Ecology Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of Ecosystems and the Environment

Question 1

In a food web, the organisms that consume primary producers are called:

Accepted Answer

Primary consumers

Answer

Producers

Answer

Decomposers

Answer

Secondary consumers

Question 2

What process do plants use to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into glucose?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Decomposition

Answer

Transpiration

Question 3

Which of these organisms is considered a primary producer in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Grass

Answer

Deer

Answer

Bacteria

Answer

Mushroom

Question 4

What term describes the variety of life forms within a given area?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Conservation

Answer

Ecology

Question 5

What process is responsible for returning nutrients back into the ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Decomposition

Answer

Evaporation

Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Question 6

Which of these human activities is a significant threat to ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Habitat destruction

Answer

Plant growth

Answer

Water conservation

Answer

Renewable energy production

Question 7

What term refers to the specific role or function of an organism within an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Niche

Answer

Population

Answer

Community

Answer

Habitat

Question 8

Which of these characteristics defines a sustainable ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Resilience to change

Answer

Limited biodiversity

Answer

High levels of pollution

Answer

Rapid population growth

Question 9

The study of how organisms interact with their environment is known as:

Accepted Answer

Ecology

Answer

Chemistry

Answer

Physics

Answer

Biology

Question 10

A deer population is introduced to a new island with abundant resources. The population initially grows rapidly, but eventually stabilizes. What factor most likely caused this stabilization?

Accepted Answer

Carrying capacity of the environment

Answer

Introduction of a new disease

Answer

Climate change

Answer

Increased predation by native predators

Question 11

What is the role of a keystone species in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on the ecosystem's structure and function

Answer

A species that is the most abundant in the ecosystem

Answer

A species that is at the top of the food chain

Answer

A species that is essential for the survival of all other species

Question 12

A farmer uses pesticides to control pests in his crops. Over time, he notices that the pesticide becomes less effective. What is the most likely explanation for this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

Evolution of pesticide resistance in the pest population

Answer

Climate change affecting the pest population

Answer

Increased use of pesticides leading to soil degradation

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

A bee pollinating a flower while collecting nectar

Answer

A lion hunting a zebra

Answer

A parasite living on the body of its host

Answer

A tree providing shade for a smaller plant

Question 14

A scientist is studying the impact of deforestation on biodiversity. Which of the following would be the most appropriate research method for this study?

Accepted Answer

Comparing the number and types of species in a deforested area to a similar area that is forested

Answer

Observing the behavior of individual species in a deforested area

Answer

Conducting a survey of local residents about their perceptions of deforestation

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the concept of ecological succession?

Accepted Answer

The gradual process of change in an ecosystem over time, leading to a more stable community

Answer

The cyclical fluctuations in population size of a species

Answer

The rapid spread of invasive species into a new environment

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a density-dependent factor that can limit population growth?

Accepted Answer

Competition for resources

Answer

Natural disasters

Answer

Climate change

Answer

Habitat fragmentation

Question 17

A researcher is studying the energy flow in a food web. Which of the following trophic levels would have the highest biomass?

Accepted Answer

Producers

Answer

Secondary consumers

Answer

Tertiary consumers

Answer

Primary consumers

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a major threat to biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Increased genetic diversity

Answer

Habitat loss

Answer

Climate change

Question 19

A scientist is studying the impact of a new chemical on the growth of a plant species. Which of the following is the most appropriate control group for this experiment?

Accepted Answer

A group of plants that are not exposed to the chemical

Answer

A group of plants that are exposed to a different chemical

Answer

A group of plants that are grown in a different environment

Question 20

Which of the following is a key characteristic of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Interdependence of organisms

Answer

Absence of competition

Answer

Isolation from external factors

Answer

Dominance of a single species

Question 21

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

Accepted Answer

Population

Answer

Biome

Answer

Community

Answer

Ecosystem

Question 22

Which of the following is a primary producer in a food chain?

Accepted Answer

Plant

Answer

Decomposer

Answer

Carnivore

Answer

Herbivore

Question 23

What is the name of the process by which organisms release energy from nutrients?

Accepted Answer

Metabolism

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Decomposition

Answer

Photosynthesis

Question 24

What is the term for the variety of life on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Ecosystem diversity

Answer

Genetic diversity

Answer

Species richness

Question 25

Which of the following is a factor that can threaten biodiversity?

Accepted Answer

Habitat loss

Answer

Technological advancements

Answer

Climate change

Answer

Increase in population

Question 26

What is the term for the transfer of energy and nutrients within an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Food web

Answer

Biogeochemical cycle

Answer

Trophic cascade

Answer

Carbon cycle

Question 27

Which of the following is a renewable resource?

Accepted Answer

Trees

Answer

Oil

Answer

Coal

Question 28

What is the name of the thin layer of gases that surrounds the Earth?

Accepted Answer

Atmosphere

Answer

Hydrosphere

Answer

Geosphere

Answer

Biosphere

Question 29

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide

Answer

Water vapor

Answer

Nitrogen

Answer

Oxygen

Question 30

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

Accepted Answer

Temperature

Answer

Bacteria

Answer

Animals

Answer

Plants

Question 31

In a food chain, which organism is always at the lowest trophic level?

Accepted Answer

Producer

Answer

Consumer

Answer

Decomposer

Question 32

Which of the following is the main source of energy in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Sun

Answer

Soil

Answer

Wind

Answer

Water

Question 33

Which of the following is a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

One whose removal has a disproportionate impact on an ecosystem

Answer

One that is rare and endangered

Answer

One that is large and dominant

Question 34

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Break down organic matter

Answer

Fix nitrogen

Answer

Produce oxygen

Answer

Consume prey

Question 35

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

Accepted Answer

High species diversity

Answer

Rapidly changing conditions

Answer

Low population size

Answer

Dependence on a single species

Question 36

What is the process by which nitrogen is converted into forms usable by plants?

Accepted Answer

Nitrogen fixation

Answer

Assimilation

Answer

Nitrification

Answer

Denitrification

Question 37

Which of the following is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Competition

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Commensalism

Question 38

What is the term for the area where two different ecosystems meet?

Accepted Answer

Ecotone

Answer

Biome

Answer

Niche

Answer

Habitat