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Interactions and Relationships in Ecosystems

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 54mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
What is mutualism?
a)
One organism benefits greatly and the other is not harmed
b)
One organism benefits while the other is harmed
c)
Close relationship where both organisms benefit
2.
A limited supply of food and shelter in the same habitat will lead to -
a)
mutualism
b)
parasitism
c)
competition
d)
environmental changes
3.
What is the organism that is harmed in a parasitic relationship?
a)
parasite
b)
host
c)
consumer
d)
producer
4.
What is the type of symbiotic relationship that helps one organism, but does not harm or help the other?
a)
parasitism
b)
mutualism
c)
commensalism
d)
symbiosis
5.
Fleas and ticks are examples of what?
a)
predators
b)
prey
c)
hosts
d)
parasites
6.
What is a predator?
a)
Neither
b)
An organism that is consumed
c)
An organism that does the consuming
7.
What is prey?
a)
An organism that is consumed
b)
An organism that consumes
c)
neither
8.
A tapeworm lives in human intestines absorbing the nutrients that would normally be absorbed by the person.  This eventually causes the person to experience health problems.  This relationship is -
a)
predator/prey
b)
parasite/host
c)
herbivore/omnivore
d)
consumer/producer
9.

Humman birds and flowers have a mutualistic relationship. What would happen to the population of flowers as the population of humming birds increased?

a)

Flower population would increase

b)

Flower population would decrease

c)

Flower population stays the same

d)

Flower population goes extinct

10.

Tapeworms and dogs have a parasitic relationship. The tapeworm lives in the intestine of the dog and absorbs nutrients from the food the dog eats. Describe the outcome of this relationship...

a)

The tapeworm and dog help each other survive.

b)

The tapeworm and dog are BOTH healthy.

c)

The dog becomes ill, and the tapeworm benefits.

d)

The dog and tapeworm BOTH become ill.

11.
Which interaction benefits both organisms?
a)
A flea living on a dog
b)
A bee pollinating a flower
c)
A tapeworm living inside an animal
d)
A mosquito biting a person
12.
Cattle egrets forage (feed) in fields among cattle. The egret gets easy access to flying insects stirred up by the cattle, and the cattle don't care if they are there or not.
a)
mutualism
b)
commensalism
c)
competition
d)
parasitism
13.

What is symbiosis mean?

a)

Two species living together in a specific area who have a relationship.

b)

Two species living together in an area that do no interact.

c)

Two species who benefit from their interactions.

d)

Two species who are harmed by their interactions.

14.

Clownfish live in and around sea anemones. They have a mutualistic relationship. Which of the following observations best supports the claim that this relationship is beneficial to the sea anemones?

a)

When the clownfish are removed from the sea anemones their (the clownfish) population declines.

b)

The sea anemone has stinging tentacles that are used against predators.

c)

42 Wallaby Way, Sydney

d)

The clownfish eat the algae that accumulates on the sea anemone, and chases away butterfly fish.

15.

Which of the following describes a competitive relationship?

a)

Owl and field mouse

b)

Oak tree and pine tree

c)

Spider and fly

d)

Shark and Remora fish

16.

How do commensalistic and mutualistic relationships differ?

a)

In a commensalistic relationship one organism benefits while the other one is unaffected, while in a mutualistic relationship one organism benefits while the other is harmed.

b)

In a commensalistic relationship one organism benefits while the other one is unaffected, while in a mutualistic relationship both organisms benefit.

c)

In a commensalistic relationship one organism benefits while the other one is harmed, while in a mutualistic relationship both organisms benefit.

d)

In a commensalistic relationship one organism benefits while the other one is harmed, while in a mutualistic relationship one organism benefits while the other one is unaffected.

17.

A marine food web is provided below (energy travels from the prey to the predator). Describe the relationship between the lantern fish and the sunfish. Is it symbiotic, predatory, or competitive? Explain your answer.

a)

Symbiotic, they live on the same tier.

b)

Predatory, sunfish eat lantern fish.

c)

Competitive, both fish eat copepods.

d)

Parasitic, sunfish are parasites that live in lantern fish.

18.
Which term best describes two predators living in the same habitat who feed on the same prey?
a)
coexistence
b)
competition
c)
mutualism
19.
A pride of lions stalks, tackles, and kills an antelope. Which is best being demonstrated?
a)
predation
b)
mutualism
c)
cooperation
20.

Ten tomato plants are grown in one small pot with limited amounts of soil (space and nutrients).

This is an example of:

a)

Mutualism

b)

Commensalism

c)

Parasitism

d)

Competition

e)

Predation

21.

Which of the following best describes a predatory interaction in an ecosystem?

a)

Cooperation between two species

b)

Competition for resources among species

c)

One organism hunting and consuming another organism

d)

Mutual exchange of benefits between organisms

22.

To reduce erosion in an area, an exotic fast-growing vine is introduced into the area without

any growth control.  How will the new plant most likely affect the ecosystem?

a)
The vine will provide protection for the native plants
b)
The vine will provide more CO2 to all of the other species
c)
The vine will compete with native plants for resources
d)
The vine will compete with native animals for food, water, and minerals
23.

This graph demonstrates:

a)

there is no relationship between predator and prey populations.

b)

changes in the predator population depend on changes in the prey population.

c)

Predator and prey populations are constantly increasing.

d)

changes in the prey population depend on changes in the predator population.

24.

What does "niche" mean in an ecological context?

a)

The physical space occupied by an organism

b)

The role of an organism in its ecosystem, including its interactions with biotic and abiotic factors

c)

A type of consumer that only eats plants

d)

The migration pattern of a species

25.

Which of the following is NOT a symbiotic relationship?

a)

Competition

b)

Commensalism

c)

Mutualism

d)

Parasitism

26.

In Africa, as the crocodile lies with its mouth open, the plover, or crocodile bird, flies into its mouth and feeds on bits of meat stuck in the crocodile’s teeth. The crocodile does not harm the plover. The plover gets a meal and the crocodile gets his teeth cleaned. What conclusions might be drawn regarding the dynamics of this relationship?

a)

It is a mutualistic relationship because both animals benefit; neither animal is harmed.

b)

It is a symbiotic relationship because the plover benefits from the meat in the crocodile's teeth..

c)

The crocodile is a predator. The plover is a parasite. There are two relationships illustrated by this dynamic.

d)

It is an example of commensalism because the plover benefits from the relationship while the crocodile is neither helped or harmed.

27.

Overall, all the interactions between organisms in ecosystems...

a)

Keep ecosystems & populations unstable and random

b)

Keep ecosystems & populations stable and balanced

28.

Parasites and predators help maintain ecosystem stability because...

a)

They increase the population of all organisms so ecosystems become diverse

b)

They decrease the population of certain organisms to ensure no species overpopulates

c)

They increase the survival of all species

d)

Any of the above are possible

29.

How does competition between organisms maintain ecosystem stability and biodiversity?

a)

The winners of the competition increase in population size and dominate the ecosystem

b)

Both organism populations become stronger and larger as a result of the competition

c)

The population sizes are kept in check due to limited resources

d)

All of the above are true

30.

Which of the following best describes an ecosystem?

a)

A place with many different species of animals

b)

The climate conditions of an environment

c)

All the biotic factors in an area

d)

A place where biotic and abiotic things interact with each other