Ecology Quizzes: Ecosystems, Food Chains, and Human Impact

Question 1

Which of the following **IS NOT** an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Predator-prey relationships

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Sunlight

Answer

pH of soil

Question 2

In a food chain, which organism occupies the **highest** trophic level?

Accepted Answer

Apex predator

Answer

Producer

Answer

Primary consumer

Answer

Secondary consumer

Question 3

Which type of succession occurs on bare or disturbed land with **no prior plant life**?

Accepted Answer

Primary succession

Answer

Secondary succession

Answer

Ecological restoration

Answer

Bioremediation

Question 4

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Consume dead plant and animal matter

Answer

Produce food for other organisms

Answer

Fix nitrogen from the atmosphere

Answer

Pollinate plants

Question 5

What is the term for the relationship between two species that **mutually benefit** from each other?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Competition

Answer

Commensalism

Answer

Parasitism

Question 6

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide

Answer

Oxygen

Answer

Nitrogen

Answer

Helium

Question 7

What is the process by which plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Chemosynthesis

Answer

Glycolysis

Question 8

Which of the following is a potential drawback of biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Depletion of natural resources

Answer

Increased ecosystem stability

Answer

Enhanced food security

Answer

Reduced risk of disease outbreaks

Question 9

In ecology, which concept describes the movement of energy and nutrients through different levels of organisms in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Food chains and energy flow

Answer

Ecosystem services

Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Habitat fragmentation

Question 10

What level of organization encompasses a community of living organisms and their nonliving surroundings?

Accepted Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Organism

Answer

Population

Question 11

Which of the following is an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Temperature

Answer

Plants

Answer

Animals

Answer

Microorganisms

Question 12

A population is a group of:

Accepted Answer

Organisms of the same species living in the same area

Answer

Organisms of the same species living in different areas

Answer

Different species living in different areas

Answer

Different species living in the same area

Question 13

Secondary succession occurs in areas that have been:

Accepted Answer

Disturbed or destroyed by natural events or human activities

Answer

Never been disturbed

Answer

Recently been colonized by new species

Question 14

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited is called:

Accepted Answer

Commensalism

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Predation

Answer

Mutualism

Question 15

The process by which water is released into the atmosphere by plants is called:

Accepted Answer

Evapotranspiration

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Condensation

Answer

Precipitation

Question 16

Deforestation does NOT lead to:

Accepted Answer

Increased biodiversity

Answer

Soil erosion

Answer

Climate change

Answer

Loss of habitat

Question 17

The carrying capacity of an ecosystem is:

Accepted Answer

The maximum population size that can be sustained by an ecosystem without degradation

Answer

The rate at which a population grows

Answer

The minimum population size required for a species to survive

Question 18

A keystone species is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Having a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem relative to its abundance

Answer

Being a top predator

Answer

Being the most abundant species in its ecosystem

Question 19

How do nutrient cycles, such as the carbon cycle or nitrogen cycle, contribute to the stability and balance of ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Nutrient cycles provide a continuous supply of essential elements, enabling organisms to thrive and maintain the ecosystem's health.

Answer

Nutrient cycles primarily regulate the flow of energy within ecosystems.

Answer

Nutrient cycles are only important for primary producers in an ecosystem.

Question 20

Which of the following is **NOT** a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Temperature

Answer

Animals

Answer

Microorganisms

Answer

Plants

Question 21

In a food chain, which organism occupies the **highest** trophic level?

Accepted Answer

Tertiary consumer

Answer

Secondary consumer

Answer

Primary producer

Question 22

Which human activity is considered the **most significant** contributor to global warming?

Accepted Answer

Burning fossil fuels

Answer

Agriculture

Answer

Deforestation

Answer

Industrial waste

Question 23

What is the **primary** role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients

Answer

Produce food for other organisms

Answer

Regulate climate and weather

Answer

Consume plants and animals

Question 24

Which of the following is a defining characteristic of a **sustainable** ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

High biodiversity and balanced nutrient cycles

Answer

Heavy human influence and disrupted food chains

Answer

Dominance of a single species and low genetic diversity

Answer

Rapid population growth and excessive resource consumption

Question 25

What is the biological process by which plants utilize sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Decomposition

Question 26

Which of the following **factors** influence the distribution and abundance of organisms within an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Habitat availability, food resources, and competition

Answer

Temperature only

Answer

Latitude only

Answer

Rainfall only

Question 27

What is the appropriate term for the **non-living** components of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Abiotic factors

Answer

Biotic factors

Answer

Climatic factors

Question 28

Which of the following species is considered an example of an **invasive** species?

Accepted Answer

kudzu

Answer

Deer

Answer

Eagles

Answer

Blueberries

Question 29

What is the **primary** purpose of establishing a biodiversity hotspot?

