Name:___________________

Ecosystems and Biomes Test

Read each question carefully and take your time. If you have any confusion about the
questions raise your hand.

Trophic Levels
1. Below is a list of organisms in an ecosystem. Assign each organism to their roles in
this biome.
b. Decomposer j. ___ Grasshopper
c. Producer
d. Primary Consumer k. ___ Snake
e. Secondary Consumer l. ___ Earthworm
f. Tertiary Consumer
g. Quaternary Consumer m. ___ Eagle
h.
n. ___ Ryegrass
i.
o. ___ Frog
p.
q. 2. Generally during energy transfer across trophic levels, ______% of energy is
lost to the environment, and ______% of energy is kept in the system.
a. 50%, 50%
b. 10%, 90%
c. 90%, 10%
d. There is no way to calculate energy lost/gained in a system
r. 3. Below is an energy pyramid. Calculate the percent energy transfer from the
producers to the primary consumers. SHOW YOUR WORK.
s.

t. ___________%
u.
v. 4. Explain the importance of decomposers in ecosystems. What would happen if
we didnt have decomposers?
w.
x.
y.
z.
aa.
ab.
ac.
ad. 5. In biomes, the highest number of organisms lie at the ___________
level of the energy pyramid, and the lowest number of organisms lie at the
___________ level of the energy pyramid.
a. Top, bottom
b. Middle, top
c. Bottom, top
ae.
af.
ag.
ah.
ai.
aj.6. Describe the characteristics of a quaternary consumer. Give one example.
ak.
al.
am.
an.
ao.
ap.

aq. Human Impact on Ecosystems

ar.
1. Explain how global trade has an effect on ecosystems.
as.
at.
au.
av.
aw.
ax.
2. List one negative impact humans have on Earths ecosystems, and explain why.
ay.
az.
ba.
bb.
bc.
bd.
3. List one positive impact humans have on Earths ecosystems, and explain why.
be.
bf.
bg.
bh.
bi.
bj.
4. Are humans a keystone species? Explain why or why not.
bk.
bl.
bm.
bn.
bo.
bp.
 bq. Keystone Species
br.
1. Which of the following are true about keystone species? (Circle True or False)

a.
Keystone species are always at the bottom of the energy pyramid (T/F)
b.
Keystone species are always at the top of the energy pyramid (T/F)
c.
Keystone species can be anywhere in the energy pyramid (T/F)
d.
Keystone species have no impact on ecosystems (T/F)
e.
Keystone species are critical for ecosystem survival (T/F)
f.
Dolphins are examples of a keystone species (T/F)
g.
Keystone species only exist in aquatic environments (T/F)
bs.
2. Give an example of a keystone species, and give evidence as to why.
bt.
bu.
bv.
bw.
bx.
by.
bz. Symbiosis
1. Symbiosis is:
a. When two species share the same food source
b. When two species fight each other
c. When a hawk hunts small mammals
d. When two species have a relationship
ca.
cb.
cc.
2. Which of the following is NOT an example of symbiosis?
a. A mother bear caring for her cub
b. A worm living in a cows intestine
c. A bacterial infection
cd.
3. A cooperative partnership between two species in which both species benefit is
known as __________.
a. Commensalism
b. Parasitism
c. Mutualism
d. None of the above
ce.
4. A relationship between two species where both species are hurt is called
___________.
a. Parasitism
b. Commensalism
c. Mutualism
d. None of the above
 cf.
5. A relationship between two species where one benefits and the other gets hurt is
called ___________.
a. Mutualism
b. Commensalism
c. Parasitism
d. None of the above
cg.
6. A relationship between two species where one species benefits but the other is
neither harmed nor helped is called ___________.
a. Commensalism
b. Mutualism
c. Parasitism
d. None of the above
ch.
7. Give an example of a symbiotic relationship including which type of relationship it
is, and explain why.
ci.
cj.
ck.
cl.
cm.
cn.
co.
cp.
cq.

cr. Succession
cs.
1. Explain biological succession of ecosystems.
ct.
cu.
cv.
cw.
cx.
cy.
cz.
2. Differentiate between the two types of succession.
da.
db.
dc.
dd.
de.
df.
dg.
3. Match the following with their types of succession.
 a. Primary Succession
b. Secondary Succession

dh. ___ Takes a few hundred years to reach climax community.

di. ___ An underwater volcano erupts forming a new island.
dj. ___ A volcano erupts destroying everything in the ecosystem.
dk. ___ Lighting strikes a tree in a forest and burns all life to the ground.
dl. ___ Takes thousands of years to reach its climax community.

4. Which of the following best describes a pioneer species?

a. A species that has a relationship with another in an ecosystem.
b. A species that fights the native Indian species in an ecosystem.
c. A species that arrives first in an ecosystem.
d. An invasive plant in an ecosystem.
dm.
dn.
do.
5. Describe the characteristics of a climax community. How do you know if an
ecosystem has reached its climax community?
dp.
dq.
dr.
ds.
dt.
du.
dv.
dw.
dx. Extra Credit: (3 points)
What do you call a group of giraffes?
hint: it is something tall.