Ecology Quizzes: Test Your Knowledge of Ecosystems and Living Things

Question 1

Which component is NOT a part of an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Machines

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living physical factors

Answer

Energy flow

Question 2

What distinguishes a food chain from a food web?

Accepted Answer

A food chain represents a linear flow of energy, while a food web shows the interconnected feeding relationships in an ecosystem.

Answer

A food chain focuses on a single species, while a food web includes all organisms in the ecosystem.

Answer

A food web shows only the consumption of organisms by others, while a food chain includes energy transfer within the ecosystem.

Answer

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

Question 3

Which species plays a disproportionately significant role in its ecosystem despite its limited population?

Accepted Answer

A keystone species

Answer

A species at the top of the food chain

Answer

A species found exclusively in that ecosystem

Answer

An endangered species

Question 4

What is the primary role of producers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Producing their own food through photosynthesis

Answer

Consuming other organisms for energy

Answer

Breaking down dead organisms to recycle nutrients

Answer

Regulating the flow of energy and nutrients in the ecosystem

Question 5

What is the fundamental difference between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Biotic factors are living organisms, while abiotic factors are non-living.

Answer

Biotic factors are found in the soil, while abiotic factors are found in the water.

Answer

Biotic factors are constantly changing, while abiotic factors are stable.

Answer

There is no difference between biotic and abiotic factors.

Question 6

Which type of relationship involves two species benefiting from their interaction?

Accepted Answer

Mutualism

Answer

Parasitism

Answer

Competition

Answer

Predation

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

Soil

Answer

Plants

Answer

Animals

Answer

Bacteria

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

Tertiary consumer

Answer

Producer

Answer

Primary consumer

Answer

Secondary consumer

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of a decomposer organism?

Accepted Answer

Mushroom

Answer

Grass

Answer

Rabbit

Answer

Hawk

Question 10

What is the term for the variety of living organisms on Earth, including their ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Biomass

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Symbiosis

Question 11

What is the field of study that examines the interactions between organisms and their environment?

Accepted Answer

Ecology

Answer

Symbiosis

Answer

Predation

Answer

Competition

Question 12

What is the term for the area where an organism lives and obtains its resources?

Accepted Answer

Habitat

Answer

Niche

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Biosphere

Question 13

What is a potential disadvantage of having a diverse ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Increased competition for resources

Answer

Increased ecosystem stability

Answer

Reduced susceptibility to pests and diseases

Answer

Improved soil fertility

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

Cultural practices and beliefs

Answer

Living organisms (biotic factors)

Answer

Non-living components (abiotic factors)

Answer

Geographic influences

Question 15

In a food chain, which organism is responsible for producing its own food using sunlight?

Accepted Answer

Grass

Answer

Lion

Answer

Rabbit

Answer

Eagle

Question 16

What term describes the network of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Food web

Answer

Food pyramid

Answer

Trophic level

Answer

Biodiversity index

Question 17

Which of the following measures the variety and richness of different species within an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Population density

Answer

Biome classification

Answer

Carrying capacity

Question 18

What is the primary function of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Breaking down dead organisms and recycling nutrients

Answer

Producing food for other organisms

Answer

Capturing sunlight through photosynthesis

Answer

Controlling population sizes

Question 19

How do keystone species exert a disproportionate influence on an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

They play a critical role in maintaining ecosystem balance.

Answer

They have a large population size.

Answer

They consume a wide variety of food sources.

Answer

They can tolerate extreme environmental conditions.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

Plant life

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Wind patterns

Answer

Rainfall

Question 21

Energy flows through ecosystems in a specific way. Which organism in a food chain is responsible for capturing energy from sunlight and converting it into food?

Accepted Answer

Plants (producers)

Answer

Herbivores (primary consumers)

Answer

Carnivores (secondary consumers)

Answer

Decomposers (bacteria and fungi)

Question 22

Certain species within an ecosystem have a disproportionate influence on its overall functioning and stability. These species are known as:

Accepted Answer

Keystone species

Answer

Dominant species

Answer

Endangered species

Answer

Indicator species

Question 23

Decomposers play a vital role in nutrient cycling within ecosystems. What is their primary function?

Accepted Answer

To break down dead organisms and return nutrients to the soil and atmosphere

Answer

To produce food for other organisms through photosynthesis

Answer

To regulate the population of herbivores by preying on them

Answer

To capture energy from the sun and convert it into chemical energy

Question 24

Symbiotic relationships can take various forms. Which of the following is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other remains neutral, experiencing neither harm nor benefit?

Accepted Answer

Commensalism (one benefits, the other is neutral)

Answer

Mutualism (both organisms benefit)

Answer

Parasitism (one benefits, the other is harmed)

Answer

Predation (one benefits, the other is killed)

Question 25

The process by which plants utilize sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to create food and release oxygen into the atmosphere is known as:

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Chemosynthesis

Answer

Fermentation

Question 26

An ecosystem is what?

