Energy and Ecosystems Test Review
Name: __________________________
1. Which is the best description of an ecosystem?
a. An area consisting of all living organisms in an area functioning together with the
non-living physical factors of the environment.
b. An area consisting of all living organisms in an area functioning together. Non-living
factors are not included. All the living things in an area, but not the area itself.
c. All of the members of one species in an area, but not the area itself.
d. A large area with similar biotic and abiotic factors
2. Certain factors can influence which type of organisms can live in an area. Which of the following
could cause a change in the type of organisms in an ecosystem?
a. A change in the amount of food
b. A change in the population
c. A change in the number of trees
d. A change in the amount of sunlight
3. Which of the following are biotic factors of the ecosystem?
a.
b.
c.
d.
** There will only be one correct
answer on the test.
primary producers
communities
omnivores
water
4. Ecology is the study of the
a. Abiotic parts of the environment, such as climate, air, and soil
b. Biotic parts of the environment, such as animals and plants
c. Interactions between organisms
d. Interactions between organisms as well as the interactions between organisms and
their environment
5. When populations interact with populations of other species, it is called a
a. Biome
b. Ecosystem
c. Community
d. Species
6. Which term describes a gradual change from one community to another community in an area?
a. Abiotic
b. Biotic
c. Regression
d. Succession
7. Which is NOT a limiting factor?
a. Availability of nesting sites
b. Disease
c. Amount of resources
d. Energy pyramid
8. Which change in a population would cause increased competition among its members?
a. An increase in population size
b. A decrease in population size
c. An increase in predation on the population
d. An increase in disease in a population
9. Which can cause an increase in a population?
a. A change in the amount of sunlight
b. A different food source
c. Loss of habitat
d. When the birth rate is higher than the death rate
10. When an ecosystem is supporting all of the members of a population it can, it has reached
a. Limiting factors
b. Carrying capacity
c. Succession
d. Biome status
11. A certain kind of bacteria live in the intestines of a cow. The bacteria break down grasses the cow
eats and in the process make the grasses more digestible for the cow. Which type of relationship
do the bacteria and cow share?
a. parasitic relationship
b. mutualistic relationship
c. commensal relationship
d. predator-prey relationship
12. A frog and a fly are an example of which type of relationship?
a. Predation
b. Commensalism
c. Mutualism
d. Parasitism
13. A clown fish and an anemone work together so that both benefit. This is an example of which
type of relationship?
a. Predation
b. Commensalism
c. Mutualism
d. Parasitism
14. Barnacles live on the skin of humpback whales. The barnacles benefit, but the whale is
unaffected. This is an example of which type of relationship?
a. Predation
b. Commensalism
c. Mutualism
d. Parasitism
15. Heartworms infest the hearts of animals. The worms get a place to live and a source of food, but
the host is often harmed. This is an example of which type of relationship?
a. Predation
b. Commensalism
c. Mutualism
d. Parasitism
16. A certain kind of bacteria live in the intestines of a cow. The bacteria break down grasses the cow
eats and in the process make the grasses more digestible for the cow. Which type of relationship
do the bacteria and cow share?
a. parasitic relationship
b. mutualistic relationship
c. commensal relationship
d. predator-prey relationship
17. Scientists surveyed the number of organisms in an ecosystem for five years. Their data are shown
below.
Which of these statements describes what MOST LIKELY occurred in 2003?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The number of rabbits increased as a result of an increase in foxes.
The number of shrubs increased as a result of an increase in rabbits.
An increase in foxes occurred as a result of a decrease in mountain lions.
A decrease in mountain lions occurred as a result of an increase in shrubs.
18. A non-native species of fish is introduced into a pond ecosystem. They swim faster than the other
fish living in the pond. How will this advantage MOST LIKELY affect the pond’s ecosystem?
a. The pond will increase in size in order to compensate for the speed of the non-native fish.
b. The native fish will adapt to living with the non-native fish by learning to survive on less
food.
c. Predators in the pond will be more attracted to the non-native fish, so their population
will decline.
d. The native fish will have trouble competing for food and avoiding predators, so
their population will shrink.
19. An organism that creates its own food is called
a. A producer
b. A consumer
c. A decomposer
d. A carnivore
20. Omnivores
a. Break down dead organisms
b. Eat only plants
c. Eat only animals
d. Eat both plants and animals
21. Detritivores
a. Break down dead organisms
b. Eat only plants
c. Eat only animals
d. Eat both plants and animals
22. A consumer is
a. An organism that produces its own food
b. An organism that does not need food to survive
c. An abiotic organism
d. An organism that cannot produce its own food
23. Heterotrophs obtain energy from all of the following except:
a. Autotrophs
b. Herbivores
c. Sunlight
d. Other heterotrophs
24. Which activity is a way producers get energy?
a. eating
b. predation
c. transpiration
d. chemosynthesis
25. Consider this food chain:
The trout in this food chain are
a. Top consumers
b. Tertiary consumers
c. Secondary consumers
d. Producers
algae --> water flea --> trout --> bear
26. For the following food chain, which organism receiver the least amount of energy from its energy
source?
Seeds  sparrow  owl
a. Seeds
b. Sparrow
c. Owl
d. The all receive the same amount of energy
27. The food web to the right shows how energy flows through
an ecosystem.
Which conclusion can be made based on this food web?
a. The grasshopper and cattail get energy from the sun
and are producers
b. The hawk is a primary consumer and gets its
energy from the sun
c. The hawk is a consumer and gets its energy
from shrews and snakes
d. The cricket is a primary consumer and gets its
energy from frogs
28. Which series of organisms shows how energy flows
through an ecosystem?
a. Carnivore  herbivore  producer  decomposer
b. Producer  decomposer  herbivore  carnivore
c. Producer  herbivore  carnivore  decomposer
d. Carnivore  producer  decomposer  herbivore
29. What do the arrows in the diagram to the right represent?
a. Water evaporating
b. Photosynthesis
c. Energy being transferred
d. Offspring
30. The picture to the right is an example of a
a. Food web
b. Food chain
c. Biome
d. Energy pyramid
31. Which animal competes with the fox for rabbits?
a. Snake
b. Plant
c. Frog
d. Owl
32. If a gardener put out traps to get rid of rabbits, which organism might also be affected?
a. Grasshopper
b. Deer
c. Snake
d. Plant
33. The organisms in the table live in and around a lake. Which
organism would receive the lease amount of energy from the
food it consumes?
a. Cattail
b. Mice
c. Fish
d. Snake
34. In an energy pyramid, which way does energy transfer?
a. From the top of the pyramid to the bottom
b. From the bottom of the pyramid to the top
c. None of these
d. Both of these
35. Which energy level contains the fewest number of organisms?
a. Producer
b. Primary consumer
c. Secondary consumer
d. Tertiary consumer