Life Science Unit 1: Ecology
Directions: Determine the best solution to each question and record your answer on your scantron form.
1) The characteristics of a praying mantis allow
it to be camouflaged by the green stems of
plants. While camouflaged, a praying mantis
can feed on other insects that inhabit or feed
on a plant. If a praying mantis feeds on natural
predators of a plant, what type of relationship
is occurring between the praying mantis and
the plant?
A camouflage
B dompetition
C mutualism
D parasitism
3) Which of the following answer choices correctly
arranges the levels of environmental
organization in order of smallest to largest?
2) Which organism would best fit in the empty
spot in the food web shown above?
4) What is the primary source of the energy that
flows through food webs on land?
A organism, population, community,
ecosystem, biosphere
B organism, population, community,
biosphere, ecosystem
C organism, community, population,
ecosystem, biosphere
D biosphere, ecosystem, community,
population, organism
A
B
C
D
producers
sunlight
oxygen
photosynthesis
5) If fish in a river begin to die because of
pollution, what may happen to the river
ecosystem?
A All organisms in the ecosystem will be
affected in some way.
B All species of organisms in the ecosystem
that rely on fish for food will starve and die.
C The organisms that eat fish will reproduce
faster.
D The abiotic factors, but not the biotic
factors, in the ecosystem will change.
A
B
C
D
a prairie dog
a turkey vulture
a fox
a blue jay
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6) Which of the following statements best
describes a food web?
9) In which area are you most likely to find
plants that can tolerate water that has a
constantly changing salt content?
A Many individual organisms of the same
species that live in the same space and that
share resources.
B A system that is made up of a community of
organisms and their environment.
C A black bear eats fruit and then spreads the
fruit’s seeds through its excretions.
D All life is connected by the transfer of
energy and matter among organisms and
their environment.
A
B
C
D
a freshwater stream
an estuary
a pond
a coral reef
10) The graph shows the temperature zones of the
ocean. Wei-lin is studying the role of sardines in
ocean ecosystems. She learns that sardines
survive only in water that is between 14°C and
20°C. At what depth are sardines most likely
found?
7) The graph shows the number of seaside
sparrows and little marsh crabs in a salt marsh
habitat on Georgia’s coast over a five year
period. In which year was there a disease that
killed off most of the cordgrass, a source of food
and shelter for the animals in the marsh?
A between the surface and 300 m below the
surface of the ocean
B between 5 and 25 m below the surface of the
ocean
C between 400 and 600 m below the surface of
the ocean
D between 700 and 1,200 m below the surface
of the ocean
A
B
C
D
11) Over a long period of time, a lake ecosystem
can become a forest ecosystem. The
decomposition of dead plant and animal matter
is a part of this process. Which of the following
organisms would most likely be responsible for
decomposing the dead plant and animal matter
in a lake?
A bacteria
B clams
C grasses
D snails
year 1
year 2
year 3
year 4
8) Which of the following is an abiotic part of a
river that will affect the organisms that
currently live in or near the river?
A
B
C
D
the diversity of the life in the river
the speed at which the water flows
the predators living near the river
the direction in which the water flows
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12) Scientists involved in a field study of a biome
produced the graph below. The line represents
temperature and the bars represent precipitation.
Which of the following is a valid conclusion
about the biome?
14) Which of the following statements describes one
way that plants depend on other organisms?
A Plants get energy from the waste products of
animals.
B Animals get energy from the plants that the
animals eat.
C Bacteria fix nitrogen into forms that plants
can use.
D Animals use plants and plant parts to make
nests.
15) Nitrogen fixation occurs when _____________.
A bacteria in the soil change nitrogen gas into
forms that plants can use.
B bacteria in the soil release nitrogen gas into
the atmosphere.
C bacteria in the soil take up nitrogen from the
soil.
D bacteria in the atmosphere change nitrogen
gas into forms animals can use.
A The biome is a rainforest.
B The annual variation in temperature (from
high to low) is
about 25°C.
C The biome receives the same amount of
rainfall each month.
D The biome has little plant life.
16) Cycles in nature involve the recycling of matter.
Which of the following processes is a part of the
water cycle?
A decomposition
B transpiration
C photosynthesis
D combustion
17) The diagram shows the carbon cycle. Which of
the following processes is primarily involved in
releasing carbon into the soil?
13) Which of the following statements about the
relationship between organisms and the
environment is correct?
A When an environment changes gradually,
the organisms within the environment
remain unchanged.
B When an environment changes gradually, all
of the organisms die and new organisms that
are suited to the new environmental
conditions move in.
C When an environment changes gradually, all
of the organisms adapt to the new
environmental conditions and continue to
thrive.
