Ecology Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of Living Things and Their Environment

Question 1

Which of these is NOT a fundamental part of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Gravity

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living factors

Answer

Energy flow

Question 2

Which of these factors does NOT influence where organisms live in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Student grades

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Water availability

Answer

Sunlight

Question 3

What is the role of plants in a food chain?

Accepted Answer

To make their own food from sunlight

Answer

To eat other organisms

Answer

To break down dead organisms

Answer

To control the flow of water in an ecosystem

Question 4

Which of these is an example of a relationship where both species benefit?

Accepted Answer

A clownfish living in a sea anemone

Answer

A lion chasing a zebra

Answer

A mosquito biting a human

Answer

A tapeworm living in a person's digestive system

Question 5

What is the term for the variety of life on Earth, including all different species, ecosystems, and genetic variations?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Ecology

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Sustainability

Question 6

What is a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

A species that has a big impact on its ecosystem compared to its numbers

Answer

A species that is very rare and in danger of disappearing

Answer

A species that makes its own food from sunlight

Answer

A species that eats other animals

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a threat to biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Finding more plants and animals

Answer

Losing habitats

Answer

Pollution

Answer

Climate change

Question 8

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

Accepted Answer

A food chain is a straight line, while a food web is a connected network

Answer

A food web is a straight line, while a food chain is a connected network

Answer

A food chain is about animals, while a food web is about plants

Answer

A food web is about plants, while a food chain is about animals

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of a non-renewable resource?

Accepted Answer

Fossil fuels

Answer

Water

Answer

Sunlight

Answer

Air

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Buildings and roads

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living things like water and soil

Answer

Interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 11

A group of the same type of living things that live in the same area is called a:

Accepted Answer

Population

Answer

Community

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Biome

Question 12

The energy that fuels most life on Earth originally comes from:

Accepted Answer

The sun

Answer

Chemicals in the soil

Answer

Nuclear reactions

Answer

The wind

Question 13

A large area with a particular climate and plant life is known as a:

Accepted Answer

Biome

Answer

Biosphere

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Tundra

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

Manufactured materials

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living factors

Question 15

What is a central idea in ecology?

Accepted Answer

Examining how living things connect with their surroundings

Answer

Sorting animals and plants into groups

Answer

Learning why natural disasters happen

Answer

Forecasting the weather

Question 16

Identify the component that is NOT included in an ecosystem.

Accepted Answer

Imagination

Answer

Plants

Answer

Animals

Answer

Water

Question 17

Which organism is classified as a primary consumer within a food chain?

Accepted Answer

Deer

Answer

Grass

Answer

Lion

Answer

Bacteria

Question 18

What term refers to the range of living organisms found in a particular area?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Population

Question 19

What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Breaking down dead organisms

Answer

Producing nutrients for plants

Answer

Consuming primary consumers

Answer

Providing shelter for animals

Question 20

Which of the following is considered a renewable resource?

Accepted Answer

Wind energy

Answer

Fossil fuels

Answer

Natural gas

Answer

Nuclear energy

Question 21

What is a primary cause of global warming?

Accepted Answer

Increased levels of greenhouse gases

Answer

Volcanic eruptions

Answer

Deforestation

Answer

Ocean currents

Question 22

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

Accepted Answer

Human interference

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living factors

Answer

Balanced interactions between species

Question 23

What is the term for the process by which energy flows through an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Food chain

Answer

Energy pyramid

Answer

Nutrient cycle

Answer

Symbiosis

Question 24

Which of the following organisms is a producer?

Accepted Answer

Grass

Answer

Lion

Answer

Frog

Answer

Eagle

Question 25

What is the main difference between a food chain and a food web?

Accepted Answer

A food chain shows a linear flow of energy, while a food web shows multiple pathways.

Answer

A food chain includes all organisms in an ecosystem, while a food web focuses on a specific group.

Answer

A food chain shows energy transfer, while a food web shows nutrient cycling.

Answer

There is no significant difference between a food chain and a food web.

