d)

The grass population and hawk population would decrease. The snake population would increase.

7.

What event within the food chain might lead to the graph shown below?

a)

A disease in the population of rabbits.

b)

A disease in the population of snakes.

c)

A disease in the population of hawks.

d)

It is impossible to tell which of the above occurred.

8.

What happened to the tree population in this forest?

a)

The number of trees stayed the same for two years and then began to decrease.

b)

The number of trees stayed the same for two years and then began to increase.

c)

The number of trees decreased for two years and then stayed the same.

d)

The number of trees increased for two years and then stayed the same.

9.

What happens when the number of producers shrinks?

a)

The number of consumers increase.

b)

The number of decomposers increase.

c)

The number of consumers decrease.

d)

The number of producers increase.

10.

A(n) __________ includes all living and non-living things in an environment.

a)

population

b)

niche

c)

abitotic

d)

ecosystem

11.

A group of the same type (species) of organisms living in the same place at the same time.

a)

threatened species

b)

populations

c)

community

d)

a limiting factor

12.

What is an ECOSYSTEM?

a)

The highest number of things that can stay alive in an area.

b)

All living things in an ecosystem.

c)

An area, on land or in water, that contains living and non-living organisms which function together.

d)

All non-living things in an ecosystem.

e)

Something that limits the number of living things that can be in one ecosystem.

13.

Identify the two BIOTIC factors from the list.

a)

Bacteria

b)

Rocks

c)

Sunlight

d)

Worms

14.

Deserts, mountains, and rainforests are all examples of.....

a)

Tundras

b)

Ecosystems

c)

Biotic factors

d)

Population

15.

One living thing. Ex. One frog, one tree, one rabbit

a)

Population

b)

Organism

c)

Community

d)

Ecosystem

16.

Many organisms of the same species living in the same area.

a)

Ecosystem

b)

Community

c)

Population

d)

Community

17.

All of the living and non-living parts of the environment in the same area.

a)

Population

b)

Community

c)

Organism

d)

Ecosystem

18.

Many different types of populations living in the same area. All the living things in an area.

a)

Community

b)

Ecosytem

c)

Population

d)

Organism

19.

In the food chain Carrots--->Rabbit--->Fox. The fox is a

a)

Producer

b)

First level consumer

c)

Second level consumer

d)

Decomposer

20.

In the food web list all the producers.

a)

Fox and Owl

b)

Bird and mouse

c)

Grasshopper and rabbit

d)

Carrots, grasses, and grains

21.

Which is an example of competition

a)

A seagull eating a fish

b)

A lion eating a water buffalo

c)

Two hermit crabs fighting over a shell

d)

A chicken running away from a fox

22.

Field mice are the primary food source for horned owls in an area. Due to a drought, many field mice left the area. Which result would this drought most likely have on the horned owls?

a)

The horned owl population will consume more field mice.

b)

Horned owls will follow the field mice to a different area.

c)

The horned owl population will increase in the area.

d)

Horned owls will change to a plant-based diet.

23.

Deer are introduced into a grassland ecosystem and their population increases considerably. If the deer population continues to grow, which is the most likely outcome for the ecosystem?

a)

Biodiversity would decrease, and sustainability would decrease.

b)

Biodiversity would decrease, and sustainability would increase.

c)

Biodiversity would increase, and sustainability would increase.

d)

Biodiversity would increase, and sustainability would decrease.

24.

Below is an example of a simple food chain.

Acorn → Squirrel → Fox → Mountain Lion 

What will most likely happen if squirrels are removed from the food chain?

a)

The fox will eat acorns

b)

The fox population will decrease

c)

The trees will produce fewer acorns.

d)

The mountain lion population will increase

25.

Which is an abiotic factor that would affect the growth of a population within an ecosystem?

a)

the availability of water

b)

the availability of producers

c)

the type of herbivores present

d)

the number of carnivores present

26.

Emigration is

a)

the movement out of an area

b)

the movement into an area

c)

movement in and out of an area

d)

migration

27.

Why don't populations grow indefinitely?

a)

limiting factors

b)

only biotic factors

c)

only abiotic factors

d)

none of the above

28.

What is the arrow pointing at?

a)

carrying capacity

b)

biotic potential

c)

density-independent

d)

density dependent

29.

parasites, disease, predators, are examples of what type of limiting factors?

a)

density dependent

b)

density independent

c)

survivorship

d)

type 1 curve

30.