Accepted Answer

To protect and conserve areas with exceptional levels of biodiversity

Answer

To eliminate invasive species

Answer

To promote human development and resource extraction

Question 30

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

Accepted Answer

Library

Answer

Producers (e.g., plants)

Answer

Consumers (e.g., animals)

Answer

Decomposers (e.g., fungi)

Question 31

In a food chain, which organism generally occupies the highest trophic level?

Accepted Answer

Top predator

Answer

Primary consumer (e.g., herbivore)

Answer

Producer (e.g., plant)

Answer

Secondary consumer (e.g., carnivore)

Question 32

Which human activity is a primary contributor to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss?

Accepted Answer

Deforestation

Answer

Recycling programs

Answer

Organic farming practices

Answer

Conservation efforts

Question 33

What is the scientific term for the process by which green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Combustion

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Respiration

Question 34

Which type of symbiotic relationship is characterized by both species benefiting from their association?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Parasitism (one species benefits, the other is harmed)

Answer

Predation (one species benefits, the other is harmed)

Answer

Commensalism (one species benefits, the other is unaffected)

Question 35

What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

To break down dead organisms and recycle essential nutrients back into the environment

Answer

To produce food for primary consumers

Answer

To regulate population size through predation

Answer

To maintain ecosystem balance through competition

Question 36

Which of the following accurately describes a biome?

Accepted Answer

A large-scale ecosystem characterized by distinctive climate, vegetation, and animal life

Answer

A protected area with restricted human activities

Answer

A habitat with uniform environmental conditions and plant species

Answer

A small-scale ecosystem with high biodiversity and endemism

Question 37

What is the term for the transitional zone between two distinct ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Ecotone

Answer

Biome

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Succession

Question 38

How does biodiversity contribute to maintaining ecosystem stability?

Accepted Answer

It provides functional redundancy and increases resilience to environmental changes

Answer

It increases the availability of food sources

Answer

It reduces competition among species

Question 39

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

Accepted Answer

Politics

Answer

Producers

Answer

Decomposers

Answer

Consumers

Question 40

A food chain depicts the transfer of energy:

Accepted Answer

From one organism to another

Answer

Exclusively from consumers to producers

Answer

From the environment to organisms

Answer

Exclusively from producers to consumers

Question 41

Identify the human activity with the most significant impact on the environment:

Accepted Answer

Burning fossil fuels

Answer

Urbanization

Answer

Agriculture

Answer

Deforestation

Question 42

Which type of symbiotic relationship involves one organism benefiting while the other remains unaffected?

Accepted Answer

Commensalism

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Predation

Answer

Mutualism

Question 43

A keystone species is defined as:

Accepted Answer

A species that exerts a disproportionate influence on its ecosystem relative to its abundance

Answer

A species at the apex of the food chain

Answer

An introduced species to an ecosystem

Question 44

A biome is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Distinct climate conditions and specific plant and animal communities

Answer

A particular type of ecosystem

Answer

A collection of interacting organisms

Question 45

Identify the renewable resource:

Accepted Answer

Hydroelectric energy

Answer

Coal

Answer

Natural gas

Answer

Crude oil

Question 46

The primary energy source for most ecosystems is:

Accepted Answer

The sun

Answer

Wind currents

Answer

Geothermal heat

Question 47

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

Accepted Answer

Solar system

Answer

Plants

Answer

Decomposers

Answer

Animals

Question 48

In a food chain, which type of organism gets its energy from eating other animals and is at the top?

Accepted Answer

Tertiary consumer

Answer

Carnivore

Answer

Producer

Answer

Herbivore

Question 49

Cutting down large areas of forests leads to what problem?

Accepted Answer

Loss of biodiversity

Answer

Better soil for farming

Answer

More rainfall

Answer

More oxygen in the air

Question 50

What is the main job of decomposers like bacteria and fungi in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Breaking down dead plants and animals

Answer

Giving animals a place to live

Answer

Controlling how many animals there are

Answer

Making food for other living things

Question 51

Which of these shows a close relationship where BOTH species benefit?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Competition

Answer

Predation

Answer

Parasitism

Question 52

What is the name for the border zone where two different ecosystems meet and mix?

Accepted Answer

Ecotone

Answer

Biome

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Niche

Question 53

What makes a species a 'keystone' species in its ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

It has a big impact on the ecosystem even if it's not very numerous

Answer

It only eats plants

Answer

It's the most common species in the ecosystem

Answer

It lives for a very long time

Question 54

What is the process called where plants use sunlight to make food?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Transpiration

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Germination

Question 55

Which of these does NOT affect where organisms live within an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Human fashion trends

Answer

Competition for food and space

Answer

Places to find shelter

Answer

The average weather and climate

Question 56

What is the term for all the organisms of the SAME species living in a particular area?

Accepted Answer

Population

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Community

Answer

Biome