Question 26

What is the primary function of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

To break down dead organisms and organic matter

Answer

To create food for other organisms

Answer

To consume animals and plants

Answer

To regulate water and oxygen levels

Question 27

What is the term for a species that is unique to a particular region or habitat?

Accepted Answer

Endemic

Answer

Exotic

Answer

Invasive

Answer

Threatened

Question 28

Which of the following is considered a renewable resource?

Accepted Answer

Water

Answer

Fossil fuels

Answer

Minerals

Answer

Coal

Question 29

Which of these is NOT a non-living part of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Competition

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Water

Question 30

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

Accepted Answer

Historical events

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living factors (abiotic factors)

Answer

Energy flow

Question 31

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Recycle nutrients back into the environment

Answer

Produce oxygen through photosynthesis

Answer

Consume plants and other animals

Answer

Prey on and kill smaller animals

Question 32

What is the term for the non-living factors in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Abiotic factors

Answer

Flora

Answer

Fauna

Answer

Biosphere

Question 33

What is the term for the study of interactions between organisms and their environment?

Accepted Answer

Ecology

Answer

Biology

Answer

Chemistry

Answer

Physics

Question 34

Which of these is an example of a producer in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Plants

Answer

Animals

Answer

Mushrooms

Answer

Bacteria

Question 35

The difference in the types of living things in an ecosystem is called:

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Biomass

Answer

Productivity

Answer

Resilience

Question 36

The process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make food is called:

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Decomposition

Answer

Transpiration

Question 37

Decomposers in an ecosystem:

Accepted Answer

Break down dead organisms

Answer

Produce oxygen

Answer

Eat meat-eaters

Answer

Pollinate flowers

Question 38

When water changes from a liquid to a gas and enters the air, it is called:

Accepted Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Sublimation

Answer

Osmosis

Question 39

Which of the following is an example of a relationship where both living things benefit?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Predation

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Competition

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT a level of organization in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Molecule

Answer

Community

Answer

Biosphere

Answer

Population

Question 41

Producers in an ecosystem are organisms that:

Accepted Answer

Capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and convert it into food

Answer

Break down organic matter into simpler substances

Answer

Consume other organisms for energy

Question 42

The variety of living organisms in an ecosystem is known as:

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Population Density

Answer

Niche

Answer

Carrying Capacity

Question 43

The process by which green plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make their own food is called:

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Cellular Respiration

Answer

Fermentation

Answer

Chemosynthesis

Question 44

Organisms, such as plants and animals, are examples of:

Accepted Answer

Biotic factors

Answer

Environmental factors

Answer

Climatic factors

Answer

Abiotic factors

Question 45

The physical conditions in which an organism lives is known as its:

Accepted Answer

Habitat

Answer

Population

Answer

Community

Answer

Niche

Question 46

Which of the following is a benefit of biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Increased ecosystem stability

Answer

Lower air quality

Answer

Reduced food production

Answer

Increased susceptibility to disease

Question 47

The boundary between two different ecosystems is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

Ecotone

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Niche

Answer

Biome

Question 48

Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Animal population size

Answer

Sunlight

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Water availability

Question 49

In a food web, the primary consumers are:

Accepted Answer

Herbivores

Answer

Producers

Answer

Carnivores

Answer

Decomposers

Question 50

Which of the following is a benefit of biodiversity in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Increased resilience to environmental changes

Answer

Decreased genetic diversity

Answer

Reduced competition for resources

Answer

Fewer opportunities for disease outbreaks

Question 51

The process by which plants use sunlight to create energy-rich molecules is called:

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Fermentation

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Combustion

Question 52

What is the term for a community of living organisms and their physical surroundings?

Accepted Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Biome

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Population

Question 53

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

Accepted Answer

Sunlight

Answer

Geothermal heat

Answer

Water

Answer

Wind

Question 54

Which of the following is an example of a mutualistic relationship?

Accepted Answer

Bees and flowers

Answer

Lions and zebras

Answer

Parasites and hosts

Answer

Predators and prey

Question 55

What is the process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their traits to their offspring over generations?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Mutation

Answer

Gene flow

Answer

Genetic drift