D When an environment changes gradually,
some organisms may adapt, some organisms
may die, and some new organisms may
move in.
A
B
C
D
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combustion
decomposition
photosynthesis
respiration
18) Limiting factors determine an area’s carrying
capacity because _____________________.
A
B
C
D
22) The arrows on the food web show that_______.
A prairie dogs eat grass
B deer eat prairie dogs
C squirrels eat grass
D squirrels eat coyotes
the number of animals is limited.
ecosystems are small.
animals need resources to survive.
the number of animals is unlimited.
23) What does the arrow between the grasshopper
and the coyote represent?
A energy flowing from producers to
consumers
B energy flowing from consumers to
producers
C energy flowing from the coyote to the
grasshopper
D energy flowing from the grasshopper to the
coyote
19) An environmental study reporting on the way
temperature, water quality, and minerals affect
the animals in a salt marsh would be considering
which level of organization?
A individual organism
B population
C community
D ecosystem
24) The speed of water is an important abiotic
factor in a freshwater ecosystem because
A a tributary has different plants than a river.
B faster water has a higher salt content.
C animals must adapt so they are not washed
away.
D animals cannot live in fast-moving water.
Use the diagram below to answer questions 20 and
21.
Use the diagram below to answer questions 25 and
26.
20) Three organisms on the food web have arrows
pointing away from them and no arrows
pointing toward them. They are __________.
A omnivores
B herbivores
C decomposers
D producers
25) Which label is represented by letter B?
A Oceanic zone
B Benthic zone
C Neritic zone
D Intertidal zone
21) Three organisms on the food web have arrows
pointing toward them but no arrows pointing
away from them. This is because ___________.
A they make their own food
B they give energy to others
C nothing shown eats them
D they need no energy
26) Which label is represented by letter D?
A Oceanic zone
B Benthic zone
C Neritic zone
D Intertidal zone
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29) Which biome is most likely found in the region
described by the graphs below?
The graphs below show the population growth for
two populations. Use these graphs to answer the
questions 27and 28.
A
B
C
D
27) After 2 days, which population has more
individuals?
A Population A has more individuals.
B Population B has more individuals.
C The populations are the same.
D There is not enough information to
determine the answer.
Tundra
Tropical Rainforest
Desert
There is not enough information to
determine the answer.
30) What type of organisms are found at the
primary consurmer level?
28) On day 10, which statement is probably true?
A Population B is larger than population A.
B Population A is the same as it was on day 5.
C Population A and B are the same.
D Population B is the same as it was on day 5.
A
B
C
D
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Herbivores and Carnivores
Carnivores and Omnivores
Omnivores and Herbivores
Carnivores and Decomposers
WRITE YOUR RESPONSES TO THE SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF
PAPER
Directions: Constructed Responses: Choose two GPS standards and answer the writing prompt in a 4-6
sentences that demonstrates your mastery of the standard S7L4: Students will examine the dependence of
organisms in their environment.
Question 1 S7L4c: Directions: Answer parts A
and B in a paragraph of 4-6 sentences
paragraph.
A) Explain how the sheephead minnow
population would change if the grass
shrimp were to be eliminated from this
food web.
B) How might the otter population be affected if
the grass shrimp were to be eliminated from
the food web.
Question 2:S7L4 d.
Choose one of the following relationships and explain which type of symbiosis is involved AND why. Be
specific.
1. ticks feeding on a dogs blood
2. bees transporting pollen from flowers while they collect nectar
3. pilot fish swimming under sharks and eating food that the shark leaves behind
Question 3: S7L4. e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e. tropical rain
forest, savannah, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e.
freshwater, estuaries, and marine).
A particular biome experiences average rainfall of 9 to 25 cm per year and has an average temperature of -30̊ C
to 10̊ C. A friend of yours says that this represents a desert biome. Is your friend correct or incorrect? Explain
why or why not.
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Life Science (Grade 7) Unit 1 Almost There Test/Post-Test
Ecology ANSWER KEY
Problem
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Standard/
Element
S7L2D
S7L4A
S7L4A
S7L4B
S7L4C
S7L4B
S7L4C
S7L4C
S7L4E
S7L4E
S7L4C
S7L4E
S7L4C
S7L4D
S7L4A
S7L4C
S7L4A
S7L4C
S7L4C
S7L4A
S7L4A
S7L4A
S7L4B
S7L4E
S7L4E
S7L4E
S7L4C
S7L4C
S7L4E
S7L4B
Answer
DOK Level
C
D
A
B
A
D
B
B
B
C
A
B
D
C
D
B
B
C
D
D
C
A
D
C
C
B
B
D
C
C
Short Answer Questions
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
S7L4A
S7L4B
S7L4C
S7L4D
S7L4E
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