What is the carrying capacity mean?

a)

The number of individuals an area can carry

b)

the number of births

c)

The number of deaths an area has

d)

not sure

31.

(Im)migration is ...

a)

the movement into an area

b)

The movement out of an area

c)

The migration process

d)

exponential graph

32.

An exponential graph is a graph that shows us population size increasing quickly, which one below shows us that

a)

b)

c)

d)

33.

Why don't populations grow indefinitely?

a)

limiting factors

b)

only biotic factors

c)

only abiotic factors

d)

none of the above

34.

A population is...

a)

A group of one species in one area

b)

Multiple species that live in one area

c)

All of the living and nonliving things in an area

d)

None of these

35.

If the number of births in a population is the same as the number of deaths in a population, what will happen to the growth of the population?

a)

It will increase.

b)

It will decrease.

c)

It will stay the same.

d)

It will fluctuate.

36.

What type of growth model is shown in image B?

a)

Exponential

b)

Logistic

37.

What type of growth model is shown in image A?

a)

Exponential

b)

Logistic

38.

Which of the following are density dependent factors?

a)

competition for resources

b)

predation

c)

disease

d)

natural disasters

39.

Which of the following are examples of a density independent factors?

a)

forest fire

b)

seasonal cycles

c)

storms

d)

disease

40.

What is the carrying capacity for this sheep population?

a)

1.8 million

b)

1.25 million

c)

1.6 million

d)

1.o million

41.

When a population grows past the ecosystem's carrying capacity, what happens to the population?

a)

Continues to grow

b)

The population starts to die off to return to carrying capcity

c)

The population will go extinct due to lack of resources

d)

The population grows then finds a new carrying capacity

42.

Primary succession occurs in an area that has:

a)

soil

b)

no soil

c)

some soil

d)

none of these

43.

___ are the first organisms to colonize an area and begin the process of ecological succession.

a)

foundational organisms

b)

introductory organisms

c)

primary organisms

d)

pioneer species

44.

What is the main difference between primary and secondary ecological succession?

a)

Primary begins WITHOUT soil; Secondary begins WITH soil

b)

Primary is the first state and secondary is the second stage

c)

Primary builds plant community; secondary builds animal community

d)

Primary begins WITH soil; Secondary begins WITHOUT soil

45.

During a forest fire most vegetation (plants) burn. Which ecological succession will take place after a forest fire?

a)

Primary

b)

Secondary

46.

What is the order of succession shown in this figure?

a)

A, B, C, D

b)

B, A, D, C

c)

C, D, A, B

d)

D, A, B, C

47.

Natural disasters such as flooding and tornadoes are linked to ________________.

a)

primary

b)

secondary

c)

old field

d)

ecosystem

48.

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

a)

Primary succession already has soil.

b)

Primary has soil and secondary does not

c)

soil is present in both

d)

primary has no soil and secondary has soil

49.

A large tree forest is an example of ...

a)

a small community

b)

a abiotic community

c)

a climax community

d)

a pioneer species 

50.

The picture shows what type of succession?

a)

primary

b)

secondary

c)

tertiary

d)

quadanary

51.

How is commensalism different from mutualism?

a)

In commensalism, one species benefits while the other is unharmed; in mutualism, both species benefit

b)

In commensalism, one species is harmed while the other benefits; in mutualism, both species benefit

c)

In commensalism, neither species is harmed; in mutualism, one species is harmed

d)

In commensalism, both species benefit; in mutualism, one species is harmed

52.

When a honeybee pollinates flowers, the bee gets access to nectar, while the flowers gain the chance to reproduce. This is an example of:

a)

Amensalism

b)

Commensalism

c)

Parasitism

d)

Mutualism

53.

Remoras are fish that swim alongside sharks, eating scraps that the sharks leave behind. This is an example of:

a)

Amensalism

b)

Commensalism

c)

Parasitism

d)

Mutualism

54.

Barnacles create home sites by attaching themselves to whales. This relationship neither harms nor benefits the whales. 

a)

parasitism

b)

commensalism

c)

mutualism

55.

Yucca flowers are pollinated by yucca moths. The moths lay their eggs in the flowers where the larvae hatch and eat some of the developing seeds. Both species benefit. 

a)

parasitism

b)

commensalism

c)

mutualism

56.

Mistletoe extracts water and nutrients from a spruce tree. The spruce tree is harmed. 

a)

parasitism

b)

commensalism

c)

mutualism

57.

