Ecosystems Vocabulary Test

What is an ecosystem?

• A single species in its natural environment

• A community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment

• A large area of freshwater

• The process by which plants make their food

What does the term "habitat" refer to?

• The role an organism plays in its ecosystem

• A type of plant found in rainforests

• The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism

• A group of similar organisms living together

What is a niche?

• A large community of animals and plants

• The physical space where an organism lives

• The role and position a species has in its environment

• A type of ecosystem

Which of the following best defines a species?

• A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and organisms

• A single organism that is different from others

• A group of individuals that actually or potentially interbreed in nature

• The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed

What is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems?

• Wind

• Sunlight

• Soil nutrients

• Water

What does the term "population" refer to in ecology?

• All the ecosystems on Earth

• A single species in a specific area

• All the organisms of the same group or species living in a particular geographic area

• The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

What role do plants play in ecosystems?

• They are the primary consumers

• They produce oxygen and provide food through photosynthesis

• They only serve as habitat for animals

• They regulate water cycles

What is the significance of bacteria in ecosystems?

• They only cause diseases in plants and animals

• They are not important to ecosystems

• They help in the decomposition of dead organisms and recycling of nutrients

• They consume all the oxygen in water

What is a community in ecological terms?

• A group of people living in the same place

• All the living organisms in a particular area

• The nonliving components of an environment

• A single species interacting with its environment

Why are rainforests important to ecosystems?

• They provide a habitat for many species

• They are not important

• They only exist in tropical areas

• They produce carbon dioxide