Ecology Assessment Review/key
Part 1: Relationships
1. Match the Definitions to the following terms:
a. Ecosystem 5
b. Population 3
c. Predation
4
d. Biotic factors 1
e. Abiotic factors 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
living things
non-living things
group of same animals; herd of cows
animals capturing and consuming others
made of producers and consumers
2. Match the following types of relationships;
a. At least one organism benefits
5
b. +/0
1
c. +/6
d. +/+
2
e. One organism is food for another
4
f. Two species struggle for the same resource. 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
commensalism
mutualism
competition
prey
symbiosis
parasitism
3. Circle two abiotic factors that are necessary for a fish.
algae (water plants), sand, moisture, currents, crabs, water, temperature, oxygen, other fish
4. Circle the correct answers.
Population –
a. cow, dog, chicken
b. several cows
c. two cows, two chickens
Community –
a. cows, horses, grass, sheep, trees
b. cows, barn, horse, hay bale, farmer
c. grass, tractor, pitch fork, rope swing, farmer
Biotic factors
a. grass, tractor, pitch fork, rope swing, farmer
b. cows, grass, horses, sheep, chicken
c. cows, barn, horse, hay bale, farmer
5. What is the difference between a population and a community?
a. population = a group of single species and community = several populations
b. population = several ecosystems and community = a group of single species
c. population = several species including abiotic factors and community = several
populations
6. Classify these types of relationships and explain your choice: (use word bank below)
a. Inside a human’s intestine live bacteria that make vitamin K
mutualism
b. A human picks up bacteria on his or her hands. The bacteria do not cause disease but
do feed on the human’s dead skin cells
Commensalism
commensalism
c. A tick attaches itself to a human and feeds on the human’s
Parasitism
blood.
parasitism
Mutualism
Part 2: Energy Flow
1. Define the following terms:
a. Autotroph/Producer
b. Heterotroph/Consumer
c. Decomposer
d. Herbivore
4
1
2
3
1.
2.
3.
4.
gets food from another source
breaks down dead material
consumes only plants
makes own food
scavenger
2. Identify the following types of energy roles:
a. Eats autotrophs and heterotrophs omnivore
b. Gets energy from wastes and the dead decomposer
c. Feeds on “left-overs” that other animals have killed.
scavenger
d. Eats only autotrophs
herbivore
e. Eats only other heterotrophs carnivore
f. Makes its own food.
Autotroph/producer
carnivore
decomposer
omnivore
herbivore
autotroph/producer
3. Label the following growth curves: exponential, bust-boom, logistics
Bust-boom
logistic
exponential
4. Explain the difference between independent and dependent limiting factors:
Independent factors: does not directly affect/rely on population ex: flood, storm
Dependent factors: directly affects/relies on population ex: disease,
a. List 3 organisms shown that are producers. Grass, cattails, bush, tree
b. List 5 organisms shown that are consumers. Frog, fish, insect, bear, lizard
c. What would happen to the other organisms if all the plants in this ecosystem died?
Die or move out of area to survive
d. Use the organisms pictured in this ecosystem to construct a food chain with 4-5 organisms.
Grass insectfishbear
This is an example of what phenomenon? A. Biomagification B. succession C. evolution
Feedback loops
5. An increase in rabbit births causes an increase in population of rabbits which causes more births
and increases birth rate and population. What type of feedback is this? Positive or negative?
6. You are cold your body responds by shivering, shivering increases body temperature. What type
of feedback is this? Positive or negative?
Nutrient cycles
What organism is responsible for fixing nitrogen gas converting it ammonia to be used by plants and animals?
a. Fungi
b. Bacteria
c. Earthworms
d. Mushrooms
Which process is used by autotrophs to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into useable energy?
a. nitrogen cycle
b. photosynthesis
c. cellular respiration
d. water cycle