Which of the following shows the symbiotic relationship between the Rodent and the Bird?

a)

Mutualism

b)

Commensalism

c)

Competition

58.

a relationship that occurs when two or more organims of the same species need the same resource at the same time

a)

competition

b)

symbiosis

c)

predation

59.

A coyote captures, kills, and eats a rabbit. What type of symbiotic relationship is this?

a)

mutualism

b)

commensalism

c)

parasitism

d)

predation

60.

What does biodiversity mean?

a)

Only one species in an area.

b)

The different amount of species in an area

c)

All abiotic life

d)

Nitrogen fixation

61.

What happened to the wolf population between 1980 and 1982?

a)

it increased rapidly

b)

it decreased rapidly

62.

If a keystone species is removed from an ecosystem, would you predict the ecosystem's biodiversity to increase or decrease?

a)

INCREASE

b)

DECREASE

c)

There would be no change.

63.

Species A hunts, attacks, and kills Species B for the purpose of eating Species B. 

Before Species A is able to eat Species B, Species C chases off Species A. 

Species A runs away from Species C without any physical injuries. 

Species C then eats Species B.

Which type of symbiotic relationship do Species A and Species C share?

a)

mutualism

b)

commensalism

c)

parasitims

d)

All answer choices are correct.

64.

Species that are clearly critical to the functioning of an ecosystem are known as

a)

biodiversity

b)

keystone species

c)

main species

d)

native species

65.

How do biodiversity and sustainability work together?

a)

The lower the biodiversity the greater the sustainability.

b)

The higher the biodiversity, the less sustainable the ecosystem

c)

The higher the biodiversity, the greater the sustainability.

d)

Biodiversity has nothing to do with sustainability.

66.

High biodiversity is 

a)

having a lot of the same organism.

b)

having a few of the same organism.

c)

having a lot of variety of different organisms.

d)

only having one of each organism. 

67.

A stable ecosystem typically has high biodiversity.

a)

True

b)

False

68.

What is the difference between biotic and abiotic?

a)

Biotic are non-living things

b)

Abiotic are living organisms

c)

Biotic is life,
Abiotic is non-living

d)

Biotic is non-living, Abiotic is living

69.

What is a keystone species?

a)

A keystone isn't a living thing, it's just a stone

b)

Keys and stones have nothing to do with ecology

c)

A species that lives in or around rocks

d)

A species that helps to hold an ecosystem together

70.

(a)   is a major key for biodiversity.

71.

A rabbit population in a grassland ecosystem is kept well below carrying capacity by its primary predator, the coyote. A disease causes a decrease in the coyote population. A biologist will study how the disease affects the coyotes and rabbits. He hypothesizes that if the coyote population continues to decrease, then the rabbit population will increase. Which of these is a dependent variable in this study?

a)

The grassland ecosystem

b)

The rabbit population

c)

The introduction of the disease

d)

The amount of autotrophs

72.

Runoff from fertilizer and livestock waste can add to the __________ of a pond.

a)

carrying capacity

b)

eutrophication

c)

limiting factors

d)

population crash

73.

What happens if a population grows past its carrying capacity?

a)

The population keeps growing

b)

The population reduces untl it is below carrying capacity again

c)

The entire species will go extinct

d)

The carrying capacity just increases

74.

Which organism do the owl and the weasel compete for in the food web?

a)

Hawk

b)

Spider

c)

Grasshopper

d)

Shrew

75.

Which two organisms in this food web are COMPETING for food with each other?

a)

Cougar and Deer

b)

Rabbit and Snake

c)

Insects and Grass

d)

Shrew and Mouse

76.

If the secondary consumer level has 2,000 kcal available to it, how much energy was captured by the producers during photosynthesis?

a)

2 kcal

b)

200 kcal

c)

200,000 kcal

d)

2,000 kcal

77.

What type of symbiosis?  Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers.  The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds as they move from flower to flower.

a)

commensalism

b)

mutualism

c)

parasitism

d)

predation

78.

Which is an example of parasitism?

a)

Shark and seal

b)

Flea and dog

c)

Deer and grass

d)

Seagull and fish

79.

What is the carrying capacity of the following graph?

a)

1000

b)

8000

c)

800

d)

600

80.

A symbiotic relationship in which BOTH partners benefit.

a)

commensalism

b)

mutualism

c)

parasitism