Aquatic Ecosystems Quiz

What determines the types of organisms in an aquatic ecosystem?

• The temperature of the water

• The amount of dissolved salts the water contains

• The depth of the water

• The amount of sunlight available

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that determines where an organism lives in an aquatic ecosystem?

• Temperature

• Salinity

• The color of the water

• Oxygen levels

What are plankton primarily known as in aquatic ecosystems?

• Bottom-dwellers

• Free-swimming organisms

• The food base for most aquatic ecosystems

• Decomposers

Which type of plankton consists of drifting animals?

• Phytoplankton

• Zooplankton

• Nekton

• Benthos

What term is used to describe organisms that live attached to hard surfaces or burrow into softer sediments in aquatic ecosystems?

• Plankton

• Nekton

• Benthos

• Eutrophication

What term is used to describe the nutrient-rich shallow area near the shore of a lake?

• Benthic zone

• Open water zone

• Littoral zone

• Limnetic zone

Which zone in a lake is characterized by the presence of floating plants and rooted plants with floating leaves?

• Benthic zone

• Limnetic zone

• Littoral zone

• Open water zone

What is the primary source of food for phytoplankton in the limnetic zone of a lake?

• Decomposing animals

• Sunlight

• Insect larvae

• Barbel fish

Which zone of a lake is described as the bottom area where decomposers, insect larvae, and clams can be found?

• Littoral zone

• Limnetic zone

• Benthic zone

• Open water zone

What adaptation do water beetles use to survive in lakes and ponds?

• They burrow into the mud to hibernate.

• They use barbels to help catfish sense food.

• They use the hairs under their bodies to trap surface air.

• They rely on sunlight for photosynthesis.