Ecosystems 101: Dive into the Basics of Ecosystems

Question 1

What is NOT a fundamental component of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Energy

Answer

Producers

Answer

Consumers

Answer

Decomposers

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a component of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Pollution

Answer

Living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms)

Answer

Non-living factors (soil, water, air)

Answer

Energy flow

Question 3

What is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Sunlight

Answer

Wind

Answer

Water

Answer

Chemical reactions

Question 4

What type of forest is typically characterized by broadleaf trees, fertile soil, and a high rate of decomposition?

Accepted Answer

Temperate deciduous forest

Answer

Tropical rainforest

Answer

Boreal forest

Answer

Mediterranean forest

Question 5

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

To break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients

Answer

To produce food for primary consumers

Answer

To regulate populations of herbivores

Answer

To provide shelter for other organisms

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a mutually beneficial relationship between species?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Predation

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Competition

Question 7

What is the term used to describe the movement of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Biogeochemical cycle

Answer

Food chain

Answer

Food web

Answer

Trophic cascade

Question 8

What is the term for the physical surroundings in which an organism lives?

Accepted Answer

Habitat

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Niche

Answer

Biome

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of a macrocosm?

Accepted Answer

Forest

Answer

Tree

Answer

Leaf

Answer

Cell

Question 10

Which of the following is a type of freshwater ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Pond

Answer

Forest

Answer

Desert

Answer

Grassland

Question 11

What is the term for a group of organisms of the same species living in a specific area?

Accepted Answer

Population

Answer

Community

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Biosphere

Question 12

What is the term for the representation of the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Food web

Answer

Food chain

Answer

Energy pyramid

Answer

Trophic level

Question 13

Which human activity does NOT threaten the stability and resilience of ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Protection

Answer

Pollution

Answer

Habitat destruction

Answer

Climate change

Question 14

Which of the following are non-living factors that affect how ecosystems are made up and how they change?

Accepted Answer

Sunlight, temperature, precipitation, and altitude

Accepted Answer

Soil pH, nutrient availability, and topography

Answer

Competition, predation, and mutualism

Answer

Symbiosis, parasitism, and commensalism

Question 15

What is a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

A species with a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem relative to its size

Answer

A species with a large population that significantly impacts its ecosystem

Answer

A species that feeds on multiple trophic levels

Answer

A species at the top of the food chain that regulates lower trophic levels

Question 16

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Interactions between organisms and their environment

Answer

Absence of energy transfer

Answer

Infinite resource availability

Answer

Uniform species distribution

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor in a marine ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Salinity

Answer

Primary producer

Answer

Nutrient cycling

Answer

Predator-prey relationship

Question 18

Which of the following correctly represents a food chain in a freshwater ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Algae → Zooplankton → Small fish → Large fish

Answer

Grass → Grasshopper → Snake → Hawk

Answer

Leaf litter → Detritivore → Bacteria → Fungus

Answer

Bacteria → Fungi → Protozoa → Rotifer

Question 19

Which of the following is a significant impact of human activities on ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Pollution and habitat fragmentation

Answer

Increased soil fertility

Answer

Enhanced biodiversity

Answer

Accelerated nutrient cycling

Question 20

Which of the following is an advantage of high biodiversity in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Increased stability and resilience

Answer

Lower ecosystem productivity

Answer

Simplified food webs

Answer

Reduced competition for resources

Question 21

Which of the following is a characteristic of a balanced and stable ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Steady-state nutrient cycling

Answer

Absence of competition for resources

Answer

Extreme fluctuations in species abundance

Answer

Exponential population growth

Question 22

Which of the following is a measure of the rate at which producers in an ecosystem convert solar energy into chemical energy?

Accepted Answer

Gross primary production

Answer

Trophic level

Answer

Carrying capacity

Answer

Biodiversity index

Question 23

Which of the following is a key characteristic of a tropical rainforest ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

High rainfall and year-round warmth

Answer

Dominance of herbaceous vegetation

Answer

Low biodiversity

Answer

Permanent snow cover