Accepted Answer

The interactions between organisms and their physical surroundings

Answer

All the living things in a place

Answer

The variety of species in a place

Answer

The physical features of a place

Question 27

What do producers do in a food chain?

Accepted Answer

Make their own food

Answer

Eat other organisms

Answer

Break down dead organisms

Answer

Provide shelter for other organisms

Question 28

Which one is an example of a food web?

Accepted Answer

A diagram that shows who eats whom in a habitat

Answer

A chain of organisms that eat each other

Answer

A list of all the organisms that live in an area

Answer

A map of the physical features of an ecosystem

Question 29

How do organisms change to fit their surroundings?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection

Answer

Changing their genes

Answer

Selective breeding

Answer

Genetic engineering

Question 30

What is an example of two organisms living together in a way that helps both of them?

Accepted Answer

A clownfish living among sea anemones

Answer

A lion chasing a zebra

Answer

A bird building a nest in a tree

Answer

A fox searching for food

Question 31

What is special about keystone species in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

They have a bigger effect on the ecosystem than their numbers would suggest

Answer

They are the most common species in the ecosystem

Answer

They are the top predators in the ecosystem

Answer

They are the first species to live in the ecosystem

Question 32

Which of the following best describes an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A community of organisms interacting with their nonliving surroundings.

Answer

A group of organisms within a specific habitat.

Answer

The physical environment where an organism lives.

Answer

The entire population of a particular species.

Question 33

What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

To break down dead organisms and return nutrients to the soil.

Answer

To produce food for primary consumers.

Answer

To regulate the population of prey species.

Answer

To maintain the pH balance of the environment.

Question 34

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

Accepted Answer

A bee pollinating a flower.

Answer

A lion hunting a zebra.

Answer

A tapeworm living inside a human.

Answer

Two trees competing for sunlight.

Question 35

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

Accepted Answer

A food chain is linear, while a food web is more complex and interconnected.

Answer

A food chain focuses on one organism, while a food web includes multiple organisms.

Answer

A food chain is found in aquatic ecosystems, while a food web is found in terrestrial ecosystems.

Answer

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

Question 36

What is a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

A species that has a disproportionate impact on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.

Answer

A species that is preyed upon by many other species.

Answer

A species that is found at the top of the food chain.

Answer

A species that is not found in any other ecosystem.

Question 37

What is the significance of the nitrogen cycle in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

It converts nitrogen gas into forms that can be used by plants.

Answer

It releases oxygen into the atmosphere.

Answer

It helps to regulate the Earth's temperature.

Answer

It prevents the buildup of harmful chemicals in the environment.

Question 38

Arrange these levels of ecological organization from smallest to largest: Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere

Accepted Answer

Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere

Answer

Ecosystem, Biosphere, Community, Population, Organism

Answer

Biosphere, Ecosystem, Community, Population, Organism

Question 39

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

Accepted Answer

Human activities

Answer

Living organisms

Answer

Non-living factors

Answer

Energy

Question 40

A group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area is called a:

Accepted Answer

Population

Answer

Community

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Biome

Question 41

The transfer of energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem is known as:

Accepted Answer

Food chain

Answer

Food web

Answer

Trophic level

Answer

Nutrient cycle

Question 42

Which of the following is a **keystone species**?

Accepted Answer

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem relative to its abundance

Answer

A species that is highly abundant in its ecosystem

Answer

A species that is at the top of the food chain

Answer

A species that is only found in a specific geographic region

Question 43

Which of the following statements about **food webs** is true?

Accepted Answer

Food webs can be complex and interconnected, with multiple trophic levels.

Answer

Food webs are always linear and have only one top predator.

Answer

Herbivores always occupy the lowest trophic level in a food web.

Answer

Food webs do not change over time.

Question 44

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

Accepted Answer

Sunlight

Answer

Chemical energy

Answer

Electrical energy

Answer

Geothermal energy

Question 45

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

Accepted Answer

Plastic bag

Answer

Microorganism

Answer

Air

Answer

Animal

Question 46

Which of the following is an example of a keystone species?

Accepted Answer

Sea otter

Answer

Elephant

Answer

Lion

Answer

Polar bear

Question 47

What is the term for the variety of living things on Earth?

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity

Answer

Habitat

Answer

Ecosystem

Answer

Biosphere

Question 48

What is the process by which plants convert sunlight into food?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Respiration

Answer

Decomposition

Question 49

What is the term for the close relationships between different organisms in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Symbiosis

Answer

Competition

Answer

Predation

Question 50

What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

To break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients

Answer

To control populations of other organisms

Answer

To produce food for other organisms

Answer

To provide shelter for animals